Stationed at Hanscom Field in Concord, Massachusetts, for nearly two years, I knew I was due for reassignment as 1966 came to a close. Sure enough, as we turned in our weapons after patrol one day, the desk sergeant announced that he’d received transfer orders for some of us.
We gathered around as he read: “Johnson: Saigon, Jones: Bien Hoa, White: Cam Ranh Bay, Bardone: Thule, Harris: Da Nang.” Some of the names of the new duty stations in Vietnam were familiar, but I’d never heard of Thule (pronounced TOO-lee).
The non-commissioned officer in charge told me he’d been to Thule in 1954, and advised me to bring a crying towel. Where the heck was I going? “I didn’t think we were in Vietnam in ’54,” I said.
He laughed at my confusion.…
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Reminisce (Digital) - 1 Issue, October/November 2022