A.W. (Peter) Machen to Rose P. Machen

September 14, 1969

Vietnam

Dear Mom:

Today I got your letter.  I can't tell you how excited I am over the package!  It hasn't come yet, it may be here tomorrow.

Yesterday we had a cheiu-hoi -- woman NVA which was a great help to us.  Let me explain.  The US government has a program called cheiu-hoi.  It is a very effective weapon against the enemy.  As you know this is also a war of the people.  This program states that if an enemy surrenders (under his own will only) he will be paid for his weapon, clothed, fed and re-trained for our uses.  They usually have valuable information.

The NVA have been trying to come back to Da Nang.  They fight at night and sneak into the village is at morning.  They hide in tunnels and bunkers and terrify the villagers so they won't talk.  Every night now we have been going out on my ambushes, trying to catch the enemy on route out of the villages, but it's hard.  Well, the cheiu-hoi woman told us we are all the rice was hidden and where they go in and out of the village.  We had six different ambushes last night and got three confirmed kills and a great number wounded.

We have them where we want them.  They can't win.  We have already cut off a great deal of their food supply.  Just thought you would be interested.  These pamphlets are dropped by air all over the country.  I just picked these two up.

So Steve Chewning is at Marisle Mountain.  I was there for three days for land mine warfare school.  If I had known it then I might have been able to find him, most likely at the club

Cousin Elly wrote me and I've finally written Granny and Grandfather.  Please send me Nonie’s address and the Millers’ address.  Thank you

Please send my love to Angi.  I miss her

Kilo Killers

[Drawing of machine gun]

Have gun will travel. Rate 14 ½ ¢per hour

Love,

Pete