Through The Eyes of an Infantryman

SGT Arthur L. Markart 1st Cavalry 2nd BN 5th Cav Division (Airmobile) 6/70-4/71

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Date: 3/13/2010 11:56:41 PM
Name: Douglas A. Plemons
Subject: Through The Eyes Reply
Comments: Within a few days of arriving in May 1970, I was desparately ill from the W-P malaria pill(the big yellow orange - taken weekly pill); barely surviving it. I left Long Binh hospital 2 weeks later with a profile signed by 3 majors and a full colonel stating no field duty, So, having gone through NCOC training at Ft. Benning and Ft. Ord, I was as confidant as you might expect, given the situation. Even though I qualfied expert with all weapons and had been promoted to SSgt. 11B40, my tour at Bien Hoa consisted of working for the 1st Air Cav NCO/EM Open Mess (the club system) running a warehouse that handled $250,000 a month of beer, soda, liquor, and varios food items and then running a club behind the 1st Air Cav 15th Admin HQ hootch. At least I think that was the name of it. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. My Viet Nam experience changed really fast at the beginning and then was just not what I was trained for, expected, or ...I don't know; it was just wierd. But the guys I trained with and served with and served under, they were all great men. I'm proud of them all. "Welcome home".