Photograph by Dave Eckberg
Getting to the Bachelors Officers Quarters (BOQ) was another surprise. It was a sandbagged, wooden shack. All around were fortifications, concertina wire, and bunkers.
Photograph by Dave Eckberg
Inside the "BOQ", the facilities were worse than I had experienced in basic training at Fort Knox. The place was crowded, hot and had lousy facilities. Notice the sign instructing us to "Keep Boots Off Beds." We couldn't sleep because of jet lag, the incredible heat, and the mosquitoes. In the distance we could hear artillery fire and see flares. I remember thinking that I was sure to die. I just knew that if the Viet Cong didn't get me, the mosquitoes would and would give me malaria.
Photograph by Dave Eckberg
After just one day there they loaded us up in a cargo plane, a C-124, for the trip to Chu Lai. This was quite a step down from the civilian 707 we had flown on to get into the country. When we got off the plane we were officially part of The Americal Division.
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