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9 New Plei Jereng
10 FSB Warrior
11
FSBLance
5 FSB Welch
12 Bong Son (LZ Two Bits)
12 FSB Abbey
4 FSB Challenge Resue
13
FSB Powder (An Loa)
14
FSB Tape (An Loa)
15
Qui Nhon
16 FSB Washington
12 Bong Son
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The Photo below ass taken from the U.S. Army Publication
"TOUR 365"
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I arrive in the early morning hours of March 11th. Our plane was delayed in Japan for about 3 hours because the runway at Cam Ranh was mortared and had to be repaired. As you can see, the processing center was located on the South China Sea. It was like being at the beach, except for the smell from the burning crap that seemed to linger throughout the day. The base had no sewer system. You went in an outhouse with a big can underneath during the day. Every morning the cans were filled with fuel, lite on fire and stirred until the contents were incinerated.
In spite of the shortage of infantry troops in the field, it took me over a week to get an assignment. At one point it looked as if I would never get a unit assignment. I think the permanent cadre liked to make sure they had plenty of new troops to do their chores like burning crap, collecting the Mess Hall's garbage and guard duty.
On March 19th I got on a twin engine C-123 (Caribou) transport plane headed for Pleiku and the 4th Division training center. The 4th had moved from Pleiku to An Khe, but the training center had not left yet. The day was sunny, bright and hot. We sweated on the tarmac waiting to board our plane. While getting ready to load on the plane we saw a group of GI’s heading home on the Freedom Bird. Some of the group really looked undernourished and beat. We also so witnessed another group of GI’s going home on a refrigerated C-141 transport plane. Each one was in an aluminum casket loaded on a wooden pallet. There were too many pallets. I hoped I came home undernourished and beat.
PS: I never did get to see the "Pretty Girl with the Smile", as mentioned below. I was one of the lucky undernourished and beat.
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