Diary Entry 38: Saigon, Friday Night, 30 July 1965

                                       Saigon

                                                                                                       Friday Night, 30 July 1965
            
Working late tonight at the office, but got tired of the work and decided to take a few minutes off to write.  At 10 p.m. I am to go over to MACV I headquarters to brief General DePuy (J-3) and Lieutenant General [John] Throckmorton (Deputy Commander MACV) on some items we have going on.  [Clark briefed the generals on the progress of the debark and throughput of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, logistic support for Operation HIGHLAND, and plans for the arrival of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile).]  Probably be a long night.  It always works out that way when you have to go over to MACV I.  They seem to like to stay up all night over there!

Brigadier General William E. DePuy, left, and Lieutenant General John Throckmorton, right, July 1965.  (Photo courtesy Richard P. Clark, Jr. collection)

This morning spent time mostly in conference.  We had our own to start the day off at 7 a.m., then Colonel Plate, Major Williams, and I went downtown to the Ministry of Economics to participate in another Joint US-Government of Vietnam planning conference.  We are MACV Members of the Central Supply Committee which is chaired by General Nhon and consists of about 40 people, US and Vietnamese who get together to solve problems.  Guess I am invited because I am the guy who has the means to move the supplies.

Conference broke up about noon and after lunch I spent some time running through some review and analysis studies on airlift and sealift operations.  Wish I had more time to do this kind of work.  This is the way you can get the fat cut away and put on more muscle.  But most of the time seems like we are crashing just to put out fires.  Think the situation will improve in time though.


Next Tuesday I am scheduled to give a briefing to Major General Stanley R. Larsen. [Larsen commanded the 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment from 1951-1953 when Clark was a platoon leader and company officer in the regiment.]  He’s Commander of a Task Force over here.  Will be nice to say hello to him again.

Some people from J-4 are going back to Honolulu on business next Monday, and I was kinda hoping to get to be one of those who went.  Well, little disappointments don’t hurt so much!

Have spoken to my roommate both civilly and abruptly about keeping the doors and and windows locked and shut at all times, but I don’t seem to make any sort of an impression on him.  He seemed to be a nice guy at first, but seems to get worse every day.  Meant to call up billeting about another place to stay but seem to get so occupied that didn’t get around to it.
Try again tomorrow or Monday.