The good times don't last forever. Before you know it, your year is up and it's time to go home!

For us it was a short trip down Highway 1A to the 90th Replacement Battalion. The treatment we received when leaving (with one exception) was a lot better than what we received when we arrived.

The only bad thing that happened when being out processed at the 90th was that we had to dump our carefully packed duffel bags in a bin so the contents could be inspected for contraband. This was right before leaving for the Bien Hoa airport, and we didn't have any time to neatly repack anything.

That was the only bad thing. The rest of the time we lounged around. There were no details, no guard duty, no KP. Quite unlike when I arrived!   

I think these were taken at the90th Replacement Bn. because we did not have 55-gallon drums around our barracks.  Gale L. Bloom doing his laundry.

I don't remember the name.

Guard bunker at the 90th Replacement Battalion. I didn't feel safe because the only GIs pulling guard duty were those who just arrived in country.

There is my Freedom Bird. The most beautiful Boeing 707 I'd ever seen. The Air Force fellow, left, was just about to tell me that taking photographs on the tarmac was not allowed.

"I'm sorry, did you say no more photos? No problem...ups. Sorry!"

Let me go back about a year or so before this photo was taken and tell about our trip to Vietnam.

In one regard, the flight we took to Vietnam unusual. We did not fly out of Travis Air Force Base. I remember hearing something about our plane being late because of some mechanical work. As a result,  left from the San Francisco airport. That wasn't the only difference, since it was a civilian air port, we were allowed to wander around, and a couple of us ended up in the bar. In spite being underage, I was able to buy a couple beers. When the time came to board the airplane, I wasn't feeling any pain.

Now it's interesting that we were able to walk around the airport because the last full day we were processing at the Oakland Army Terminal, we were restricted to this big converted warehouse. It had PX facilities and sleeping areas. There were no windows that I remember and the doors were guarded.  You couldn't leave.

On the way over, our plane landed in Hawaii to refuel. I remember that the plane was parked on the tarmac well away from the terminal. The fuel truck and the catering truck had to come to us. I guess they weren't taking any chances with anyone changing his mind.

The flight attendants (stewardesses in those days) were very attractive.

There were a few guys on the plane that I knew from AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. One was named Tedford. He was a college graduate, majored in history, I think. Single. And, worried out of his mind. He fretted so much about going to Vietnam that, by the time we landed at the Bien Hoa airport, everyone on the plane knew who he was.  (I don't mean to make fun of Tedford. He was obviously smarter than I was!)

If you were on that plane and remember Tedford and wonder whatever happened to him, I'm happy to report that he made it just fine.

I actually ran across Tedford in Germany. I was stationed with the 3rd Supply and Transport Bn, 3rd Infantry Division, in Wurtzburg. I as detailed as a driver to what we called "seven-day guard" (you were there for one week, thus "seven-day guard"). I don't remember exactly where it was or what it was called. But I went for a week and drove guys from the barracks to their guard duties and back. Sort of taxi service.

Anyway, I ran into Tedford in the mess hall one day and we were able to catch up.  He had been stationed somewhere up north in Vietnam. He made it through with no problems.

Here we go, getting ready to land in Hawaii.

I always joking say, "I've been to Hawaii twice. The second time they let me off the airplane."

One last note, going over the flight attendants were very attractive young women. Coming back the flight attendants were all about my mother's age, maybe older.