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The Officers Club Pool

On Artillery Hill, my room was located in the bottom of the search light tower, at the top of the hill. Not only could I survey the country side from a favorite aiming point of the Viet Cong, but I also had a birds eye view of the in ground swimming pool, next to the chopper pad at the foot of the hill.

I did a cartoon about Americanization of Vietnam. I drew Pierre, the French LRP (long range patrol), lying in a hammock, watching Bob Hope on TV, drinking a cocktail, while he writes his girl friend of his John Wayne exploits. Chu Hoi Charlie is straining to hold up one end of the hammock, while the other end is tied to a palm tree. Even that cartoon could not compare to the in ground Olympic size swimming pool at a fire base.

Another cartoon showed Irvin the Americanized RVN, hop into an American tank, only to drop out of sight. That was my opinion of Vietnamization, letting the Vietnamese fight their war with our equipment. I wonder if they enjoyed the swimming pool after we left.

It is the truth. I can prove it. I have slides of it taken from the hilltop. Those pilots must have been masters at the art of come-shaw. If the Viet Cong could see it, it would have been a more lucrative target than the light on my tower.

Learn more about this author, Charles Slavis.
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