THE WRITTEN WORD

Xin loi GI…….site still under construction…..please stay tuned pictures to be added The “STRIP” At Xuan Loc ALL I CAN SAY is I have been on THE STRIP in Lost Wages and I have been on THE STRIP in Xuan Loc and there is no comparison, two different worlds. Picture a dirt road, crowned two lane at best, gutters on each side filed with offal.  It is maybe 1000 meters long.  On the west end on the north side are where the people live whose villages were burnt, whose livestock was killed, whose lands were defoliated and how have been “re-settled” to where the now live.  No where for the fish to swim anymore.  On the east end we have the 35^th ARTY compound and they have 6 155 mm guns which they fire incessantly and at random targets.  They get mortared all the time. On the south side there are the whore houses thinly disguised as bars cum restaurants.  Right in the middle is a general store run by CO Linh and her two young teenage sons.  She is a widow, her husband being an ARVN Dai-Uy [Captain] who died heroically killing cong [SAT CONG].  The general store is her reward from the owners of the strip for her late husbands sacrifice.  The commanding general of the 18^th ARVN Division owns all of the joints east of her store.  The province chief of Long Khanh, an ARVN colonel, owns all those to the west.  There are about 12 of these establishments on each side of her store.  Co Linh is my friend and business partner, in terms of marijuana [CON SAI in local terms] not one of my CIs per se. I do learn many things from her including the art of  pig farming.    If I need a joint or if I need 100 pounds she is my go to person.  I go to her beaucoup times.  She loves GREENBACKS [totally illegal to possess but on the BLACK MARKET were better than gold] , says: “FUCK MPC...” [Military Payment Cetificates] Of course I am able to gather intelligence from all the mama-sans who run the whore houses and of course their whores.  However my most important CIs are the four shoe shine boys who work THE STRIP and the two barbers.  I came to Viet Nam a virgin but lost it the very first time I was on THE STRIP.  I probably went with at least 100 different Vietnamese women and girls during my 1000 days and nights in Xuan Loc before I had my first round eye when I finally got home for good.  Needless to say I have a rather jaded and jaundiced view of women and all their wiles and evil ways to this day.  Perhaps that is why I am a confirmed ONANIST of long standing. AT ANY RATE the dread Sgt Kris Kingle [he was kinda a Santa Claus type] introduced me to THE STRIP my second day in Xuan Loc and helped me negotiate the lose of my virginity so I owed him a favor.  He was an E-6, senior NCO of our team, A-C Mechanic, married man with kids, a lifer and did not like SHORT TIMES so he would just sit and drink beers with the Cos and bullshit Mama-san while I did my thing in the back room.  BUT every once in a while he needed a woman but wanted to do an all nighter.  I was the guy who, when he had arranged all the details drove him down to THE STRIP at dusk and then picked him up at dawn.  Usually he had a shit eating grin on his face, and nobody was the wiser.  He always gave me a tenner for my troubles and I did have him in my back pocket because if it became known what he was doing the shit would hit his fan.  Maybe the third time we were in negotiations with mama-san about his next all nighter she said: “NO...NO.....tonight number fucking ten....” and we are thinking what the fucking fuck??  Now that night the 35^th  ARTY and 18^th ARVN HQ took about 200 mortar rounds and the airfield a few dozen roackets. AFTER A FEW MONTHS I had been in every bar/whore house on the strip but most I had culled out as I did have some standards.  I finally settled on two that the general owned and two that the colonel owned as my best sources of information and pussy.  I was a butterfly, flitting from one flower to the next, much to the dismay of the flowers as each one wanted you just for their own and nobody else.  It soon became apparent that they knew anything and everything and so every day I would ask the question: “mama-san, I have friend want to go boom boom all night long....can do tonight....??”  If she said okay, then I always had someone to do the job and I had the jeep to make it happen.  BUT IS SHE SAID: “NO....NO....bad night....moon no right...” or whatever then I got the clue.  Xuan Loc was going to get hit. About a month after my 2d colonel , MASON, got there I sorta casually told him we were going to get hit that night and he better sleep with his boots on.  He said:   “Son, ARMY G-2 would have told me this but they have not....how are you so sure.”  My reply;” Sir, I have sources of information that MACV may not have.....I will put a tenner on it,sir.”    “Son I am a betting man and I will take that bet.”   That night as we were huddled in our bunkers and the mortars were incoming he told me to see him in the morning to get my money, he was in his undies and barefoot.  Next time I told him the bet was for $20 but he did show up with his boots on that time with money in hand.  THIRD TIME he told me: “NO FUCKING BET.....”  We flew dawn patrol that next morning and he gave me $50 dollars before we took off.  “What is this for sir??”   MASON said: “Well I laid down a few bets with the ARMY idiots and did quite well...thank you son.....so that is just your share....”  DO YOU UNDERSTAND WHY TO THIS DAY I LOVE THAT BIG HAIRY APE AND CHERISH THE MEMORY OF HIM????? SO AT ANY RATE MAYBE THE SIXTH/SEVENTH/EIGHTH TIME I tell him Xaun Loc is going to get hit tonight he calls me to his room [HE IS Senior ALO to 18^th ARVN and rates his own room rather than living in a communal hootch like the rest of us] and when I get there he is playing gin rummy with the MACV Major who is the Senior Advisor to the ARVN  G-2.  Now G-2 is intelligence [ARMY got G-1=records [??]–G-3 which is plans/operations [the sharp edge] and G-4=supply [??]—there might even be more G’s but who really gives a shit.   G-2 and G-3  were who I was in daily contact with on behalf of my colonel.] “SIT AND GET A BEER and when we finish this hand Major WHAT-EVER-THE-FUCK HIS NAME WAS wants to ask you a few questions”   “Yes sir....” and I sat. Now keep in mind I never told my compatriots in ARMY INTELLIGENCE about my knowledge but only to my colonel, MASON.  And he was now using this knowledge as leverage with the ARMY types he had to deal with and it GAVE HIM POWER.  What is a good son supposed to do?? So they finish the hand, tote up the score and turn to me: “The Major would like to ask him some questions of you Airman Dieckman [at that time I was an E-3 and just an Airman, not yet a Sergeant...and as he was in the presence of a fellow officer he addressed me formally rather than calling me SON].....please be forthright with him.” Maj A-hole: “Airman Dieckman, Col Mason more than once in the past won.....told me that Xuan Loc was going to get hit and I laughed at him as my shop had NO WARNING.  It has now become personal as I have lost a fair amount of money to him as a result of his wild claims and my intemperate bets.  Statistically speaking it defies all odds....and then the other day he told me his source of information is you, his enlisted man aide-de-camp, a mere E-3 and yet you seem to know more than we do......I NEED YOUR SOURCE OF INFORMATION !!!!” Sgt Z: “Sir, I am sorry but that would compromise my source, as you should know, SIR, as you are in the business also....” Maj G-2: “[sputtering....lisping] YOU WILL TELL ME....I HAVE TO KNOW where you get this shit from.....” Sgt Z: SIR, begging your pardon SIR, but you do not need to know where I get my information as long as it proves to be accurate..... Col M: [sips his beer  with a funny smile on his face and winks at me but says nothing] Maj G-2: LISTEN AIRMAN.....if I do not answer my question as to your source, RIGHT NOW, you will be headed to LBJ...” Sgt Z: “SIR....WITH ALL DUE RESPECT......I work for Col MASON not you or your ARMY and any orders you want to give me must come through my commanding officer not you.....now if Col Mason wants to give me that order then we can talk but until then I have nothing to say to you, SIR.... Col M: [he had pretended to have sorted nodded off while this exchange was happening but it was all an act, I knew that when he winked at me, GOD I HATE WINKERS, but I am one now myself but it is something you have to learn to do[  but now he kinda shakes his head and shoulders as if waking up and says to Maj G-2:   “Sorry, did I miss somehting here?” Maj G-2: “If your man here does not answer my questions I  am going to write him up on charges and send him to Long Binh.....he is insubordinate to say nothing of being disrespectful of his superior officer [don’t you just love it when THEY say that!!] and I order you to tell him to obey me....” {shrieking he said this and he only a straight leg grunt major in the army and he be talking to my boss, EL JEFE, an O-5 colonel] Col MASON sayzzzz:   “MAJOR XXXXXX.......I THINK you have made your point and I have heard your opinion.....now if you would please return to your quarters so that Airman Dieckman, who is my man NOT yours, and myself can talk in private and he can state his case TO HIS COMMANDING OFFICER which is not yourself....so please leave us in peace so we may have a private conversation about this subject....we will talk before the morrow on what I have decided...ta-ta as the Aussies say...oh yeah take one of my FOSTER’s as you go and come back in an hour with a fourth for bridge.....comb bi-et????.   NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS FLABBERGASTED NOT EVEN CLOSE TO UNDERSTANDING WHAT WAS BEING SAID BETWEEN THE LINES BUT THEN I was still a teenager, no, I was just turned 20, xin loi GI! Col MASON: “I hope you know how to play bridge son?” Sgt Z: “Goren sir, very conservtive, never bid suit unless at least five, re-bid once got six, third time seven and shut the fuck up, sorta know how to ask for ACES and KINGS and sometimes make psychic bid.......” Col M: “OKAY SON, now tell me how you know for sure we are going to get hit....” Sgt Z: “SIR, as I told the major to reveal my sources would make them go away....they would see it as a betrayal when they heard of it and my data would dry up....trust my information, it is good.......AS YOU FUCKING WELL KNOW.....SIR.....but you have no need to know where it comes from nor does Major Asshole....”   At the time I thought I had crossed the line but after 30 seconds of chewing on his lip MASON said: “Okay not who but how.....” YOU GOTTA SEE IF I GAVE HIM THIS DATA it would kinda bust me BUT really bust Sgt Kringle who now, for my services, wanted to give me blow jobs in the shower, WHICH I DECLINED in case your were wondering, in fact told him I would bite it off only not get him off, but after we came to that understanding everything was cool and he WAS IN MY BACK POCKET........ THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE I HAD THE POWER.....I COULD  MAKE OR BREAK......LEVERAGE, I HAD......FIRST TIME GOT IN TOUCH WITH MY MOJO.....REALIZED I CAN SEE INTO THE FUTURE, EVEN IF ONLY DIMLY.  AND I CAN STOP TIME FOR 10.357 Earthling seconds, which means you can never beat me at dice or cue sports.  THANK GOD KNOW I KNOW HOW TO USE ALL THESE TALENTS......PROBABLY TOO LATE at my age....LOL SO AT ANY RATE: I sayzzzz: “Well it all started with Santa Claus and his lust for all nighters rather than short times......”   “GO ON”   sayzzz he.....and then I spilled ALL THE BEANS......which only took about five minutes and after I was done he just sat there and bit his lip and finally said: “GET us each a beer while I call Maj G-2 and we will be playing some bridge and you are not going to LBJ......I own this major until either of us dies or leaves,,,,thank you SON.” Sgt. Z: “SIR, can I take five.....I gotta bladder prolem.....” he sayz “K” and I go but on the way to peeing  and while peeing and on the way back from peeing I am honking on a big one......I am sure I reeked when I came back but nobody said a thing: my colonel and bridge partner versus Maj A-Hole G-2 and some LT of his.  We played two rubbers and my colonel and myself cleaned there clocks.  BUT BEFORE THE CARDS WERE DEALT, THESE WERE THE WORDS SAID: [knock_knock] Col M: “ENTER !!!.....[and they do...]......please sit down and grab another FOSTER’s [I AM THE ONE THAT KISSED AUSSIE ASS TO GET THIS PISS FOR HIM !!!].....Maj G-2 ARMY ASSHOLE  Airman Dieckman has satisfied me as to the bona fides of his data and his analysis there-off.....SO BACK OFF JACK OFF he is MY MAN and how he gets it I don’t care as long as he gives it to me and then I will CALL YOU ASAP.....he has never been wrong and he has seen things YOU PEOPLE have never seen......is that clear??” Maj G-2:   “Crystal Clear....SIR.” Col M: “GOOD.......lets play some bridge.....10 cents a point....two rubbers ???” THE SUCKERs  BIT THE HOOK and my colonel and myself took them hook, line and sinker.....they did not even have to cash to pay so my colonel took and IOU and when they were gone gave me $100 telling me it was “nothing. Son”. SO WHILE MASON WAS my colonel I had to devote every Wednesday and every Saturday for some rubbers of bridge after this incident.  MASON covered our losses but they were far a few between and I usually made out like a bandit.  I think my pay grade got me $250 a months plus maybe $55 combat pay.....towards the end I was making 1000's monthly on the black market [THAT STORY MAY NEVER GET TOLD] as a result of sometimes playing bridge with ROB AND BOB as our opponents.  Our native CIA SPOOKS.....as I re-call they NEVER won a rubber but they did not mind if they lost....the CIA would just print another ton of dongs...and WE never got less than 10,000,000 monthly.....drug money from LAOS and the printing presses. THAT IS IN CASE YOU ARE HARD OF HEARING, my colonel would get beaucoup “bucks” from the CIA but I was the guy that got to spend them ‘gathering intelligence’ Of course I had to account for them.