Friday, April 28, 2006

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM! Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter 23: My Trip Back to the World

On 2 December 1968, the doctor in Japan cleared me for discharge the hospital and transfer back to a hospital in the United States, or as we called it, The World. They gave me choices of any hospital in the United States I wanted to be transferred to and I choose St Albans Naval Hospital in Queens, New York. This hospital was the closest military hospital to my home in Smithtown on Long Island, about 40 miles away. The doctor told me my orders would be cut that same day and I would be transfered the next.



I was so excited when the next morning finally came. The trip to the airport in Japan was the reverse of my trip to the hospital; ambulance to the helipad, the medevac helicopter ride to the airport and then an ambulance to the medevac plane. The plane was laid out pretty much like the one I took from Vietnam to Japan, but only larger. There were racks to hold the stretchers and seats for the amblatory. I was on a stretcher which was hung in a rack just like the last flight.



The flight home to New York was far from non-stop.


The first leg of the trip was from Tokyo, Japan to a military airbase in Anchorage Alaska. We stopped here for refueling. Everyone had to disembark during refueling except the patients that were unable to walk, like me. I was near the doorway in the plane so every time someone came in or out, a freezing cold blast of air hit us. I asked one of the airmen what the temperature was outside. He joked that they were having a warm spell, -20 degrees F (-29 degrees C).

After about an hour, we took off for either Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco, California or to Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC. My orders said I was to go to Travis, but I don’t remember that stop. I just remember landing in Washington DC. I may have slept through the stop in California, because I was given pain medication shots every four hours due to the rigors of the flight and having to lay on the stretcher for all those hours.

We did eventually land at Andrews Air Force Base at night sometime. I don’t remember what time though. I do remember we were all taken off the plane, but I’m not sure if I stayed in Washington overnight or put on a flight right away for the short trip to New York City. I was probably put on the flight to New York City right away, because the paperwork I have says I was admitted on 6 December 1968 at 2125 hours (9:25 PM).

The reason I’m not sure about the stops, is because of my confusion looking at the timeline I put together when I looked at all the paperwork I've saved. I left Japan on 3 December 1968 in the afternoon sometime and arrived at St. Albans, Queens, New York at 2125 hours on 6 December 1969. Considering that Japan is a day ahead, I left Japan in the middle of the night on 2 December New York time, but I didn’t arrive in New York until 6 December, which would be four days later. That’s not possible because I wasn’t in route that long. So who knows, and lets just forget it. What I do know is that I was admitted to St. Albans on 6 December 1968 at 2125 hours (9:25 PM). These are a couple of old pictures of St. Albans from 1948, but it still looked the same twenty years later. (Hey, I was born in 1948)






The day after I was admitted, I weighed myself on a scale that was in the bathroom, I only weighed 112 pounds (52 kg). I had been skinny my whole life, but this was ridiculous.


I stayed at St. Albans for almost eight weeks. Not all of wounds had healed yet and I needed a lot of physical therapy before I could walk normally. I could get around okay, but just okay at this point.

GOOD MORNING VIETNAM! Chapter Twenty-Three

Chapter 23: My Trip Back to the World

On 2 December 1968, the doctor in Japan cleared me for discharge the hospital and transfer back to a hospital in the United States, or as we called it, The World. They gave me choices of any hospital in the United States I wanted to be transferred to and I choose St Albans Naval Hospital in Queens, New York. This hospital was the closest military hospital to my home in Smithtown on Long Island, about 40 miles away. The doctor told me my orders would be cut that same day and I would be transfered the next.



I was so excited when the next morning finally came. The trip to the airport in Japan was the reverse of my trip to the hospital; ambulance to the helipad, the medevac helicopter ride to the airport and then an ambulance to the medevac plane. The plane was laid out pretty much like the one I took from Vietnam to Japan, but only larger. There were racks to hold the stretchers and seats for the amblatory. I was on a stretcher which was hung in a rack just like the last flight.



The flight home to New York was far from non-stop.


The first leg of the trip was from Tokyo, Japan to a military airbase in Anchorage Alaska. We stopped here for refueling. Everyone had to disembark during refueling except the patients that were unable to walk, like me. I was near the doorway in the plane so every time someone came in or out, a freezing cold blast of air hit us. I asked one of the airmen what the temperature was outside. He joked that they were having a warm spell, -20 degrees F (-29 degrees C).

After about an hour, we took off for either Travis Air Force Base near San Francisco, California or to Andrews Air Force Base in Washington DC. My orders said I was to go to Travis, but I don’t remember that stop. I just remember landing in Washington DC. I may have slept through the stop in California, because I was given pain medication shots every four hours due to the rigors of the flight and having to lay on the stretcher for all those hours.

We did eventually land at Andrews Air Force Base at night sometime. I don’t remember what time though. I do remember we were all taken off the plane, but I’m not sure if I stayed in Washington overnight or put on a flight right away for the short trip to New York City. I was probably put on the flight to New York City right away, because the paperwork I have says I was admitted on 6 December 1968 at 2125 hours (9:25 PM).

The reason I’m not sure about the stops, is because of my confusion looking at the timeline I put together when I looked at all the paperwork I've saved. I left Japan on 3 December 1968 in the afternoon sometime and arrived at St. Albans, Queens, New York at 2125 hours on 6 December 1969. Considering that Japan is a day ahead, I left Japan in the middle of the night on 2 December New York time, but I didn’t arrive in New York until 6 December, which would be four days later. That’s not possible because I wasn’t in route that long. So who knows, and lets just forget it. What I do know is that I was admitted to St. Albans on 6 December 1968 at 2125 hours (9:25 PM). These are a couple of old pictures of St. Albans from 1948, but it still looked the same twenty years later. (Hey, I was born in 1948)






The day after I was admitted, I weighed myself on a scale that was in the bathroom, I only weighed 112 pounds (52 kg). I had been skinny my whole life, but this was ridiculous.


I stayed at St. Albans for almost eight weeks. Not all of wounds had healed yet and I needed a lot of physical therapy before I could walk normally. I could get around okay, but just okay at this point.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

My Haircut HNT

Lori told me suggested that I better may want to get a haircut before the weekend.



So I decided if I expected any sex this weekend she was right, that I did need a hair cut and to get it this morning. I expected it would turn out like my last one. Remember this beautiful head of hair? This what I looked like after my last haircut.



So I stopped this morning at my usual place, but my usual guy he wasn’t there. I should have turned around and walked away. Why you ask? Because this guy butchered me! HE FUCKING BUTCHERED ME! I started directing him to minimize the damage, but finally I just stopped him before he made it any worse and left.

When I left there, I went down the street to the owners other shop. The owner wasn’t there, but one of my son’s friends works there so I talked to him and explained what happened. He accessed the damage and broke the bad news to me. He said there was no choice, but to scalp me take it down some more to make it even. I nearly cried, but managed to hold back the tears and told him to go ahead.

This what I wound up with.



I am so fucking pissed! My hair hasn’t been this short since I was in fucking Basic Training in the Army!

My Haircut HNT

Lori told me suggested that I better may want to get a haircut before the weekend.



So I decided if I expected any sex this weekend she was right, that I did need a hair cut and to get it this morning. I expected it would turn out like my last one. Remember this beautiful head of hair? This what I looked like after my last haircut.



So I stopped this morning at my usual place, but my usual guy he wasn’t there. I should have turned around and walked away. Why you ask? Because this guy butchered me! HE FUCKING BUTCHERED ME! I started directing him to minimize the damage, but finally I just stopped him before he made it any worse and left.

When I left there, I went down the street to the owners other shop. The owner wasn’t there, but one of my son’s friends works there so I talked to him and explained what happened. He accessed the damage and broke the bad news to me. He said there was no choice, but to scalp me take it down some more to make it even. I nearly cried, but managed to hold back the tears and told him to go ahead.

This what I wound up with.



I am so fucking pissed! My hair hasn’t been this short since I was in fucking Basic Training in the Army!

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Happy Birthday Brian

Today my son Brian is 24 years old. He’s making out pretty good with presents this year. Brian asked me to pay for a brake job for his car as my birthday present to him and his girlfriend Cheryl bought him a bunch of nice things and is taking him out to dinner tonight.

Last night, Cheryl gave him his presents; a few shirts, a DVD rack, a case for his CD's and some Godivia chocolate. Brian loves Godiva chocolates almost as much as his late mother Barbara did.

Since the brake job is for all four wheels on his car, including new heavy-duty rotors, I just gave him the birthday card and 20 'Bingo' scratch off Lotto tickets this year. Barbara used to buy him the scratch off Lotto tickets every birthday and holiday. The Bingo scratch-offs are his favorite, so she always made sure to get him some of those. I sure hope he wins a few bucks.

A couple of days ago I asked him if he would like to go out to dinner tonight for his birthday, but he said no. He said his girlfriend Cheryl was taking him. She asked him first, so what am I gonna do? He told her that he wanted to go to the 'Good Steer'. He said he remembered the three of us (him, his mom and me) going there when he was younger, so that's where he told her he wanted to go. He told me he doesn't remember much about the place, because it’s been so long since he’s been there, but he does remember how much we all liked the onion rings. They make the best onion rings.

Happy Birthday Brian

Today my son Brian is 24 years old. He’s making out pretty good with presents this year. Brian asked me to pay for a brake job for his car as my birthday present to him and his girlfriend Cheryl bought him a bunch of nice things and is taking him out to dinner tonight.

Last night, Cheryl gave him his presents; a few shirts, a DVD rack, a case for his CD's and some Godivia chocolate. Brian loves Godiva chocolates almost as much as his late mother Barbara did.

Since the brake job is for all four wheels on his car, including new heavy-duty rotors, I just gave him the birthday card and 20 'Bingo' scratch off Lotto tickets this year. Barbara used to buy him the scratch off Lotto tickets every birthday and holiday. The Bingo scratch-offs are his favorite, so she always made sure to get him some of those. I sure hope he wins a few bucks.

A couple of days ago I asked him if he would like to go out to dinner tonight for his birthday, but he said no. He said his girlfriend Cheryl was taking him. She asked him first, so what am I gonna do? He told her that he wanted to go to the 'Good Steer'. He said he remembered the three of us (him, his mom and me) going there when he was younger, so that's where he told her he wanted to go. He told me he doesn't remember much about the place, because it’s been so long since he’s been there, but he does remember how much we all liked the onion rings. They make the best onion rings.

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Redneck Rules of Etiquette

General

- Never take a beer to a job interview.
- Always identify people in your yard before shooting at them.
- It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church.
- If you have to vacuum the bed, it is time to change the sheets.
- Even if you're certain that you are included in the will, it is still considered tacky to drive a U-Haul to the funeral home.



Dining Out

- When decanting wine, make sure that you tilt the paper cup, and pour slowly so as not to "bruise" the fruit of the wine.
- If drinking directly from the bottle, always hold it with your fingers covering the label.



Entertaining in your home

- A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.
- Do not allow the dog to eat at the table...no matter how good his manners are.



Personal Hygiene

- While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this is a job that should be done in private using one's OWN truck keys.
- Proper use of toiletries can forestall bathing for several days. However, if you live alone, deodorant is a waste of good money.
- Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a social no-no, as they tend to detract from a woman's jewelry and alter the taste of finger foods.



Dating (outside the family)

- Always offer to bait your date's hook, especially on the first date.
- Be aggressive. Let her know you're interested: "I've been wanting to go out with you since I read that stuff on the bathroom wall two years ago."
- Establish with her parents what time she is expected back. Some will say 10:00 PM; Others might say "Monday." If the latter is the answer, it is the man's responsibility to get her to school on time.




NEED SOME MORE FUN, LINKY & DINKY STYLE?
http://www.linkydinky.com/morefun.html

Redneck Rules of Etiquette

General

- Never take a beer to a job interview.
- Always identify people in your yard before shooting at them.
- It's considered tacky to take a cooler to church.
- If you have to vacuum the bed, it is time to change the sheets.
- Even if you're certain that you are included in the will, it is still considered tacky to drive a U-Haul to the funeral home.



Dining Out

- When decanting wine, make sure that you tilt the paper cup, and pour slowly so as not to "bruise" the fruit of the wine.
- If drinking directly from the bottle, always hold it with your fingers covering the label.



Entertaining in your home

- A centerpiece for the table should never be anything prepared by a taxidermist.
- Do not allow the dog to eat at the table...no matter how good his manners are.



Personal Hygiene

- While ears need to be cleaned regularly, this is a job that should be done in private using one's OWN truck keys.
- Proper use of toiletries can forestall bathing for several days. However, if you live alone, deodorant is a waste of good money.
- Dirt and grease under the fingernails is a social no-no, as they tend to detract from a woman's jewelry and alter the taste of finger foods.



Dating (outside the family)

- Always offer to bait your date's hook, especially on the first date.
- Be aggressive. Let her know you're interested: "I've been wanting to go out with you since I read that stuff on the bathroom wall two years ago."
- Establish with her parents what time she is expected back. Some will say 10:00 PM; Others might say "Monday." If the latter is the answer, it is the man's responsibility to get her to school on time.




NEED SOME MORE FUN, LINKY & DINKY STYLE?
http://www.linkydinky.com/morefun.html

Monday, April 24, 2006

Oh, come on..............

.........this is just a joke, right?

Oh, come on..............

.........this is just a joke, right?

WARNING! SPACE ANTS CONQUER EARTH!

I think the scouting party for the alien Space Ants have made their reappearance in my bathroom again this year. Every year I battle these pesky buggers to a standoff. It seems like nothing I do keeps them away permanently.

I can understand why they may be in the kitchen, or by the computer where I may have left some crumbs or spilled something, but in the bathroom? WTF are they doing there?

I try everything I can think of each year to keep them away, but it's a loosing battle. This year I need your help to fight off the invasion and save earth from the Space Ants. Do you have any suggestions for things I can try other than getting a pet anteater?

Earth's future depends on you!

WARNING! SPACE ANTS CONQUER EARTH!

I think the scouting party for the alien Space Ants have made their reappearance in my bathroom again this year. Every year I battle these pesky buggers to a standoff. It seems like nothing I do keeps them away permanently.

I can understand why they may be in the kitchen, or by the computer where I may have left some crumbs or spilled something, but in the bathroom? WTF are they doing there?

I try everything I can think of each year to keep them away, but it's a loosing battle. This year I need your help to fight off the invasion and save earth from the Space Ants. Do you have any suggestions for things I can try other than getting a pet anteater?

Earth's future depends on you!

Sunday, April 23, 2006

Happy Anniversary to My Blog!

Today my blog is one year old. A couple of weeks ago, NoOneInParticular reminded me that my one-year Bloggerversary was coming up. She suggested that I might want to make a post about “how many crazy things you have done recently that would never have come about if it weren't for the blog world!” I think she had a great idea.

1. I’ve documented almost everything that has happened to me of any significance, since I started my blog.
Some day I’ll be able to look back at this blog and relive a small part of my life. My descendents will also have the opportunity to know more about me than I ever knew about my family members before me. Now that is cool.

2. My Vietnam stories may never been written.
That’s a big one for me. I always wanted to document that part of my life, but just never got around to doing it.

3. I learned so much more about my time in Vietnam than I ever knew before.
While I was writing my Vietnam stories, I did a lot of research on the Internet and found a lot of information. Many people took a lot photographs they took while they were in Vietnam and posted them on web sites. I even found a story by someone in the same company I was while I was there. He was in a different platoon so I didn’t know him, but he wrote a little about the night I was wounded, which some information I never knew before.

4. I made tons of new friends.
Yes, I think of you guys as my friends.

5. I visited blogger friends.
First I met Aughra and Foxglove in New York City and then I flew to Michigan and partied with the Michigan Bloggers.

6. I’ve shown the world me in all my nakedness.
Uh, Half-Nekkid Thursday. Do I need to say more? Thanks Os!

7. I got a girlfriend.
I told you about this. Tish made a post, I started a MySpace web page, I went out with Arlene, I met Lori and now Lori is my girlfriend and we are in love.

8. My four-year sexless streak ended.
If I hadn't met Lori, who knows how long it would have gone on. Thanks sweetheart?


Can you guys think of anything I left out?

Happy Anniversary to My Blog!

Today my blog is one year old. A couple of weeks ago, NoOneInParticular reminded me that my one-year Bloggerversary was coming up. She suggested that I might want to make a post about “how many crazy things you have done recently that would never have come about if it weren't for the blog world!” I think she had a great idea.

1. I’ve documented almost everything that has happened to me of any significance, since I started my blog.
Some day I’ll be able to look back at this blog and relive a small part of my life. My descendents will also have the opportunity to know more about me than I ever knew about my family members before me. Now that is cool.

2. My Vietnam stories may never been written.
That’s a big one for me. I always wanted to document that part of my life, but just never got around to doing it.

3. I learned so much more about my time in Vietnam than I ever knew before.
While I was writing my Vietnam stories, I did a lot of research on the Internet and found a lot of information. Many people took a lot photographs they took while they were in Vietnam and posted them on web sites. I even found a story by someone in the same company I was while I was there. He was in a different platoon so I didn’t know him, but he wrote a little about the night I was wounded, which some information I never knew before.

4. I made tons of new friends.
Yes, I think of you guys as my friends.

5. I visited blogger friends.
First I met Aughra and Foxglove in New York City and then I flew to Michigan and partied with the Michigan Bloggers.

6. I’ve shown the world me in all my nakedness.
Uh, Half-Nekkid Thursday. Do I need to say more? Thanks Os!

7. I got a girlfriend.
I told you about this. Tish made a post, I started a MySpace web page, I went out with Arlene, I met Lori and now Lori is my girlfriend and we are in love.

8. My four-year sexless streak ended.
If I hadn't met Lori, who knows how long it would have gone on. Thanks sweetheart?


Can you guys think of anything I left out?

Friday, April 21, 2006

WOMEN HAVE a LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP with their...


Not me, I love them all!


.

WOMEN HAVE a LOVE/HATE RELATIONSHIP with their...


Not me, I love them all!


.

FASCINATING SLIDING SCALE OF MORTALITY

Did ya' ever wonder when you will die?
Looks like I'm a goner at 77.



That is, unless I change my ways. It seems that I can live to 106 if I just do the following:

Become rich, get my Ph.D., exercise my ass off, eat that health food crap, take vitamins, never become sick again, use my magic powers to lower my blood pressure to normal and get rid of my cholesterol. In addition to instantly attaining the idea body weight and staying fucking calm all the fucking time. I also have to find a way to turn back time and relive my life as a nonsmoker, make sure my grandparents live past 80 and make sure none of parents have a stroke or heart problems before 50. Then there's the part about getting married and staying married forever and having a lot of sex.

Oh shit, I can do the last one easy! "LORI! LORI! DID YOU CATCH THAT LAST ONE BABY? DID YOU CATCH IT? I can live two more years until I'm 79 if we have a lot of sex!"




Take the Aging Test: Your Free Personal Longevity Profile

Move the bars back and forth to indicate your current level of participation in health factors, watch your longevity get shorter, or longer. For example, just taking a multi-vitamin every day adds 5 years.

http://mylonglife.com/

FASCINATING SLIDING SCALE OF MORTALITY

Did ya' ever wonder when you will die?
Looks like I'm a goner at 77.



That is, unless I change my ways. It seems that I can live to 106 if I just do the following:

Become rich, get my Ph.D., exercise my ass off, eat that health food crap, take vitamins, never become sick again, use my magic powers to lower my blood pressure to normal and get rid of my cholesterol. In addition to instantly attaining the idea body weight and staying fucking calm all the fucking time. I also have to find a way to turn back time and relive my life as a nonsmoker, make sure my grandparents live past 80 and make sure none of parents have a stroke or heart problems before 50. Then there's the part about getting married and staying married forever and having a lot of sex.

Oh shit, I can do the last one easy! "LORI! LORI! DID YOU CATCH THAT LAST ONE BABY? DID YOU CATCH IT? I can live two more years until I'm 79 if we have a lot of sex!"




Take the Aging Test: Your Free Personal Longevity Profile

Move the bars back and forth to indicate your current level of participation in health factors, watch your longevity get shorter, or longer. For example, just taking a multi-vitamin every day adds 5 years.

http://mylonglife.com/