Box 1

Notes on letters

Carl asks Betty for the address of someone named Potter; it seems that Potter is in Vietnam and Carl knew him from elsewhere (letter dated 1967-10-22).

Notes on letters

Carl says that "Charlie" intercepted outgoing mail (letter dated 1967-10-24). Carl tells Betty that there is a Staff Sergeant (E-6) named McFarland in the company whose family lives in Orlando; he says he may connect Betty with his family (letter dated 1967-10-24). Carl says that there is a nearby operation in Dak Jo which he cannot talk about but anticipates that it will be in American newspapers (letter dated 1967-11-13).

Notes on letters

Carl says he visited Camp Radcliffe to do an inspection; on the way back, they encountered "Charlie's booby traps" (letter dated 1968-1-13).

Notes on letters

Contains one letter (dated 1968-1-20) in which Carl says he is inebriated and is candid about his relationship and about his feelings about the war. He refers to his fear of "Old Charlie."

Notes on letters Contains a letter (dated 1968-1-31) in which Carl refers to a "Charlie" "red alert" attack on a US military outpost. He then refers to the war as "the damndest" and "crazy." He refers to further, deadly "Charlie" attacks in a letter dated 1968-2-3. In a letter dated 1968-2-4 he refers to an object he sent to Betty; it was a device created by "Charlie" to throw at US forces. He explains that it was covered in spikes intended to puncture the feet of US forces. In a letter dated 1968-2-7, he...

Notes on letters

Carl refers to visiting "Cha Rang Valley" on an inspection (letter dated 1968-2-19). In a letter dated 1968-2-21 he refers to artillery fire keeping soldiers awake at night.

Notes on letters

In a letter dated 1968-2-27, Carl says "Charlie" "blew apart part of our ammunitions dump." In a 1968-4-1 letter he says that he anticipates Qui Nho’n will be in the US news due to combat there.

Notes on letters

Carl refers to contacting Steve and Bill Rhoads who are both stationed in Vietnam (letter dated 1968-06-12). Carl says that the tactical situation is the same as it has been since he arrived there and that "Charlie must be just concentrating around the Saigon area and up around Phy Bai and Hae" (letter dated 1968-06-13).

Notes on letters

Carl says, "Charlie is trying to play with us again, but nothing of any consequence" (letter dated 1968-06-18) and "Charlie has begun to flex his muscles a little bit, but not much of any consequence" (letter dated 1968-06-18).

Scope and Contents From the Collection: This collection contains 97 letters written by Carl Booth to his wife of 18 years, Betty, while serving in the Vietnam War from 1967-1968. The letters discuss Carl's work, Vietnam as a country, problems with the army, and missing his family back home.All the letters are addressed to Betty who was living in their family home in Orlando Florida and dated between 1967 and 1968. Many of the letters are on Vietnam or army stationary with maps of the country on the envelopes. The...

Notes on letters

Carl says, "Charlie is only active down in the Saigon and Delta regions. Once in a while he gets active up near the old Khe Sanh - Phu Bai area, but here in Qui Nhon you would never know there was a war going on" (letter dated 1968-07-12). In a letter dated 1968-8-13, he writes, "Looks like Charlie is about ready to begin his new offensive that you have been reading about in your newspapers."

Notes on letters

In a letter dated 1968-08-24, Carl says that Charlie recently "zapped one of our POL tanks with a rocket."

Notes on letters Carl says that he wants to see someone named Steve before returning to Orlando and then makes plans to do so (letters dated 1968-9-29, 1968-10-1, 1968-10-3). He refers to a nearby operation which has not been particularly effective (letter dated 1968-9-29). Carl says that a recent campaign "makes 7 campaigns for the entire war" and that he "was here" for three of them (letter dated 1968-10-1). He refers to someone named Doe Walters killing his wife; it is unclear where or when this happened...

Notes on letters Carl again refers to trying to visit Steve, as well as someone named Neal Thompson (letter dated 1968-10-4). He says he visited "Phu Tai Valley [sic]" and "Long My Valley [sic]" for work (letter dated 1968-10-4). He says that he avoids traveling at night because of recent ambushes (letter dated 1968-10-4). Carl refers to contact with Buck Weaver, Potter, and Bill Baird (letter dated 1968-10-5). He says that Jim White of Tampa is up for a promotion to E8 (letter dated 1968-5-10). Carl says...