October 15, 1966

HI Honey!!!

Thought it would be best if I write as much as I can while I can. The hanger will be full tomorrow. Several ships are due for inspection, some 50 hr. and some 100 hr. There must be a lot going on in the field since they want as many ships ready for flight as possible. We have been asked to improve the turn around time while maintaining the quality of the work. We had a pep talk yesterday by the Company Commander Major Edwards, he said the 119th has on of the best safety records in all of Vietnam and the best in the 52nd aviation Battalion. If I get assigned to one of the Flight Platoons that’s the kind of news I want to hear. I don’t ever want to be the cause of something happening so I plan to do my best. Not sure I could live with my self if I was the cause of some one getting hurt.

I have only been in country 18 days and the food still tastes like crap. I bet your dorm food is miles ahead of what we get. The milk tastes so bad you have to hold your nose shut and chug it. The beer is not to bad that was the easiest thing to get used to.

Hope your not tired of hearing me say I Miss You. You can plan on hearing that a lot. As soon as I get paid I’ll send you a money order for stamps and stationary. I know you’re on a tight budget with school. That’s about all for now, not much going on around here.

Love Tom
S.W.A.K

Tom Gator 851.