Vietnamese kids who teaight me chopsticks at the mess hall

On July 9th 1976 I left Camp Pendleton, California to return home after serving 2 years, 4 months and 14 days on active duty. 4 days after my 17th birthday I found myself at Parris Island, SC as a reserve Marine for training. In July 1974 I reelisted as a full time marine for a 2 year enlistment, hence my odd term of service.Most guys in those days had a 2, 3, or 4 year active duty contract.

I served during the Vietnamese evacuation during the Spring of 1995 mostly as a guard for the Supreme Judge of Siagon, although I also pulled mess duty and had an experience where I got to direct traffic as a non-trained temp MP for a few days. My guess was that they were short of trained MPs, so they pulled a few of us from ranks and told us to make sure no one got ran over crossing the street ;)

 July 9th became my special lucky day when my first child and daughter Jean was born exactly a year to the day on July 9th 1977 after I was discharged from the Marines! My second child and son James was born on July 10th 1980