SAT 11 FEB

My Darling Girls

Well we are back onto therain game again - its pouring down and bitterly cold again.

We're still having the truce and I'm bored to back teeth with it. I know you aren't supposed to but I enjoy combat - not the effects where women and children get hurt but the straight fight between them and us where the one who thinks and moves the fastest and who dares most - wins.

Its remendously exhilarating I've got a good lot of troops and we know each other now and trust each other. It's a good feeling. They are good little soldiers and they have all developed into distinct personalities now. There are some crazy characters amongst them, one I call Bop who carries a guitar and plays American jazz on it - and who is also the best B.A.R. machine gunner I've ever seen - Sha my Browning gunner at PHONG DIEN - COBI -THAN TAN in the human wave attacks at Christmas, hit in the face with two rounds but tapping his ammo man on the shoulder in the ‘take over' signal and rolling out of his way before he lost consciousness - (he lived and will be OK) They are good people and if led well are first class soldiers. I'm lucky with the officers we've had. They've got out in front and led. That's the trouble with the 1st DIV regular units - no leadership anyway enough drivel about the army my sweetie.

Went to lunch at Capt DAO's and dinner at MAJ BAO's last night - strict Vietnamese traditional food in each case. If I see another rice cake I'll scream. We also misjudged BAO - thought it was only cocktails so had dinner in the mess before we left and then got hit with 7 courses Col Graeser and I could hardly get up from the table and you HAD to eat a little of every course - burp!

I'm going down to Special Operations Group this morning. I'm working with them a bit now to try and get some early warning of what we've got against us back in the hills. We've had two new VC regular bns against us in the last two weeks and I've got a nasty suspicion that there is a new VC division of NTH VIET Regulars that has moved in from LAOS - we'll see.

The locals are still firing off their weapons every night to celebrate TET the current scene is 1 dead 7 wounded. We've had 4 rounds through the roof of the RAP, two through the chapel, one through a room two down from mine and one went into the PX, smashed a showcase and hit a watch I just go to bed. If I'm going to be hit I'll go in comfort - I stay off the streets as much as possible during TET - I'd hate to be shot by my 'friends'. Not much news at the moment my little darling because most of the time I've been just sitting. Each day is one closer to being home with my lovely wife anyway. Try not to tire yourself too much my pretty Neisi, you are doing a wonderful job and a much harder one than mine and I know it and appreciate it. I love you so much more than I could tell you little sweetie - but I'll try in July

Petie