Stories of Charlie Co & 2-12th Inf Regiment

My Arrival in Vietnam

by Tony Adams - B Co. '68 (notes from 1985)

I arrived in Vietnam on February 6, 1968. We Landed at Bien Hoa airport in early afternoon.  Coinciding with my arrival the ammo dump on the far side of the base was hit with VC rockets and mortars and erupted in flame.  In order to protect the civilian 707 charter plane from damage, the plane immediately took off empty.  The incoming and departing were separated by a patrician but you could see each other.  Soldiers who had already served their one year tour and were waiting to board the freedom flight to the world watched helplessly as the Boeing 707 took off without them.  Their escape from hell would be delayed for several more hours.  I will never forget the look on their face as they watched the plane take off.  One guy had beads of sweat on his forehead and a hollow look in his eyes.  I could only guess at his feelings since at that time I didn't know what he had been through.

Who do you give your money to when you leave?

Just before returning home from Vietnam, as I waited for the plane to land that would take us back to the world I bought a coke at the snack bar in the airport.  When I got my change back I realized that I had no need of the money.  We were paid in MPC (military payment certificates) while in Vietnam and the money was no good anywhere except in Vietnam at military facilities.  When the plane landed we all got ready to board but we had to wait for the plane to unload the new recruits.  Just as had happened one year before when I arrived the new arrivals got off and walked down an aisle right by those of us who were about to board for the flight home.  This was the full circle.  I waited for them to unload and then went up to one of the new recruits and gave him about $5.00 in MPC that I had left.  I told him that I wouldn't need it where I was going but he might find a use for it.

Sure it was a cruel thing to do. Sure it probably made him feel like hell.  Sure I could just as well have kept the money for a souvenir.  But after a year of hell I wanted to gloat to someone that it was all but over for me.  He looks up with a bewildered look not knowing what to say.  He probably had never heard of MPC or realized what I was giving him.  I noticed that all his buddies and him looked at my buddies and I with the same look that I had looked at those who waited to leave a year ago.  This time there was no mortar attack and we didn't have to wait long to board the plane.  I got on the plane and found a place to sit and looked out the window at hell for the last time.