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Vietnam in '68
By Franklin Price
08/10/2020

January '68, I arrived at Cam Rahn Bay
Found out this place, in Vietnam, was the best place I could play
Ground bound, in the Air Force, and living on the beach,
On a safe peninsula, we were almost out of reach

The Koreans on the mainland, kept the enemy away
White Horse, was their division, and they mostly had their say
Hard to believe, we were at war, we seldom were alarmed
No fireworks rained down on us, no one I knew was harmed

Our hooch had slanted louvers, no windows or AC,
Canvas roofs were overhead, it was camping out for me
The showers and the shavings were cold water to begin
Had six seat outhouses, with half drums, for going in

When the drums were almost full, we pulled them from the cache
Poured Av gas into them, and burned the crap to ash
Spread the ash out on the ground, was not to fertilize
We raked it in the white sand to keep away the flies

Was in a GEEIA squadron, ground installation was its role
Unless we went out TDY, were stuck in that beach-side hole
Life in Cam Rahn boring, we raked sand every day
I volunteered for TDY's so I could get away

Volunteered for digging ditches,  installing airfield towers,
Performing installation surveys, running radios for hours,
I needed to feel needed, after all we were at war
To have a year's vacation, not what I went there for

Vietnam, in '68, was the turning point of war
Draft card burners screaming, “What are we fighting for?”
We, who had enlisted, and not waited for the draft,
Were considered, by those in Canada, as being rather daft

Our leaders there, not in control, Washington knew more
When the enemy was on the run, they shut the fighting door
Along came the Tet offensive, showing us the war not through 
They still had fight left in them, now what were we to do?

They over-ran the cities, for them was something new
No longer in the boonies, they almost pulled a coup
They could not overcome our might, but had not come to play 
Once we replied, to what was done, was hell for them to pay

Tet brought on more casualties
Than we ever had before
The draft size was increased back home
Feeding fodder to the war

Soon over half a million
Sent to level out the hill
Even though the Tet Offensive
Said we should have had our fill

Back home, half a world away,
Vietnam,  was not the plight
Civil rights were at the fore,
A badly needed fight

MLK was murdered
Was the leader for the rights
Riots came to Washington
Fires burned throughout the nights

Tents were pitched upon the mall
Thousands camped there for the poor
The nation ripping at the seams
Against Washington and war

RFK  assassinated
As he ran for president
I think I was much better off
To be where I was sent.

I could continue on with this,
And it's a shame to say
Some fights we fought, in '68,
Still going on today
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