Ordered into the war, 1972

 

Sgt. Bert Marshall, Takhli RTFB, Thailand 1973

Journal entry, April 1972: Danang, Vietnam orders cancelled at the last moment and about 3 weeks later, I was at Takhli RTAFB working my hind end off. It happened so fast. I out-processed immediately, went on leave. I was 19 years old and visiting my family in Houston with no idea I was about to experience 651 days living a National Geographic wartime documentary that would mold my future.

 A call from the Air Force cut my leave short and there I was. Flying via orders to Travis AFB, California, I took a flight to Alaska. Boarding a long low and crowded Flying Tigers turbo-prop, we flew across the ocean to Yakota AFB, Japan. Being a lowly E-3 Airman 1^st class, I believe I had the lowest rank of the many troops on the plane. The reason I say this is I got the only seat on the full plane that did not recline and for over 20 hours, our plane traveled across the ocean.

We left Japan and headed for the now long-gone Clark AFB, in the Philippines.  It was full-blown monsoon and the area was under about 2 feet of water. We had an 11 hour layover and we told to not leave the base under orders. I met a black Airman at the layover in Japan and he told me he had connections at Clark, so off the base we rode... in a 1957 Chevy sedan! The water was above the floorboard as we cruised down into the red-light district. However, I was warned that I would be dealing with pros and I kept to myself, enjoying the adventure.

Back at Clark AFB with time to spare, I realized I was the lone human cargo to fly across Vietnam into Central Thailand to a primitive base just reopening called Takhli. It had closed when the F-105’s Thunderchiefs left and was going to take on the F-4’s leaving Danang, Vietnam... and that is why me, a supply clerk was sent ahead. I was assigned to the Avionics warehouse inside the Supply compound.

Wow, the smell when the door opened on the C-130.
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