R & R in Hong Kong

Tom (my best friend in Nam and Hootch mate) decided to go on R&R together. After some discussion we chose Hong Kong. He told me he heard that hotels picks were given by highest rank first. He got me the name of a hotel and asked me to write to them and get reservations. Really sounds strange doing that now but I did and got reservations. The night before we left Nam we traveled by bus from Long Binh to Ton Son Nhut airbase where we spend the night. The following day we flew from Vietnam to Hong Kong on Pan Am. Once we were at cruising altitude the Captain made an announcement stating the cockpit door would be open and for us to come and say hi to them. They also served a really nice meal. I also remember gum hanging in the lavatory which looked much like individual Chiclet gum. There was lots of looking out the windows as we flew over Vietnam and was just a relaxed and enjoyable flight. Why not? Once we landed and went through customs we had to get in line to get a hotel. Since we could show we had reserved rooms we were released and on our way to the hotel. I was literally shocked when we arrived. it was simply beautiful and right on the Harbor. I walked in and told Tom I can't stay here. I think he had stayed at places like this but I was from a very poor family and basically just in shock. Before checking in he suggested that we change our rooms and share on as we could get a nicer Harbor view and after all, we shared a Hootch. So we changed our rooms. And yes, we were just a few floors from the top and had this wonderful view of the Harbor, the Star Ferry going back and forth and in the distance you could see the Queen Elizabeth anchored. This hotel had a beautiful dining room with a huge dance floor and orchestra, or at least what I thought was an Orchestra. They cooked flaming meals at your table and was just so unbelievable to me. At the bar the in the hotel I seem to remember they served hamburgers on freshly made buns and home made chips. We had a waitress named Lily at the bar and she was great and funny. We kept buying drinks for the English piano player and he'd keep raising his glass to us with each new drink. We thought it would be funny to try to get him drunk. Even though they had a push button elevator, they had a man dressed in black pants and white jacket who would push the button for you. It was almost immediate that they knew us and called us Mr. Mahoney and Mr. Hamilton. Well, it's late and I'll get some Zzzzz's and then enter more over the next few days on Hong Kong, the people and my wonderful stay.

Chicken Unlimited and Fortune Cookies

I was eating a Fortune Cookie after some Chinese tonight and it brought back a very nice memory I had from Ft. Carson. There was a young GI stationed with me. He was from Hong Kong and Chinese. I believe most of his family was here in the States. He would fly down the hall of the barracks like Bruce Lee. He was such a funny guy. He went to Chicago to see his brother a couple times and always returned with some coupons for Chicken Unlimited and a huge bag of Fortune Cookies. We'd have a nice chicken dinner off base thanks to him. And of course we chowed down on those damn Chinese Cookies. It was so strange. It's not something one would think of eating except for having one after your Chinese meal. But there we were almost getting sick on these Cookies and reading all those fortunes. He made a couple trips while I was stationed there and it was always the same. He was one funny guy.

Martin Luther King Day 2016

Today I was thinking about different Black GI's I served with and have certain fond memories of our paths crossing. In Basic Training I drank all my water from my canteen way too quickly and really needed a drink. A GI in my platoon was drinking from his canteen and handed it over to me for a drink and gave me some good advice on not guzzling my water. Sure glad he was there and willing to share. A Sargent I worked under at the 24th talked to me about busing as they started busing either close to his town or in his town. He asked if it started where I lived. I told him I went to school with all different races including Blacks. He was surprised by that. At one time he needed around $200 (possibly more)and asked me to loan it and he would pay me in the following next months pay. (I'm always broke and never ever seem to have money except when I was in Nam. I guess there was no way I could really spend it.) I really didn't think anything about it and lent him the money. Next pay he just came and paid me back. He was a good guy and even though I don't have many pictures from Nam, I have a few with him in them and it brings a smile to my face knowing things we went through together and just what a good guy he was. I also used to play cards at night with an older Sargent if we found the time. He too was a good guy and I gave him my deck of cards when I left. (They were actually kind of expensive back then and I realized why when I got them back to the hootch as they were some type of plastic and really held their shape, didn't bend, etc.) I was fortunate in many ways to have crossed paths with these and others so I think of you even more so on this day.

Nebraska Veterans Honor License Plates

I lived in Denver for 13 years and moved back to Nebraska in 2003. Colorado had many different License Plates for Veterans and I had Vietnam Veterans Plates that had a helicopter in the middle of it. Nebraska had no plates for veterans except for Disabled Veteran, Pearl Harbor Survivor, Ex POW and Purple Heart. I was really upset about this so I kept my Colorado Vietnam Veterans Plates on my car and even for some time after they expired. I sent an E-mail to all Nebraska Senators and basically was told by one who actually responded that they didn't want too many plates in NE. Well, finally, they are issuing Veterans Honor Plates in Nebraska for U S Army, U S Air Force, U S Coast Guard, U S Marines, U S National Guard and U S Navy. Each plate will have the United States Flag waving at the top of the plate and state the Branch of Service and have the Service Emblem. Each plate will have five numbers/alpha characters or cone can personalize it with five numbers/alpha characters. It will cost $5 a year for the next number number plates and $40 a year for the personalized plates. I ordered mine as soon as possible and received them and had them on my care the 8th of January. I am so glad NE got on board with other states to issue Veterans Plates but do wish they would have released plates for specific wars a veteran may have served in but, again, just happy to finally have veterans plates on my car.

High School Presentation Response

A week or so after my presentation I was called by the teacher and we arranged for me to pick-up items I brought to the class. We also spoke of me coming back the second semester for the new class as well as how much her class appreciated me my talking with her class. There was an envelope with my name on it when I picked up the items after Christmas. This envelope contained many hand written cards from her students. I was amazed that many had very long notes and all of them thanked me for many reasons for coming to their class. I cannot express how touched I was in reading these cards and realizing just how much effort and thought these young people gave into what they wrote. It gave me much hope for the future and those who will eventually lead us and be a part of us in the direction this Country will go. I only wish we had more people like these young students who seemed very wise for their age.