Tuesday, May 14, 1968
The sun was up, and we reluctantly rolled out of bed. This was our last day of R&R, and we had loose ends to manage. After breakfast we picked up our dry-cleaned clothes and started repacking Jenny’s suitcase and my travel bag.
We talked about the next nine months: the summer semester in San Diego, return to Fresno State in the fall and holidays. There was a lot of discussion of the next “Duty Station.” We hoped for MCAS El Toro, but anywhere on the West Coast would be good. I would still have two full years to finish my enlistment, and it was difficult to plan further.
I was interested in going to college, and Jenny’s example motivated me to pursue higher education. Our plans were in limbo, delayed until I returned to CONUS. We vowed to keep communicating through letter writing (Jenny’s letters were my lifeline). Neither of us had control over the postal service, and as hard as we tried, written communication was sometimes erratic.
We had another conversation concerning politics, but it was mostly about our first opportunity to vote in a Presidential election. Jenny had majored in Political Science but recently changed to Social Science in order to expedite earning her Bachelor’s Degree.
Our farewell dinner was across the street at Chuck’s Steak House. I remember ordering this exotic fish called “Mahi Mahi.” It was thick and had a sweet flavor with a buttery lemon sauce. The restaurants in Waikiki were all casual dress, and we felt comfortable in our flowered prints. We shared a chocolate dessert called “Volcano Cake” which was served with ice cream.
My Vietnam Experience 