Letters Home
In early 1970 I returned from work one day to find that my father had put a note on the front door, "Bon voyage." I knew what that meant. A marine recruiter had been calling me every couple of weeks to let me know what number the selective service was calling at the time. My lottery number was 151. As I recall the official notice read, "Greetings from your friends and neighbors, you have been selected to serve in America's fighting forces..."
Rick Holt's Adventures in Vietnam
Letters Home from Vietnam, 1971
Letters Home from Vietnam, 1971
Da Nang
February 2, 1971
Tuesday
6:00 pm
Dear Folks,
Finally got a chance to write a letter. I moved again. I'm now at Da Nang Air Force Base. Flew up here Monday on a U-21A aircraft, the same kind of plane we use on our radio relay missions. Got up here at about 2 pm. At about 6 pm we went up again on a relay mission. Went up with another operator this first time. We were up for 5 hours in which time I had to do some quick learning.
Because at 10 am this morning I went up on another mission, only this time I was alone. It's not real difficult to operate this equipment as long as it's working properly, but most of the time there is something wrong with it. You have to try switching parts from one radio to another to get them to work.
When the equipment is working properly it will retransmit a signal from one station on the ground to another ground station who is too far away for good communication. And all I have to do is sit there and monitor the net. The terrain we're flying over is hilly and mountainous and is covered with jungles.
The weather here at Da Nang is pretty chilly and the only time I've seen the sun since I've been here was when I was flying. We usually fly at 10,000 ft. so we're above the clouds.
The barracks I'm living in now is just a hut made out of sheet metal and wood. I forget what you call them. It looks like half a tube with the ends boarded up. It's not too bad though. It's got a tile floor and fluorescent lights. There are 11 of us living here.
My home unit is still 2nd Signal Group Aviation Detachment so that's where you should keep sending your mail. Never did get a box number, but it's not really that important. Haven't got any mail yet. I imagine it will all catch up with me sometime before I get home.
Well so much for now, I think I'll go get a hot dog and coke.
Rick
February 2, 1971
Tuesday
6:00 pm
Dear Folks,
Finally got a chance to write a letter. I moved again. I'm now at Da Nang Air Force Base. Flew up here Monday on a U-21A aircraft, the same kind of plane we use on our radio relay missions. Got up here at about 2 pm. At about 6 pm we went up again on a relay mission. Went up with another operator this first time. We were up for 5 hours in which time I had to do some quick learning.
Because at 10 am this morning I went up on another mission, only this time I was alone. It's not real difficult to operate this equipment as long as it's working properly, but most of the time there is something wrong with it. You have to try switching parts from one radio to another to get them to work.
When the equipment is working properly it will retransmit a signal from one station on the ground to another ground station who is too far away for good communication. And all I have to do is sit there and monitor the net. The terrain we're flying over is hilly and mountainous and is covered with jungles.
The weather here at Da Nang is pretty chilly and the only time I've seen the sun since I've been here was when I was flying. We usually fly at 10,000 ft. so we're above the clouds.
The barracks I'm living in now is just a hut made out of sheet metal and wood. I forget what you call them. It looks like half a tube with the ends boarded up. It's not too bad though. It's got a tile floor and fluorescent lights. There are 11 of us living here.
My home unit is still 2nd Signal Group Aviation Detachment so that's where you should keep sending your mail. Never did get a box number, but it's not really that important. Haven't got any mail yet. I imagine it will all catch up with me sometime before I get home.
Well so much for now, I think I'll go get a hot dog and coke.
Rick
I you want to read more of Rick Holts letters home he has a web page of the years he was in Vietnam on his personal web page.
http://rickholt.net/vietnam.html
http://rickholt.net/vietnam.html