Dear Mom

Dear Mom,

You’ll probably be hearing about us again. Yesterday, my platoon had six injured and one killed. We had a fire fight that lasted nine hours. We killed a lot of VC on this operation we’re on now, but we also have had a lot killed. I wrote Sue and told her to give you back my ring. It’s still a good ring although it doesn’t work too good. I can always give it to some other chump, I mean girl. Well, Mom, I don’t have much time, and I just wanted you to know I’m all right.

When you go to church, I want you to give all the people you see this address and tell them to send anything they can, like old clothes and anything. I went down to this orphanage the other day, and these little kids are pitiful. They sleep on plain floors and don’t get hardly anything to eat. The reason I want you to tell everyone to help them is because I feel I may have to killed some of their parents and it makes me feel sick to know they have to go on with nothing. Address: Mang-Lang Orphanage, Le-Loi Street Tuy Hoa, Vietnam.

Love, Your son,

Dan

PFC Daniel Bailey was assigned to A troop, 2nd Battalion, 17th Cavalry, 101 st Airborne Division, May 1966 to June 1967 operating in II Corps.