A.W. (Peter) Machen

Oct. 5, 1969 

Vietnam 

Dear People of the World.

I'm sitting in my hootch trying to dry off so I thought I might as well dash off another letter.

I'm trying to figure out what it’s doing.  It's not "raining".  I’ve seen rain before and this isn’t it.  It's just a deluge of H2O dumped from the sky.  It's like standing under the Niagara Falls.  I’ve got to go out tonight in that again.  Better take an anchor with me.  Now I know why we are in the Department of the Navy.  I'm beginning to feel like a squid.  I've got athletes foot and ringworm on my feet and ankles but so does everyone else.  I'm taking medication for it.  Look at that “rain”!

I know I won't stay dry even with all my raingear and poncho to boot.  After the fight to keep dry is lost, it's a battle against the elements to keep warm.  Sleep -- forget it.  I haven't slept in four nights.  Send me some water wings!

Apparently Charlie likes to fight best in this weather.  I guess he realizes that Americans, coming from homes with porcelain bathtubs, central heating and umbrellas have a hard time at acclimating themselves to Vietnamese monsoons.  One gook we shot this week in the heavy rain only had on a pair of shorts.  He doesn't even try to keep dry.

Those 6-12 pads are really great.  They are light, easy to carry and one pad will last a whole night if I stretch it out.  Thanks!

All of us just laugh to keep from crying!  If we didn’t joke about things we all go nuts.

Mail hasn't come in yet.  Maybe I'll get a package.  I'll let you know before I mail this.

Tomorrow is Monday.  It's Sunday back in the world.  We are one day ahead of you all.

[Letter continued on October 15]

Anyway, if there is a Colt, I'll listen to it -- LIVE!  That's right.  It's a warm feeling to hear those Baltimore screaming voices, knowing that one of those belongs to none other then dear ol’ Pop!

My camera got busted on a patrol so I managed to get a new one  124 Kodak--$16.50.  I owe it to myself.  I'll send you the pictures home when I get a bunch of ‘em.  Everyone wants a picture of a dead gook!  Not supposed to but nobody around here cares.  Hell, my staff sergeant, goes out on patrol with a shotgun loaded with buckshot.  Maybe it's against the Geneva Convention, but the gooks don't observe it.  North Vietnam openly admits it.  The little slant eyed bastards!  They called Marines the Green Monster's (in Vietnamese, of course).

We have a club.  It made out of hundreds of ammo boxes.  They sell beer.  We now get a load of it every day.  Somehow we all manage to squeeze in.  It's not much, but it's ours.

There was a fire.  An electrical fire in the 106’s hootch.  There was a short circuit and the fire caught on fast.  All the ammo cooked off, popping off.  It was really kind of funny.  We got the fire out.  No great damage just a roof full of holes.  War is hell.

October 15 we go to Namu Bridge.  We are going to act as security for the bridge – Rt, One.  When it gets hot, that's if the sun ever comes out, we can go swimming.  There are girls out there too.  I owe it to myself too... what can I say?. 

So Gypsy Rose Lee and Bill Sharp.  It doesn't surprise me.  I told him that my cute blonde second cousin might come visit him.

Last night while out on ambush, sitting in the rain I started reminiscing of the days of the past.  A bed, a car, good hot chow, girls, my only worry was how I was going to get that next buck were where I was going to take a girl for the night.  I think that if I got it to one of those things called a bed, I get lost … even if I had a guide.

Every once in a while I get into these writing moods.  Hope you don't mind my just rapping.

I've signed up to take one of those college equivalency tests.  What have I got to lose?  I figure it's some of those jarheads can pass it, I can.  Anyway, it's good for a promotion.

You know I'm supposed to have an investigation held on me for that job at the White House.  I'll bet they will find out things about me that even I don't know about.

Could they get any information out of Taylor Kane?  If they do, I can forget it.

After a full tour overseas, any Marine is eligible for up to a one year cut from active duty.  If I don't get that job in Washington, I'm going to put in for it.

My socks are drying off now.  I have another pair of dry ones.  They can't stand up by themselves.

3rd Marine Div. is pulling out of Nam.  26th is staying.  At least we may go on ship eventually.

I wish that rain would stop!  I have six months of it to look forward to.  What a bust.

Well I'm going to stop this book and wait for the mail.

Sent my love to Angie.

Love to all, Pete

PS

This letter is about two weeks old..  I figured I'd mail it anyway

October 15 still on 190.