Sumo took the Admin run to Da Nang with Fernando. This time we made sure he was pulling a trailer and emphasized the importance of having the space for extra supplies.
During the night Reb had boiled the chickens, and they were now being deboned. The rich stock was strained and stored in the walk-in. Leftover bacon from breakfast was incorporated into softened Velveeta as a spread for grilled cheese sandwiches at lunch. It made a quick and easy menu (baked macaroni and cheese with grilled bacon cheese sandwiches and Jello on the side). It was a cheese lover’s dream!
Reb was pounding on the metal siding of the burner shack; the roof took four sheets of the corrugated metal. Three sides would be lined with two overlapping sheets. The inside workbench and shelves would come later, but for now the burners were protected from the weather.
After lunch I started the chicken pot pie filling. Onion and celery were sauteed, and the stock was slowly added. Canned carrot slices were strained and combined into the mix with the chicken as it heated. After slowly cooking the chicken stew mixture, whole milk was poured in, and I enriched it with a few cans of evaporated milk. The congealed chicken fat was used to make a roux which was gradually stirred into the pot pie filling in order to thicken it. The final step was to add peas and finish with a cornstarch slurry (the only spices were salt and pepper).
The Admin truck rolled in just before dinner, and the trailer was full of galvanized 30-gallon GI cans (trash cans). The Battalion supply NCO was duped by Sumo and gave us more than our share of the hard-to-get containers with lids.
The fresh baked biscuits were soft and fluffy and complimented the pot pie filling. The only accompaniment was chilled apricot halves.
I am a retired restaurant manager. My wife Jenny and I have been married for 50 years, have three grown children and two teen grand kids.
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My Vietnam Experience 