I dropped out of school for a semester in the fall of 1966.  On October 27, Jack McCabe's dad sent me my notice to report for the Army.   Buck McCabe was head of the Evanston draft Board, and when the gang  went over to McCabe's for the annual All Star football game or just a poker night, Buck would look at each one of us and say "I'm going to get you and you and you....." and that just what he did.  Steve Bruhn, Norm Swanson, Greg Udell, Bob Deaver, Chuck Thompson,  his own son Jack and me. ( I'm sure I'm leaving a few out).
       First stop was Ft Campbell for basic training.  ( Preston Cook.  I think I saw you there and we talked briefly).  Next stop was Ft Gordon Georgia to attend Signal school.  On to Ft Ord , California to catch a flight to Hawaii.  Did a refuel stop and then on to Okinawa.  Final stop Bien Hoa, Vietnam.
       I was sent to Pleiku in the Central Highlands - Camp Enari, 278 Signal Company.  The accommodations were canvas tents, canvas bunk, outdoor shower, disgusting latrine and lots of mud.  As luck would have it, they had too many guys with my MOS. ( Military Occupation Specialties.  The job that I was trained to do) so I ended up going into the field on 15 man  patrols. Our mission was to spot for the division artillery.  They would shoot there big guns into the jungle, and we would tell them where the shot landed.  Real high tech stuff.
  We would chow down at dusk and then move into an ambush site in the dark, usually outside of a Montagnard village.  The Viet Cong like to raid Montagnard villages for food supplies. I can remember many cold nights, sitting cross legged on the ground and covered by a poncho.  To keep warm, I would mix mosquito repellent into the C ration peanut butter cup and light it up under to poncho.  Odd Oder, but it kept you warm.   I went out on 22 of these terrifying patrols before the January 30 Tet Offensive. Right after Tet, I was sent up north to Phu Bai where I was finally able to work my MOS as a patch panel operator.
      So, this was the most exciting, disgusting, invigorating, depressing thing that I ever did.  
When I came home, I didn't talk about it very much.  I just wanted to go to work and do something useful.  For the ones that didn't come home, my thoughts will always be with you.  
For the lucky one's like me that made it home, my thoughts will always be with you.

Tom Payne
 

Tom:

I am familiar with Phu Bai as it was the location of 45th Engineer Group.  I spent a couple days in Phu Bai in late Jan-early Feb 1970 while I was in transit to Headquarters Company, 14th Engineer Battalion (Combat), which was further north up QL1.  Also, passed through Phu Bai a couple of times traveling on QL1.

Tom, thank you for your service.  I appreciate it greatly and am so thankful you made it home.

I knew you were a grunt, but didn't realize you went out on so many patrols.  Thank god you came home is one piece.  we should have celebrated your return more heartily than the send off.  So proud of you and a belated WELCOME HOME!! jERRI

I will put in my 2 cents worth, too.  A very belated "Welcome Home!"   Thank you for your service to your country.  God  Bless you, Tom.

Tom: Great story & true   SF-John Rosenau