My departure day finally arrived and I flew out of McChord AFB for Korea, at around midnight. We traveled in dress greens and thus stood out to the hundreds of soldiers on their way to Vietnam. Soldiers bound for Vietnam turned in their greens and were outfitted with jungle fatigues and jungle boots at Lewis. I will always remember the flight to Korea because of our diversion and temporary delay at Yokota AFB, Japan. Due to inclement weather in the Seoul area, our flight landed at Yokota and waited for clearance to proceed to Korea. During our stopover at Yokota, we crossed paths with a plane-load of GIs headed to Vietnam. We were in our dress greens and they were in jungle fatigues. Several of them came over and were very inquisitive about where we going and why we were in greens and not jungle fatigues. You could see that they were now facing the stress and grim reality of being Vietnam bound.

Even after the delay in Japan, we were diverted to Osan, AFB, for a second layover until weather cleared at Kimpo AFB. After the long and grueling flight we finally arrived at Kimpo. We were herded into a corner of the terminal and welcomed to Korea with a GG (Gamma Globulin) Shot. Man did those shots ever ring your bell!

Already in transit for over 36 hours, we were now bussed to Ascom City, home of the 177th Replacement Company. You could hear a pin drop on the bus as exhausted culture shocked young soldiers peered out the bus windows taking in the sites. It was on this first bus ride that many of us learned what the "Kimchi Squat" was. Along the side of the road we saw a Korean lady relieving herself. We spent our first night at the 177th awaiting assignment. The next day, I would learn of my assignment to 2nd Infantry Division and was taken to Camp Ross for 2nd ID pinpoint assignment processing. In the late evening of the second day at Camp Ross, I was informed that my transportation had arrived. I was driven to Company A, 2/9th Infantry at around 9PM that night. Another soldier who I believe was assigned to Company B, 2/9th accompanied me. The ride through the Korean villages was eery. Korea was very much a third world country in 1969 with dirt roads. A very characteristic and not very pleasant smell permeated the air. I can't really describe the smell, but as I am writing this, I can remember it very distinctly. It is a smell one never forgets.

Upon arrival, I was assigned to one of the rifle platoons and given an orientation of the unit mission and the requirements of an infantryman in the company. The second day in Company A I was sent to the 2/9th Observation Post for a 5 day assignment. For the remainder of my first month I was at the OP, on patrol, and on the barrier fence. The line companies of the 2/9th rotated between three missions. 1) One month the company was on the DMZ. This included manning the barrier fence, and the observation post 7 by 24. In addition, the company sent a patrol into the DMZ at dusk to set up an LP (listing post). 2) For the next month the company would guard the Libbey Bridge. 3) The third month the company would act as a battalion "strike force". The M113 APCs were fully loaded and the company was ready to move out if there was incident on the DMZ or bridge and another company needed help.

To my good fortune, the first sergeant noticed that I had some college and approached me my second month in the unit about a job in the orderly room as a backup to the company clerk. He indicated that if I was interested he would bring me in and let me try out at the job. Things worked out in the orderly room and I spent most of my remaining time in Company A working for the first shirt. Of course I still found myself in the field once or twice a week to supplement the rifle platoons when they were short handed. My illustrious career in Company A came to an end when my transfer to American Forces Korean Network (AFKN) was approved. I agreed to extend for a year in Korea as a part of the reassignment and was working at AFKN in Seoul by the end of December 1969. This was possible because my primary MOS of 11B was overstrength in 2nd ID and my secondary MOS 71L was understrength at Headquarters, Eighth U.S. Army.

The anthem of the soldiers in 1970 was Peter, Paul, and Mary's "Leaving on a Jet Plane". The line, "all my bags are packed, I'm ready to go" still rings in my ears. Believe me, I was ready to go. DEROS (date eligible to return from overseas) was always in focus and I patiently waited for that day to arrive so I could climb aboard the "freedom bird" and return to "the world". Progress towards this goal was reflected on my girlie short-timer calendar. It had 365 numbered squares which I would dutifully color in each day, decrementing the count towards the number "1" which the girlie figure wore proudly on her bikini bottom. Finally, I had her completely colored in and departed Korea in December 1970 for Fort Dix, New Jersey.