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I will always remember my brief Army career by the association with the number “8” (in chronological order). 8 April 1969 - I passed my pre-induction physical for the U.S. Army. On 8 June 1969 - I graduated from the school of Business at the University of Washington. On 8 August 1969 - I received my draft notice. On 8 September 1969 - I went into the Army at Fort Lewis, Washington. On 8 November 1969 - AIT training began at Fort Gordon, Georgia. And, 8 February 1970 I landed at Bien Hoa Air Force Base in Vietnam for my one year tour.
My college degree and typing skills landed me an assignment in the S-4 Shop (supply) of the Headquarters Detachment, 720th MP Battalion It seems that the Army was sending the 18th MP Brigade (which had the entire MP responsibility for Vietnam) all the trained MP’s it could use, but was not sending enough of the other support MOS’s personnel. I felt very fortunate to be assigned a clerical position with the headquarters unit of the 720th.
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The highlight of my tour of Vietnam was the birth
of my son, Paul Robert Dudley, on 17 September 1970. I’m sure many
of us can remember the wonderful services provided by the American Red
Cross during out time in a war zone for the U.S. Army. And, I guess,
the corresponding “low” light of my tour was the fact that
I did not actually see or hold my son until he was seven months old.
As my tour was coming to an end, the Army started the “early out” program. As I recall, the Army really didn’t need all their personnel when they completed tours in Vietnam, so they looked for ways to immediately discharge people. Initially, if you had 30 days left in your two-year hitch they discharged you (when you got “back to the world”). Then it went to 60 days, then 90 days, then 120 days, and finally 150 days. When it got to 150 I went straight to the personnel shop and extended my tour for 64 days. I was discharged from the U.S. Army after exactly 19 months of service (14 of those in Vietnam).Fortunately for most of us who served in Vietnam, the human spirit has the great ability to put a “brilliant haze” over that era (being from the Seattle area I suppose I should refer to that as a “purple haze” in honor of Jimi Hendrix).
As I age almost all of my memories of Vietnam are fond ones of those who I served with. It brought me in touch with people from all over America that I would have never known. And, the common ground of being their together formed some very strong bonds at the time. |
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With the advent of computers and the Internet, I
have had the opportunity to reach out and touch a few of those people
from my stay in Vietnam. And, I hope to reach many more.
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720th
18th Bde. 
