Tuesday
November 14, 1967
7:00 P.M.
Dear Mom, Dad, Chris & Vicki,
I got the camera & the chewing gum today. I will send you some pictures to develop as soon as I can. If you can, I’d appreciate if you would send me some more film, the print type. Some of the guys prefer print to slides but can’t get print type film here so I’ll sell it to them.
I liked the tin that you sent the stuff in. I’ll return it as soon as I can for a refill. I could use anything; crackers, cookies, fudge, candy, tang, iced tea, MacLean’s toothpaste (which tastes awful but is damn good. It really works)
That can sure reminded of all of you. I remember the times we used to load it send to Douglas (with Vicki’s home made cookies and Mom’s cake-mint).
I can get see it sitting there on the chrome table. Vicki trying to reach up to the top of the table to put the cookies in and mom is standing there icing a piece of cake and complaining about the weather – if it was summer – or the hockey game if it was winter.
In that paper you sent me was an article telling about our operation in the Ho Bo Woods & Phil [no] Plantation. I’ll enclose in this letter in case you missed it.
We’re going out next week for another month of cutting and then we start another operation. It will probably be to set up another base camp about 40 miles N.W of here near the Cambodian Border at Da Tiong (I think that’s the name) I lost my map or else I could tell you more exactly.
After I get some picture to you I’ll be able to explain more easily what I’m doing here.
We were well informed here about the demonstrations on by both sides. Even though I’m here, I still have an open mind – realizing of course that an immediate pullout or anything of the sort is out of the question. It would degrade the heroic deaths of those who never returned from here because it would mean going back on every thing that we have done here. There are many here who feel as I do but we will continue to fight for the country in which we believe.
Saul Alinksy, the social agitator, once said that no matter how much he criticizes his government once he has left the United States he suddenly can’t find a nasty thing to say about it.
I am sure that that is the most sincere people feel, whether liberal or conservative, neither can ever from attempting construtive criticism of the other. That is one of the very essences of our nation.
Take care of yourselves and keep writing. Vicki, thanks for the the turkey.
When I call, if I ever get the chance, who knows it just might be Barry Goldwater who “patches” us in.
So until the moon rises once more above the S[?] waters of the great Gitchie Goomie River we once again say Ala walla nowali santo Diana Scungili!
Love
your son and brother
Stephen
Stephen W. Pickett (b.1947-d.1967)
U.S. Army, 1967
Stephen Pickett was killed in action on December 14, 1967. Letter dated November 14, 1967.
Courtesy of Robert Santos
