24 Dec 1968
Hi Mom,

Christmas eve and I got stuck with guard duty. Got back to Holloway yesterday. I thought my leave had come through and was hopeing to be headed home by now. No luck! Something is messed up in the paper work. The rest of the platoon is still at Lane Field near the coast. With so many new guys I guess they figured that was the best place to get them some training. About the only ones left in the platoon are me, Sempek,Jarnigan and Carroll. All the rest of the guys Derosed last month. I got a new gunner along with my new ship. His name is Jeff Dana and he is from Boston. He's pretty cool. We get along okay.

The new ship is great! Lots of power and everything works on it. It makes my life real easy. Lt. Rock says it's like having a new car. By the time I get back he should be gone. I don't have a clue who my new A/C will be. I might get Lt. Burke. He's okay but a little bit of a jerk. He just made A/C and is next in line to be platoon leader.

Got your pictures of Bob's new car. Looks good. I also received a couple of Christmas cards from some of the kids at St. Mary's school. Be sure to tell them thanks. If I get the time I will write to them.

Maint. is having a party tonight. I guess Bob Hope's show was at Phu Cat Air Force yesterday. That's near Lane Field. I don't know is any of the guys got to go. We've been supplying the Korean along the coast for the past two weeks. Most of the missions are milk runs. Big landing zones and everything is pretty flat. Nothing like Dak To.

I guess by the time I get back we will be moving to a new company area. It's on the other side of the base. Instead of hootches they built long barracks. One for each platoon. So instead of seven guys in a hootch there will be twenty guys in theses. I would rather have the small hootches. Besides we are only a couple of blocks from the PX from here. Even though there's never anything to buy at least we are close to it. The new area is about a mile away. I would hate to walk that far and find nothing to buy.

I've got to go for now. Got to get ready for guard. Tell everyboby Hi. I miss them and hope to be home by New Years.

Love ya,

Ron