Diary Entry 87: Saigon, Thursday Night, 11 November 1965

                                                                                                Saigon
                                                                        Thursday Night, 11 November 1965


According to my calendar, this is a holiday (Veterans' Day), but from my schedule of activities you really couldn't tell it.  Was at work just as early as I usually am, and back to the BOQ just as late.  Be glad when I get back to the States and can take one of these holidays off.  Maybe I'll just up and take off Thanksgiving Day!  Here I was a real bonafide Veteran, working pretty hard, and actually helping to fight a war on Veterans' Day.  Cruel justice!

Most of the day was spent reviewing certain contingency plans and making adjustments where it was necessary.  Lots of arguing which was not necessarily based on fact.  Afraid we didn't make much progress.

Tomorrow, Brigadier General [Hal D.] McCown who is Mr. McNamara's hatchet man on Vietnam is returning here for briefings on progress made since his last visit.  Have a 20 minute briefing with him on transportation posture at 3 p.m.  Then at 5 p.m. must brief General [Stanley "Swede"]  Larsen on transport support we can afford him on some contemplated operations.  Both of these should be pretty easy, but I'll probably bone up on some notes tonight or in the morning.  Briefings remind me of teaching classes at Leavenworth. . .easy if you do your homework.

Haven't heard from Grady yet.  Paid his mess and hotel bill and call his office every day to see if anyone there has heard anything.  So far they haven't.  Guess he was in worse shape than he thought.  His assistant tells me that he thinks Grady's cancer came back on him or else he got TB which is very prevalent in South Vietnam.  Reckon I'll hear from him sooner or later.

I am feeling pretty good now.  Cold is not entirely gone and am having a hard time getting completely rid of it but it is coming along nicely.  Hard to shake a summer cold, I find; though it is difficult for me to think of this as being a summer season.  Probably cold and wet in Montgomery [Alabama] but it is hot and humid here.