← Part of Letters from Vietnam
letter
Letter to Terrie, 15 November 1970 — the package, Spec 4, the 2-week leave rumor, and the inquiry closed
Charlie's two-page letter to Terrie dated 15 November 1970, reassembled from its scans (dad178 page 1, dad179 page 2), likely written during the one-week stand-down the 8 November letter had announced. Her package arrived the other day, basically what he wanted; he'll mail a package to her and home with a list of the things still to add, not wanting to sound greedy. General news: he's now Spec 4 (E-4), $70 more a month, confirming the promotion he thought he'd made in the 5 November letter. There's official word of a possible 2-week leave; it sounds too good to be real and he tells her not to get her hopes up, noting how hard it would be to return after two weeks at home with her, it's putting a strain on things, and he'll let her know the final decision in a week or so. The congressional inquiry his mother opened in October is now over. He's had a chance to drink, two nights in a row. Signed 'Love, Charles.'
What the letter is
15 November 1970, probably written during the one-week stand-down the 8 November letter had announced, the access to drink and the lighter tone both fit the rear. Two threads from the early-November field letters close here: the Spec 4 promotion he’d guessed at on the 5th is now official, and the congressional inquiry his mother opened in October is over. Between them, the human middle of the letter, the 2-week leave rumor he won’t let Terrie believe in, because coming back from two weeks with her would be harder than not going at all.
Transcription
Nov 15
Dear Terrie,
Well I got your package the other day. It was basically what I wanted but I’ll have to pack a package and mail it to you & home to show you what I want. I appreciate the package and am really satisfied but there are things to be added. I don’t want to sound greedy so I’ll add a list in another letter later.
General news: I am now Spec 4 which is $70 more a month.
There is official word on [a] 2 week leave. It sounds too good to be for real but I’ll let you know. Don’t get your hopes up though. It would be very hard indeed, to return here after 2 weeks at home & with you. I love you & want to see you too bad,
[page 2:] it is really putting a strain on things. I’ll let you know [the] final decision after a [week] or so.
Well congressional inquiry is over but at least the congressman won’t get [a] complete snow job.
Well I have a chance to do a little drinking. Been drunk 2 nights in a row so this is [it].
I guess I’ll end now and write again tomorrow.
Love Charles
What the letter records
Spec 4, confirmed. The promotion he thought he’d made in the 5 November letter (“I think I made E-4”) is now official, $70 more a month, real money against the post-tour savings he was building.
The 2-week leave he won’t believe in. The most human passage: a rumored leave that “sounds too good to be for real,” and his refusal to let Terrie hope, because the return would be unbearable, “it would be very hard indeed to return here after 2 weeks at home & with you.” The self-protective logic of a soldier rationing his own longing.
The inquiry closed. “Congressional inquiry is over” resolves the thread the 5 November letter opened, his mother Peggy having written their congressman about his situation. The 22 February 1971 letter shows his platoon-mates still remembered the letter-writing months later.
Scans
