Sure was glad to hear from you and know that you are doing well back on the block. Well as bad as I hate to tell you things haven't been going so well with me or the rest of the boys. As you can tell by the address on my letter I am back in the hospital once more. Yes I have been wounded again. And also Richard, I know this will come as a shock to you but on the same operation our little buddy Peanuts was killed. Also Sgt. Seasholtz. It is still hard for me to believe and accept that he is gone.

I will start from the beginning and tell you how it happened. We were on this operation down by Vung Tau. We had gone for two or three days without making any contact. Then on a Sunday we killed two VC. One of them talked and said there was a regiment in the area. The next morning we started out and walked till noon, taking a lunch break. While we were eating Burris (the boy from California) seen 2 VC. Sgt. Schoolman, Sgt. Seasholtz and myself opened fire on them killing at least 3 of them. Then we got on line and went through the area, running into a bunker complex. Still we did not receive much fire. We called artillery in on them and got a few short rounds, wounding some of our men and killing one (a new man). We did nothing but sat there and wait until about 3:30. Then the fire works really started.

We were getting mortared by the VC with 81MM and all the cover we had was whatever we could get behind. Still no one told us to move back and dig in. Then about 4:30 the main force moved in on us, advancing under mortar and 50 cal. fire. Then the stupid CO we got told us to get up and move out of the area. By this time we were completely surrounded with VC in the trees all around us. Picking us off like sitting ducks. We had to stand and fight. Sgt. Schoolman got wounded and Sgt. Seasholtz couldn't be found so I had to take charge of the squad. We held our positions till it looked like we would surely be overrun (I don't know it at the time bu the first and second squads had already been overrun). We were all wounded but some how with God's help I got them all back to a better position. Then is when Peanuts must have got it again.

Richard, I could hear him calling for me till about 12:00 that night. I was wounded in the left hip and could not move. We spent that night in the jungle. Almost everbody either dead or wounded. The next morning they sent choppers into get us and B. Co. got to us about day break. We had 35 killed and 75 wounded. Third platoon was the hardest hit. Sgt. Langston was killed and every man in the first and second suad and one machine gun crew. Every man in the 3rd squad was wounded but Peanuts and Seasholtz were the only ones killed. All I can say is that we had poor leadership but did real good considering the odds. I think we killed about 350 or 400 of them. And had we had any kind of positions would have came out much better.

Yes I am here in the hospital in Japan once more. But the Doc says when I am able to travel he is sending me back to the states. I am messed up kind of bad this time. I was hit twice in the rear end. They have me all cut and wired up but at this I am lucky. I think I will be able to walk in a couple of months.

Well, Rich, will close for now and write more later. Let me hear from you and I will pass on the news from V.N. Take things easy on the block because you know it is a bad world out there.

Your Foxhole Buddy.

Richard