$175 plus $65 combat pay and $16 overseas pay

[Anonymous Vet]

April 12, 1968, Hill 55, Vietnam]

Dear Mom + Dad
Well here I am on hill
55 safe and sound. All I eve
do is sit in the COC bunker
on radio watch. It gets boring
and all I can do when I'm
not busy is read. The job
I havae is supposed to be handled
by an officer, but since there
aren't enough it's given to people
like me. The only thing is
that there aren't any promotions
for anybody. This place is
run by L/Cpl's because that's
the highest rank except for staff
and officers. I'm going to stay
here for a while and then
try and get a transfer to
another outfit. I don't mind
it here but I know that if
I stay here for too long I'll
go crazy from the lack of anything
to do.
Anyway I have been figuring
out how much money I'll make
while over here. After I go
over 2 yrs. I get a pay raise
to about $175 plus $65 combat
pay and $16 overseas pay. Of
course all of this is tax free
and I know I'll make corporal
while over here so thats about
$40 more, I have $6.25 a month
for my bonds and I figured on
keeping $30 a month to spend (many
times I spend less). All in all
considering when I go on R+R
I should have $3000 or more
when I get back. I figured
that I could buy a car when
I get back, putting about $1500
down and have the rest paid
off before I get out of the Corps.
Well I guess that's about all.
I'd write more but being that
things around here are pretty
dull I guess that's it.

Your son,
Clyde
www.authentichistory.com/letters/1960s/flack/