1 AM TUE

14 MAR

My Darling Girls

Its getting harder and harder to stay awake these nights. Another beautiful night with a lovely star filled sky. We were supposed to get our adm run by chopper late yesterday afternoon but it never materialised so I haven't had any mail in. Worked on sand bagging the rear wall yesterday morning and it's pretty well finalized now. Went on a patrol yesterday afternoon to the three halmets nearest to district (about 1000 metre NORTH, 1000 EAST and 2000 SOUTH) No VC and the people say they haven't seen any since the attack. The Junk fleet had a fight with 6 VC boats at 10 PM tonight about 4 miles SOUTH WEST of here. We could hear it and see all the tracers and we were talking to them on the radio. They think they sank 2 boats. We've got the inside of the room pretty well organized now. Its crowded but as comfortable as we can make it. We've got an extra B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle now) and 3 (grease gun) submachine guns so that we've each got a long range weapon 2 BARs 1 M79 and 3 burp guns to use if they get inside the compound. The replacement for Col Graeser came out yesterday morning in a chopper that was a surprise so soon. I'll be sorry to see Col Graeser go. He and I have got to be very close friends but I'm glad he's getting out. He's taken this succession of losses terribly hard personally and blames himself for them. He's been pulling Capt WAUFORD in from QUANG DIEN. The wiping out of the team here at PHU THU was the last straw for him and he's got a genuine case of combat fatigue. He's had a bad 6 months so he'll go to a job a division for his second half. Got a new fire support plan for arty all tied in with the Marines yesterday. I didn't like the one they had before and today we start laying new wire and mines they didn't know where the old mines were laid and they date back to the French days. Capt CAO the past commander had to go into HUE for an investigation yesterday. He may be court martialed for NOT being in the compound at the time of the attack.

The villages are starting to recover their spirits again. I went down this evening about 7 and talked to a lot of them. I gave them Clements pig to share amongst the widows of the P.F. They needed it NOW. We can get another one if we ever decide to go on with Clements agricultural ideas. Halfway through march now little pet. By the time you get this it should be 23/24 So exactly 4 months to go. 2/3 finished. I'm looking forward so very very much to coming home to you my darling I'm missing you more and more every day, both you my lovely Neisi and those three little sweeties. To be home with you again and to snuggle a lovely Neisi in my arms. I think our holiday together will be just to wonderful to be true. You are another world and sometimes you seem like a dream. I love you so very much little Neisi and miss you so very much, but we ARE winning now. I'll be home soon. I love you. Petie