A favorite expression of Drill Instructors concerning the receipt of new orders had been Read it and Weep! Well, I now had first-hand knowledge of their sentiment. I read it and wept. I was going to spend the last 12 months of my active duty time in Vietnam. The nightmare I had lived with since high school had become a reality. My WP (will proceed) date was in six days. After I got over the shock I immediately requested all of my 45 days accumulated and future leave (this was an option for all soldiers assigned to Vietnam - no sense getting killed with unused leave on the table). I cashed in a few past favors I had performed for the fellows across the hallway who cut travel orders and got mine to read that I would drive to California. Since I had a registered automobile on base, this little gesture gave me an additional seven days travel time, which I did not intend to use up driving (I would fly and enjoy the extra days at home with my family). After all was arranged, my new reporting date at APO San Francisco (Army Post Office - other than the obvious, a term also used to designate a place of embarkation) was January 7, 1969.

Background Sound: "5th Symphony - 1st Movement" Ludwig Van Beethoven 1808