Aug 1966 - Aug 1967 My Vietnam Adventure

Melvin served in Vietnam from August 1967 to August 1968 as an Infantry Platoon Leader.  When Melvin arrived to take over the 2nd Platoon there were 36 men assigned. When Melvin left out of the field in March 1968, there were 6 men who had not been killed or wounded.  The odds of surviving without getting killed or wounded was about 20% or less - not good if you are a gambler. The first pic is Melvin standing in thick bamboo, the 2nd is Melvin standing on the air strip at Dau Tieng, VN - a dirt runway about 1/4 mile long.  The third pic of the hammock is a typical temporary housing - my pad after walking all day through the jungle.  Below the hammock was a small ditch about 12 inches deep to lay in if we get mortared.  The 4th photo is of the 2nd platoon taken while in base camp at Dau Tieng, RVN.  The photo with the snake was taken about 2 months after I arrived in VN - Not something you would want to lay down besides if you got in a fire fight ( battle with the North Vietnamese ).  The photo of a guy taking a shower is Ranny Meyers, my best friend in Vietnam.  He was wounded in the head while there and I didn't see him again for 25 years.  The next photo is of Ranny and Melvin sitting on a catch of rice dug into the ground surrounded with tin to help keep it dry.  The last pic is the results of a 500 pound bomb - a crater a house would easily fit into.  After Vietnam, Melvin joined the Army Reserve and served the additional 17 years to earn a military retirement.  He was promoted to LTC-05 in 1984 and retired in 1989 at that rank.  Since age 60, Melvin has been receiving full military retirement benefits and a monthly check.