Easy Living in a Hard War: Behind the Lines in Vietnam

Mike Jacobi May 19, 2024

https://www.historynet.com/easy-living-in-a-hard-war-behind-the-lines-in-vietnam/

There were 5 support troops in base camps for every soldier fighting in Vietnam. “In Long Binh the post boasted 81 basketball courts, 64 volleyball courts, 12 swimming pools, 8 multipurpose courts, 8 softball fields, 6 tennis courts, 5 craft shops, 3 football fields, 3 weight rooms, 3 libraries, 3 service clubs, 2 miniature golf courses, 2 handball-court complexes, a running track, an archery range, a golf driving range, a skeet range, a party area, and an amphitheater for movies and live shows.

By 1972, Long Binh Post even had a go-cart track, complete with a starting stand, a public-address system, and a pit for on-the-spot repairs.

Open mess clubs, which served food and alcohol and often featured live entertainment, abounded throughout South Vietnam. At its peak in 1969, Long Binh’s club system had 40 bars with a net worth of $1.2 million, including $270,000 in cash on hand. If soldiers didn’t like club life, Long Binh’s retail stores stocked food and alcohol to host private parties at the pools, barracks, or barbecue pits.

Construction of new recreational facilities on Long Binh Post continued until the end of the war. As late as 1970, more than a year into troop withdrawals from Vietnam, the U.S. Army was still planning to build two 474-seat movie theaters, additional handball courts, two in-ground swimming pools with bathhouses, and a recreational lake. The military scrapped the more expensive construction projects in response to public outrage, but the post’s amenities were still expanding right through the summer of 1971.

Long Binh and other posts had retail stores that would have rivaled today’s big box outlets for their selection, if not their size. Just one of Long Binh’s P.X.s was ringing up more than $800,000 in monthly sales in late 1971, and it was not even the largest in Vietnam. These stores offered a selection of products that, in pre-Walmart days, was unlike anything most Americans had ever seen. As a reporter for a division newspaper raved about the P.X. at Camp Radcliff in the Central Highlands of Vietnam: “There are a lot of shopping centers—in fact, whole towns—back in the world where you couldn’t find snuff, anchovies, baby oil, dice, flash bulbs, radios, and steak sauce in the same store, or even in the same general area. But at Camp Radcliff you can buy almost anything you want.”

Jerry Chandler

May 19

Damn, camp Evans was low rent!

Gary Bowman May 19

In December of '71 I was transferred to the 11th ACR at Phu Loi (near Saigon). Totally different world down there. All but stopped flying because of the influx of all of us. Just too many people for too few jobs. Ended up on permanent perimeter guard. A great use of my combat helicopter skills.

Reggie Kenner May 19

I got to the Replacement Depot in Long Binh, settled in waiting for assignment and that night was on shit-burning detail The next day we flew in a C123 I think, our duffle bags strewn across the floor and used as seats and places to lay down. Seat belts? Fagattaboudit!

Landing at Camp Eagle, the only thing paved was the runway. All dirt roads in camp. We had ten- or twenty-man tents as hooches.

The move to Camp Evans was no shock at all. A bit smaller but same dirt roads all over.

After my ship crashed and we flew to Cu Chi or Chu Lai to get replacement ships, I think I was amazed. The streets were paved, there were concrete sidewalks and well-attended lawns everywhere. Air conditioning and an officer who gave me a ration of crap as my cap had flown out of the ship somewhere and I hadn't found a PX or anywhere to replace it in such a huge facility.

When I read books by other pilots who were stationed in II or III corps and read of their lives, even coming back to base for lunch from CAs (".... went to the "O" club for a steak for lunch...") I am amazed. It seems like were in the war and people down there were in some kind of part-time job.

Jerry Chandler

Damn, camp Evans was low rent!

John McGarr May 20

Ignorance was bliss: still is.

"When all is said and done, usually more is said than done."

Bill Walker May 20

It still rankles me that those REMFs received the same pay as those of us up north where there was no safe place.

Tim Pasquarelli May 20

Previously I have mentioned that as an Infantry platoon leader and company commander I had very few experienced NCOs in the field. A squad leader position that should have been occupied by a staff sergeant E-6 with five or six years’ experience was filled by an E-5 with just over one year’s experience and sometimes an E-4. They did a stellar job under the circumstances.

The older, experienced NCOs were in the rear, running the PXs and NCO clubs. While they had some obligation to “step up” the poor leadership for this shortcoming rested at the very top. From Westmorland on down to division and brigade level. There were so many other travesties related to this ill-fated war. The troops performed admirably under the circumstances… while the top political leadership across administrations, in Congress and civilians in DoD and military leaders at top levels failed us. “Us” being the American people and the average soldier on the battlefield.

Ben Conway

May 20

I totally understand Bill. Hell we didn’t get decent food let alone fresh milk to drink.

Bill Walker May 20

A very good friend of mine from flight school who flew LOHs out of Eagle during our tour, was quick to point out that few of those from that area of the country were rarely exposed to Agent Orange.

My friend has had many surgeries and chemotherapy as well as radiation treatments for his recurring cancers from Agent Orange.

Steve (RS16)

May 20

“rankles” ???

Gary Bowman May 20

Bill Walker May 20

Rankles mean it makes your ankles hot when you get angry.

Lee Jerry

Stated well my friend.

Tim Pasquarelli May 20 #82106

Note it’s archaic… meaning a really, really old guy would say such…

Dictionary

Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more rankle verb.

3rd person present: rankles.

1. (of a comment, event, or fact) cause annoyance or resentment that persists.

"the casual manner of his dismissal still rankles."

2. ARCHAIC

(of a wound or sore) continue to be painful, fester.

"the wound is but skinned over and rankles still at the bottom."

Bill Walker

May 20

Don’t make my ankles hot you RLO!

Steve (RS16)

May 20

I just thought the term was too minimal.

Gary Bowman May 20

Gets your cockles up, doesn't it? 😉

Bill Walker May 20

My what?

Gary Bowman May 20

You have a filthy mind, Mr. Walker! 😁

Gary Bowman May 20

My grandma, a born and bred Arkansas girl, used to say, "That plum riles my cockles!", or "That really gets my cockles up!" When something aggravated her. I would never argue with my grandma! Miss her a lot!

Usually used as a more enduring term, "Warms the cockles of my heart." There are also "silver bells and cockle shells" in song.

Steve (RS16)

Didn’t the freedom bird take us to the “land of the big PX”?

Bill Walker

Describing one’s innermost feelings (from French)

Barry Beard

I wouldn’t trade our experience for all the driving ranges, handball courts, and clubs in the world.

Bill Walker

Nor would I Barry.

I don't think you develop a Band of Brothers by playing sports and not risking your life on a daily basis for your comrades and the men on the ground.

It is a unique and supreme experience, and I am so proud of having been a part of it.

Bill