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War, Cigarettes and San Miguel
It’s not about how it was, it’s about how I remember it
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Kid, Candy Store and a Spiral
Kid, Candy Store and a Spiral
Shortly after my 21st birthday, I started my new and official life at the Subic Dispensary on a Monday morning in October 1969. At my…
Michael Hayes
Sep 5, 2019
Another Door Opens
Another Door Opens
After I’d reenlisted, life went back to usual for around two weeks. Sitting at home on Mill Street one day, I received a large yellow…
Michael Hayes
Nov 29, 2018
Right Back Where I Started
Right Back Where I Started
Three years, one month and ten days after I’d left 930 Mill Street, New Madrid, Missouri, I was back. This time I was a veteran, hung over…
Michael Hayes
Nov 1, 2018
Dodging a Bullet
Dodging a Bullet
In August 1969, Hurricane Camille was slated to arrive in New Orleans and the surrounding coastline.[1] I had been through two during my…
Michael Hayes
Oct 22, 2018
Seeking Normal
Seeking Normal
In early 1969, I traveled to New Orleans to begin the end of my enlistment. I flew by plane from Missouri since the engine for the car I’d…
Michael Hayes
Oct 16, 2018
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You Really Can’t Go Home Again
You Really Can’t Go Home Again
As I waited for the plane to depart, I decided to make a collect telephone call to see if I could rustle up a ride from the airport in…
Michael Hayes
Sep 18, 2018
Stumbling Home
Stumbling Home
The first leg of my flight out of Vietnam only took a couple of hours. We flew to Kadena Air Force Base on Okinawa, which at that time was…
Michael Hayes
Sep 5, 2018
The Finish
The Finish
After returning to the Battalion following my treatment for malaria, life became as routine as it could get in the shithole. Eat, work…
Michael Hayes
Aug 20, 2018
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