July 4th, 1969
Hi Civilian,
Well guess your partying for a big ass tonite. Hope you at least drink a few for your ol’ buddies over here in this hell hole.Well, we’re at Con Thien again and I am sitting here in my bunker writing by candle lite. We’re supposed to leave here on the 7th for an Op around the Rockpile.Boy we’ve really been hitting the shit - you left at a good time. It first started up on Mother’s Ridge on the 17th of May. 2nd Plt really kicked ass on the gooks but we lost some good men too. Earley got killed by a Chinese Claymore and Ben got hit bad enough to go back to the world. Boy I was really sick when I knew ol’ Early got it.Then we moved to Leather Neck Square for an Op and ran into a whole Regiment of gooks. 3rd Plt was almost wiped out. They had 12 people killed ** and about 20 wounded. We only had one man killed out of our Plt. It was PFC Witty. I don’t know whether you remember him or not. He was once in 3rd Sqd.Sgt Foley is skating his ass off in the rear at a poge’s job. I am the permanent Sqd Ldr now. I picked up my Silver Star in May and got pro-moted to Cpl In June. But I tell you I am sick of the f***in’ place. I just want to get out of here and go home.We got a new Plt Sgt and a new Lieutenant today. Now we’ve got to break those a**holes in right before a big Op.Well, ol’ buddy, all the guys say hello and drink a few for all of us. And remember us in your prayers.Drone
PS: Don’t forget about that package you promised!
** [Actual number was 9 KIA in 3rd Plt, but a total of 11 KIA in M/3/3]
Note: Frank Drone died 11/24/1998
