Erin Goehring

                                                                                                                        4-23-04

Dear Mom and Dad,

Im very sorry I havent been able to write. We have been very busy lately. With the monsoon season approaching the action has increased quite a lot around here. Mostly because the rainy season is the Viet Congs kind of weather, they can move about much more freely without being seen.

We even go out on night missions now. Thats when we can really catch them with there draws down. Sometimes these night missions back fire though. Like two nights ago the lead ship crashed in VC infested mangroves. The Pilot was knocked unconscious and the CO-pilot was all cut up and suffering from shock. The Gunner was unconscious and had a broken ankle and some teeth knocked out. The Crew Chief, an 18 year old from the north side of Chicago, was thrown out of the ship and the engine and transmission landed on top of him. Its really unfortunate sense he was so young and also sense a few days earlier hed just gotten out of the hospital from being wounded twice. Once in the arm and once in the leg. It was also his first flight sense he got out of the hospital.

            I dont mean to scare you or cause any undue worry in you by telling you this. I just want it understood that this is a war Im in over here and things like this do happen.

Youll probably be upset after this next thing Im about to tell you but anyway here it goes. Ive extended over here for another 30 days. The reason being that in September when I was supposed to go home they had to many people with my training  going home and they need some to stay a month to train some of the new guys wholl be taking our places. The CO personally asked a few of us to stay. So we did.  I wont have to fly though. All Ill have to do is teach the new men. So instead of leaving Sept. 27 Ill be leaving Oct. 27.

            Well I havent made any rank yet but I was put in for it this month again and they havent gotten anything back from Battalion yet, so theres still a chance I might make it this month.

Thats all thats new around here so until after payday I guess I wont be writing.

               Love always,

                      JAMES ANDERSON JR.