I was still half asleep, but the whooshing staccato of booms signaled my senses as to what he was talking about. Like the precise ass that I am, I faultlessly dressed myself to include lacing and tying my boots, and then ran a quarter of a mile to our defense bunker while the mortars were incoming. -CWO Anthony B. De Angelis
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Mom,
I haven't been able to write for a couple days for a few reasons, the least of which not being the rain. The CO has finally gotten us more socks and we go through at least two, three pairs a day. The real problem is drying them. Everything is damp, at the very least. We don't even have to take showers anymore. We just walk outside with some soap and in no more than five minutes, we're clean. I never though I'd see rain like this, let alone be expected to live in it.
Clark Johnson went home yesterday, another bittersweet departure, made even more so by the fact that our CO told our sergeant that replacements will be arriving in about a week. You already know why this makes me upset, so I won't repeat it.
Because we're only nine men strong now, the CO doesn't really want to send us out on patrol, but he has no choice, seeing as another unit lost six guys two days ago, and then another one who went home. For the time being, until both of us get replacements, they're to go out with us. Hopefully, there won't be any problems. Actually, I think it works in our favor, seeing as their machine gunner didn't get hit, we'll have two for a while. That should come in handy when we make contact, especially if it's heavy. If we're even luckier, it won't come to that and we'll be left to simple walk through the jungle and rice paddies in relative peace.
We were hit with mortar and rocket fire last night, and it went on for a good four hours. This time I wasn't on watch, but I had the next watch. Luckily, I had another man in the foxhole with me and we were able to keep each other awake. Even with the possibility of danger so near, it is very easy to drift off when you're exhausted from humping the boonies all day.
It's starting to rain again, so I have to say goodbye, but I'll write again tomorrow, if there's a dry spell.
Your loving son,
John
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A/N: "Humping the boonies" was an expression used by soldiers referring to carrying their packs through the jungle.