Blog 521 – 01.11.2017
January Tenth, A Day I Will Long Remember

January Tenth is the day I first arrived in The Republic of South Vietnam. In January of 1970 I had just recently turned ninteen. That seems so young now to be so far away from home and I was so scared the I might not make it home. But not all the time and most of the time it was just an adventure. I was spared the horrors of war and had a very safe and sheltered life for my long hot summer in Vietnam. I was a teletype repairman for the US Army Security Agency who operated in Vietnam as the 509th Radio Research Group. And, no, I was not a double naught spy as cousin Jethro of the Beverly Hillbilly fantasized being. I was just a trained repairman not unlike the Maytag repairman sitting around waiting for one of our machines to break down. Like Maytag our equipment was very reliable.

Since all us military personnel were scheduled to spend one year “in country” our “deros” or departure date back to “the states” was the same date we arrived only one year later. Fortunately the war was winding down or at least support for it was when I got there so all of us January Tenth arrivals got a one month “drop” off our tour and we were home for Christmas 1970. I really have had a “blessed” or happy life in so many ways. I did not always appreciate the gifts that came to me. And indeed like most of us I did not see many of them as gifts at the time. But I do now. I have a sneeking suspicion that learning an attitude of gratitude is really a big part of what this life is all about.

I am always grateful for another January tenth. I am grateful for that one some forty seven years ago. I am not a big one for marking a lot of anniversaries. Having had the fortune of talking four lovely women into marrying me just keeping up with those anniversaries and birthdays would be more than most men are very capable of, myself included. But I do remember some days and January Tenth is one of them that I am very grateful that I got to experience. Many who danced in the jungles of South Vietnam did not get to go home after the ball, or perhaps they did and we are really the ones on a “delayed entry” plan. Till we all “deros” from this duty assignment, my hope for each and everyone is that you enjoy your tour.

Your friend and fellow traveler,
David White