“Thanks again, Dan. And thank Suzie for being a good friend to Tomi.
There’s the rest of my convoy. I’ll see ya this evening when I get back.”
“Okay. Be careful, my friend.” Dan said and then watched his friend drive off with a smile and wave.
He’s happy just thinking Tomako might be pregnant.
Dan had just started towards the gate to Highway 1 after Chief Thomas had dropped him off at MAG 16 to get the grader 10 or 15 minutes before. He realized that the jeep coming towards him was Thomas returning and pulled off the side of the road thinking there was probably a change in plans.
The Chief climbed out off his jeep and motioned for Dan to meet him on the ground next to his jeep.
Dan could see something was wrong by the look on his friend’s face. “What’s up, Tom?”
“Brad Burgess is a KIA on Highway 1.” He stopped. Looked at the ground while he cleared his throat then continued, “He hit a mine on the shoulder of the road trying to avoid hitting a little girl who had wandered out into the road.”
The official Navy record reads:
BRADFORD (NMN) BURGESS, EON2, was a KIA in the Republic of Vietnam on 18 May 1967 while leading a convoy from the Chu Lai military facility, traveling south on Highway #1 to the village of Binh Son, RVN. The jeep he was driving struck a mine planted on the shoulder of the road when Petty Officer Burgess swung off the traveled portion of the road to avoid hitting a young Vietnamese girl. The girl was also killed in the resulting explosion.
Dan Lee Davis stood in shock. Not knowing what to say or if he even wanted to say anything. Visions and thoughts of his last conversation with Brad appeared in his head as he slowly leaned back against the side of the jeep.
He finally got himself together enough to ask, “Is there anything I can do, Tom? Fix the road? Haul fill?’ Anything at all?”
“We’ve got it under control. I sent Ryder to find Egan and start him out the highway with his grader and Ryder will also get some dump trucks loaded and on their way out there. Chief Marks and Mr. Roberts are taking care of getting the jeep picked up and brought in.
They called in a Marine Medevac, but there was no chance.” Came out as an after thought.
“What do you want me to do with this grader?”
“Why don’t we park it at the gate.” Which came out as a statement. “If you want we can go out the highway to where it happened? I’m on my way out there.”
“Yeah, I’d like to do that, Tom.”
“I’ll pick you up at the gate.
You going to be okay?”
“Yeah. I’m worried about Tomako. He was going on R & R on the 26th. She’s going to expect him.”
“If you’d like I’ll see if you can have that R & R slot.”
“I’ll talk to Ryan in the morning. I’ll scream if I can’t make it happen, Tom.”
“Dan, I’m sure that Mr. Roberts will make it happen if need be.”
“Thanks, Chief. See ya in a few at the gate.”
“Yeah, take your time.”
TWENTY-TWO
Immediately after quarters on Friday morning Dan went into the company office to talk to Ryan the company clerk about getting Brad’s R & R spot.
“Can we do it, Ryan? Just change names on the orders, or some such thing.”
Actually, Dan, you’re a bit late. It’s all ready been done.”
“What’s been done?”
“Your name is on that R & R to Okinawa on the 26th. You’ll be on Okinawa a week from tomorrow. Mr Roberts and Chief Thomas were talking here before quarters and Mr. Roberts turned to me and said in that quiet, no nonsense voice of his. ‘Do it, Ryan’. And I said ‘Yes Sir, consider it done.’ You can pick up your orders on the 24th. The Wednesday before. I’m leaving for Taipei on Thursday the 25th but I want to be sure you have them before I leave.”
“Thanks Ryan.”
“No problem. He’s not in.” He added in response to Dan starting towards the Company Commander’s office. “Operations meeting. You can have the day off if you want. Get drunk or something.
And Dan, I’m sorry, Burgess was a nice guy and I know you guys were close.”
Dan felt himself choking up for the uncountable time in the last few hours, waved without speaking as he turned and went out the door.
Dan had spent the rest of Friday the 19th at Mag 16 grading sand and laying laterite over the sand sub grade as well as doing the same thing the following two days to keep busy.
On Monday morning right after quarters, Chief Thomas hailed Dan from his jeep. “Jump in. I’ll take you to get the grader at Mag 16. I need both of you out on the highway. Egan is having trouble keeping up. He’s doing a good job and learning, but hasn’t got the experience I need right now.
You worked at MAG 16 Sunday? They should be caught up if not ahead aren’t they?
What day are you leaving for Okinawa?”
“Friday morning. The 0800 shuttle to Da Nang then to Futemma on Saturday morning.
Yeah, they’re way ahead. It will take them about a week of pumping enough water to firm up the sand before they can lay any more laterite on it.”
“Okay. If I can have you for the next three days so you can get Egan caught up and a little bit ahead it will really help me out. It’s making it tough not having Burgess and with you going on R & R to be gone the better part of a week.”
“Nobody else you can use?”
I’m going to make Ryder run a grader some if it gets real bad.”
On the day after Brad was killed Dan sent off a letter to Suzie telling her what had happened and that he would be on Okinawa in Brad’s place on 5/27. He had little hope that she would receive it before he arrived, but had to hope and that it would be some kind of good news for Tomako. He knew Suzie would love it and be anxious for him to get there.
On Wednesday the 24th of May he received a surprise when he walked into the company office after quarters to pick up his R & R orders.
“Hey Petty Officer Davis.” Ryan the company clerk hollered from the back of his office.
“Are you traveling in officer country these days?” And with a big smile handed Dan a manilla legal sized envelope. “Imagine Mr. Roberts surprise and interest when he opened this mail addressed personally to him.”
Dan looked at the Company Commander’s name on the slit open envelope.
“Check out the return address, Dan. Do you know who that is?”
Dan read: CWO Donald Winters, NAF Public Works, Naha, Okinawa.”
“Who is he?” Ryan asked.
“Well, I worked for him in Port Hueneme tearing down the old WWII rifle range. Now he’s the Public Works Officer at NAF Naha and a friend of Brad Burgess’s and Tomako.”
“Check inside.”
“But it’s Mr. Robert’s mail.”
“That is what he and I both thought. Take out the envelope.”
Dan extracted the small white personal sized enclosed envelope and the first thing he did was to check who it was from and who it was addressed to. The return address was the same as the outside. From CWO Winters, but the enclosed envelope was addressed to EON2 Dan Lee Davis, etc, etc.
“What the hell?” He knew instantly who it was from and a tiny shiver of fear went through him as he tried not to think of all the reasons that Suzie would use such a system to get a letter to him.
“Interesting huh, Dan?” Ryan commented as he picked up a letter opener from his desk and handed it to Dan.
Taking the opener from his friend Dan turned away from the desk and took a couple of steps to further distance himself from the desk. Then after a couple deep breathes he slit the envelope open and took out a sheet of typical white typing paper used by the Okinawan translators.
With a sigh of relief he read the opening paragraphs.
May 23, 1967
“My Darling; I am so sad about Brad and so very sorry for you, my greatest and best
friend. I know how much you and Brad meant to each other and know that it must be very hard on you to be there where it has happened.
I cry for Tomako every night and hurt so much for her. I did not know what had happened until the next day, 5/23. Mr. & Mrs. Winters came to the coffee house on the 22nd to tell her what had happened. They knew through the Navy.
We had not been told by or heard from anybody else. When I went to see Tomako at the coffee house Mama-san told me and I went right to Tomi’s house As I held her to me and felt her tears on me did I realize how lucky I am that it was not you. So please my Darling, be extra careful.
Why I took such an elaborate way to get my letter to you was to tell you that Tomi had just come from the doctor’s and had written a letter to Brad to tell him that she is pregnant. She never had chance to mail the letter as the Winters came soon after on that same afternoon with the very sad news.
I know that you have written to me and am waiting impatiently for it to arrive. Did you know that Brad was coming to Okinawa next Saturday? I do wish it was you coming. I know that is probably selfish, but I need for you to hold me and make love to me. I need very much to know that you are alive and well.
I know, I am such a baby.
Please come to me as soon as you can.
With all my love forever.
Suzume Larson ( She had signed her full name in English script with blue ink.)
TWENTY-THREE
On Friday the day before he was to fly out of Da Nang for R & R on Okinawa Dan Davis had to catch a mid-day hop from Chu Lai to Da Nang. He had not made the Marine Corp 0800 shuttle to Da Nang so he had taken his time to take care of some things in the company office and battalion administration knowing he had all day and most of the night to get to Da Nang.
First on his agenda was to check if any orders had come in for his transfer to another battalion in-country or one which would soon be in-country so he wouldn’t have to go back to Port Hueneme for 7 or 8 months of tedious boredom. He had some good, no, great news. A set of orders had just come in transferring him as of 1 July, with a 30 day delay en route. He would report to the battalion in Phu Bai on 1 August after spending a month with Suzie.
Next he went to the company office to inform them about his orders. He wanted to start the ball rolling even though he wouldn’t be leaving for more than five weeks.
“You came in to rub it in and make us envious because you’re going to Okinawa for a month’s leave.” Ryan the company clerk teased.
“Who’s leaving?” Mr. Roberts asked walking out of his office after over hearing the two talking.
“I got my transfer orders, Sir. Leaving first of July.” Dan informed his Company Commander.
“I for one, hate to see you leave, Dan. But I know it’s what you want.
Are you going to see Brad’s ‘almost widow’ when you get to Okinawa tomorrow?”
“Yes Sir. My girl friend and I will see her right away. She has priority this trip.”
“That’s what I had in mind also.
Do you need a ride to the air terminal?”
“Actually I do. I’m about ready to go. I’ll have to see if I can catch a hop to Da Nang before 0600 or so tomorrow.”
“Unless you have something else to do, you can go now. That work for you?”
“Yes Sir. I’ve done all the damage that I can do around here.”
The Lieutenant laughed. “Have fun, Dan.
Ryan, take my jeep and take Dan to the terminal.”
“Thanks Mr. Roberts.”
“You going to have any trouble getting a hop, Dan?”
“I don’t think so. Just need a little patience and not be fussy about who you fly with or on.
The Marines didn’t have anything until later in the day but the Marine staff sergeant hollered across the room to the Air Force flight liaison. “Got anything going to Da Nang? This Seabee needs a ride to go on R & R tomorrow.”
“I’ll fix him right up. Got a C-123 Provider doing their walk around as we speak.
You ready to go Seabee?” He asked Dan.
“Ready. The sooner the better.”
The Air Force Sergeant lead Dan out to a camouflaged twin engine cargo plane which was sitting on the ramp. To Dan it looked like a WWII glider with a high wing, two reciprocating engines and hanging down on each wing outboard of the reciprocal engines was what he quickly figured out was a small jet engine with their intakes covered by openable doors.
As he and the Air Force liaison approached the ramp on the rear of the aircraft two men, a sergeant and first lieutenant came from the other side of the aircraft. “Lieutenant, I got a Seabee who needs a ride to Da Nang, can you find room for him?”
“Sure, if he doesn’t mind squeezing in between pallets of cargo, Sarge,” He turned and spoke to the crew chief. “You want to fix him up?”
“Sure Sir.” The crew chief answered and with a motion of his head motioned Dan to follow him up the ramp and into the cargo compartment. We’re pretty well loaded. Stuff doesn’t weigh much but takes up lots of room. You can sit anywhere in those folded up troop seats. Whichever one you can unfold. If not make yourself comfortable on the floor somewhere.
By the way, it’s hot so we leave the ramp open. The air conditioning isn’t worth a shit so that is the only way we can stay cool. If you want sit towards the back and you can get a good view of the countryside.” The crew chief added with a smile as he raised the ramp part way before jumping to the ground and disappearing from Dan’s sight.
Shortly the engines started and with little delay and obviously no unnecessary procedures, they were on the runway and airborne for Da Nang.
As the engines were winding down the crew chief came from the direction of the cockpit. He reached for the ramp control and dropped it onto the tarmac. “You want the Marine terminal?” He asked Dan
“Yeah, actually. I’ve only been here a couple times and never at this terminal.”
“No sweat.” He led Dan around towards the nose of the C-123 and pointed to a typical wooden, tin roofed hooch not much bigger than the Seabee berthing hooches. “It’s the third one up the ramp. When you get close you’ll be able to read the sign on it. Where you going on R & R ?”
“Okinawa. I was stationed there before here. MCAF Futemma.”
“Okay. I was at Kadena for a while before this gig. Really like the island but didn’t care much for transit alert. Much rather be crewing and flying even if we do get shot at once in a while.”
“Thanks for the ride.”
“Anytime. Good luck and have fun. You got a girl up there?”
“Sure enough.”
The crew chief just smiled and with a wave turned and went towards the tail and ramp.
Dan entered the terminal hooch with the idea of finding out if he had to check in before morning then he was going to catch a bus to the Seabee battalion up the road. As he stood inside the door waiting for his eyes to adjust after the bright Vietnamese sun he heard a vaguely familiar voice.
“Hey, Seabee. Over here.”
Dan scanned to his left and as his eyes adjusted saw Marine Gunnery Sergeant Lars rising from his chair behind a grey military issue desk in a far dark corner of the hooch.
“Welcome back to Da Nang.” He said with a friendly smile. “I didn’t see your name on the roster. Davis right?”
“It might not be there. How you doing Gunny?” Dan asked as he offered the Gunny his hand. “Been in sunny Southeast Asia long?”
“Off and on. Arrived a few ago from the land of the rising sun and wished that I was still there with my Honey. What are you doing here?”
“R & R. The name that is probably on your roster is Bradford Burgess, EON2. I’m taking his slot.”
The Gunny looked at him with a bit of confusion on his face. “What’s up?”
Burgess was KIA on the 18th. He was also my friend.”
“I remember my wife sa
id something about that. She was talking to your wife-to-be, as I said she would. Suzie said something about a friend being killed. I didn’t make any connection. And nothing was said about you going to Okinawa.”
“No one beyond in-country folks knew I was doing it. I have my orders and caught a hop up from Chu Lai a bit ago. Is that going to be a problem, Gunny?”
“Let’s see a copy of your orders and I’ll just change names and keep a copy of yours to cover my ass. I’ll be through here in about a half an hour. Then you can buy me a beer in the NCO club and I’ll get you a bunk in the regular transit barracks where I stay. Not where the R & R personal stay. Those are real pig sties.
As I told you I just came in with a return R & R flight and we’ll go out in the morning. I’ve been trying to get us out on an earlier flight so we won’t have to hang around here waiting. There’s going to be one at 0830 with some room for about twenty souls and I think that will be about all there is. So if I can talk the A/C into it, it will be a go.
Go grab a Coke while I finish up here.”
After a good night’s sleep considering it was not only Vietnam, but Da Nang. Helpful was that the sheets were clean and the pillow had a real, clean fresh smelling pillow case on it.
Dan was stretched out on four troop seats relaxed as could be and he thought about seeing Suzie though the reason he was going to see her sooner than they thought was kind of taking the pleasant edge off and adding some stress and sadness to the trip.
I wonder how Suzie is dealing with it. It would be easier I’m sure if she got my letter and knew I was on my way. Tomi, oh God. How I feel for you lovely lady.
“You awake Dan?”
“Yeah, Steve.” Dan answered Gunny Lars as he sat up, then stood up in the narrow space between the troop seats and the pallets of cargo.
“We’re starting down into Futemma now. I wanted to ask if you guys want, Reiko and I would like to have dinner with you and Suzie before you go back in country. How about the NCO Club at Futemma, or the VFW in Machinato? I know Reiko and Suzie have visited since you were here last and like each other.”