I have had some time to think about my last post and I need to make a correction. It has to do with dates. I finished up my AIT at Fort Devens around the second week in December 1964. I remember taking two weeks of leave during Christmas, my birthday and the New Year. So right after the first of the new year, 1965, I found myself starting my way to the Philippine Islands.
This also started something new for me personally. It came as a rude awakening to me to find my mom and dad taking me to the greater Cincinnati Airport, which by the way, is located across the Ohio River in Kentucky. I had been told by the Army that I would have to fly into San Francisco International Airport, take a military bus to Travis Air Force Base, and then fly by a plane leased by the government to take GIs overseas.
For a boy, fresh off the farm, flying was something new to me. I had never been in an airplane before. But, I was to learn later that this was just the start. I remember how nervous I was as the plane was taking off and landing. I had no problems with the flying part. It was one cup of coffee after another until I got the hang of it.
Once on the ground at San Francisco International, I had to board a military bus to go to Travis Air Force Base. From the terminal to the bus, there was a bunch of young people lined up and they were flashing the 'peace' sign, and offering us flowers as we got to the bus. Little did I know what would happen on the reverse trip a little over three years later. I was spit on, called 'Baby killer' and a few other names that I will not put down on paper. It still upsets me after all these years to think about this. The reception that we were shown upon arriving back in the states. But when I think about it, I think the main cause for this was the incident that happened shortly before my return in 1968. I am talking about the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam.
Most of the readers of this will not recognize this and a lot of older readers may have forgotten about it. So, I will give a little capsule about it. On March 16, 1968, in the little village of My Lai, Vietnam, between 347 and 504 old men, women, and kids were rounded up by the U.S. Army and many of women were raped, and all were shot and killed. While 26 men of Charlie Company, 1st of the 20th Inf. Reg. were charged with criminal actions, only one, Lt. William Calley, was brought to trial. He was found guilty of 22 murders, was given the life sentence, but only served three and a half years under house arrest.
Well, I found myself on an airplane, leased to the government, on my way at last to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. I learned once in the air that our 14 hour flight was take longer than that because we would be stopping at Guam to refuel.
We finally landed at Clark. The only Army unit on the air base sent a bus to pick us up and deliver us to our barracks. Now, I don't think I mentioned this before, but back then when you traveled, they put on your orders the uniform you are to travel and report in. When I left Travis it was cold, so the OG (Olive Green) uniform and big bulky overcoat was nice and warm. When I arrived at Clark, is was in the 90's and the humidity was off the charts. The First Sergeant just looked at us, all wilted down, laughed, and told us that the orderly room clerk would show us to our rooms, the house boys would get our bedding and fix the bed while we were getting out of the hot clothes and taking our showers. I remember this was on a Thursday morning and the First Sergeant said for us to get acclimated and he did not want to see us until Monday morning in the Orderly Room.
My Philippine adventure will continue in the next blog. Til the next time . . . it's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life....
God speed my friends.
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