Posted on Dec 29, 2025
SGT Kevin Hughes
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Okay you Vietnam Veterans...any pictures or stories about "in country R&R". I never went to Vietnam. Today, up at the VA waiting for my prescription I got talking to a guy who worked at China Beach. He told me there was a Surf Club there...and all kinds of recreational stuff, but the Beach was the big spot.
He told me as a Moral Officer (even tho he was an E6) and having spent a few months in the bush, all of his staff tried to make it as "fun" as possible.
He related some stories...and both were funny. And as you can imagine, they involved girls, and beer. But he took his job seriously and made every attempt to have the guys unwind and relax ...and he thinks the Wet T shirt contest ...might have been a bad call.
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SGT Philip Roncari
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SGT Kevin Hughes
I am sad to announce Kevin that there was no incountry R&R for this old boy,I did in fact get R&R Hong Kong style,five days and nights in one of the most interesting city of the world,I do know that suits were purchased,some jade for my sister,a trip on the Star Ferry, and then meeting up with some Australian service members,and from that day to this complete amnesia,well there are flashes of bars,B girls,loud music,hanging from a balcony? eating spaghetti from a wok? anyhow got new jungles and boots when my sorry ass got choppered back out to the boonies, Welcome Home Brothers.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
SGT Kevin Hughes
23 h
PO3 Edward Riddle - It sounds like what the Rock Stars say about Studio 21 in NYC in the Sixties...if you remember anything ...you weren't there. LOL Welcome home, thanks for sharing.
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SGT Philip Roncari
SGT Philip Roncari
14 h
PO3 Edward Riddle
Heard Bangkok was a blast,lot of guys in my company went there,stories about drinking snake blood and booze? As I mentioned didn’t get a In -County R&R since I got a 45 day drop on my tour,guess I traded that for beautiful Ft.Polk,not that I’m complaining I’ll take Louisiana any day over the Central Highlands,seems Kevin is comparing us to Rock Stars,Oh boy ,your stage was water and boocoo mud and mine was triple canopy jungle and those stinkin hills of the Central Highlands,Be Well Brother, Phil.
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PO3 Edward Riddle
PO3 Edward Riddle
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SGT Kevin Hughes - You're Welcome, Brother Kevin!!
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PO3 Edward Riddle
PO3 Edward Riddle
4 h
SGT Philip Roncari - Thanks, Brother Phil.
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PO3 Phyllis Maynard
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@kevin Hughes I could never quite reconcile Vietnam R&R because after down time was over the boys were right back on the Frontline, facing death.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
SGT Kevin Hughes
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I am with you on that one. What strong people they must be.
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SPC Joseph Kopac
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Me at China Beach where the 101st Airborne went. When I got transferred to the 1st Air Cavalry, our in country R & R was at Vung Tau. I also got sent to the beach on Vung Tau for a week with a mortar crew armed only with illumination rounds. They were expecting another Tet. The attack came a month later which was called the Easter Offensive. On a sad note a Chinook carrying members of the 8th Cav heading to Vung Tau for R & R went down. A rotor broke off and all 34 aboard were killed.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
SGT Kevin Hughes
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Oh my gosh, you brought back one of my saddest days in the Military. For a Chinook crashed in Training , April 18th, 1971 Pegnitz Germany. I had just trained with the guys on that chopper at Vilsek Germany on April 12th for the Mortar Gunnery Championships. All of them and the Crew died. We had several Memorials all over the Country and all of us thought ..."it could have been us." War is a tragedy with tragedies galore. You guys were Heroes then, and you are Heroes now.
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PO3 Edward Riddle
PO3 Edward Riddle
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I'm sorry to hear about the chopper crash Brother Joe.
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