On New Year's eve 1968 I returned from Nam to start my special leave after extending for six months. We landed in Oakland in late afternoon. Got a hot shower and some food and a set of dress greens and headed for San Fran to the airport. I still remember the ride across the bridge and I was amazed at the street lights. That was something that we didn't have in Pleiku. At the airport we learned that most of the flight east were cancelled because of weather. Closing the airport bar a group of us camped out at the departure gate and bullshitted the night away. Most of us had waited a year to final get home and now mother-nature held us hostage for the night.

The night gave way to the dawn and the weather had broke. I was on the first flight to Chicago. Sometime during the flight I finally fell asleep after being up for over 36 hours. The landing in Chicago was the first time I could actually say I was home. Snow and tempetures in the teens. The time I spent at home passed way to fast and before I knew it I was headed back.

Happy New Years to all of my friends and I hope things are great in the coming year.