VIETNAM WAR - LEON GREGSTON - Coke County, TX

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Submitted by Mary Love Berryman - marylove@tyler.net
22 Sep 2000
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The Observer/Enterprise, 18 Feb 2000, Robert Lee, TX

REFLECTIONS OF THE PAST

A soldier's letter home

(Editor's Note:)
The following letter was written to his parents by Leon Gregston
approximately seventeen days prior to the end of his tour of duty 
in Vietnam in April of 1966.  Following military service, Leon spent
most of his career as an electrician in the Houston area.  He passed
away this past fall at the age of 56.  His parents are the late 
John Gregston and Babe Gregston of Robert Lee.

Hi!

Shore do wish things would slow down around here and get back to normal.
I've never wanted to see two weeks and four days pass quick before now
in my life.  At least this infernal sand has quit blowing so bad - it's
rained two time a day for a week.

I was off work for five days for the operation.  When we were hit on 
the 12th, I was spending my second or third night in the dispensary.  I 
counted 9-15 rounds in our immediate area - one of them injuring people 
in the EM club about a block from me.  I wasn't dreaming when shrapnel
raked the wall of the room we were in.  Five or six men were evacuated
to Saigon that night and one more (who died) the next morning.  There
were sure some sights in there that night.  One boy got shot in the 
rear, so you know what he was doing!  There were several points of
interest that weren't in the papers - one of them being about 90% of
the rounds thrown didn't go off.  We'd have been "blowed off'n the 
map."
  
Got a letter from Noel when he was in Hong Kong and one from Saigon.
Get this!  Yesterday I was down at Front Beach lookin' through my
135 mm telescopic lens and happened to see a destroyer escort with 325
on the bow!  To shorten the whole story, I watched her pull out to 
rescue a jet pilot that had to ditch in the ocean.  But one of our 
"Hueys" beat them there Heh- Heh!  I phoned the Naval Observation 
Center and found out that the USS Lowe had been in about a week and
would be in for another month.  At least that's what they told me.
Oh Well.

Mom, cross your fingers 'cause your baby boy is comin' home.  In 17 
days.  I thought I could put up with anything for the few days left
after I saw Noel, but everything is happening - even lost one of my
contacts.  A right one this time.  Good thing I had an extra.

Your Lonesome Son

Leon