I arrived in Saigon, RVN via Pan Am Airlines commercial flight from Hawaii. It was 09:00 on Thursday 19 October 1967. Even at mid-morning, it was sweltering hot and I was in full uniform. No one met me at the airport or even seemed to expect my arrival.

My orders were to report to the USCG base in Cat Lo, which was about 30 miles south. I took a military taxi from the airport to the Visiting Officers Quarters (VOQ) in downtown Saigon. At the front desk, I asked for the telephone number for the USCG base in Cat Lo. After some searching, I was told that they didn’t have the number. Frankly, it didn’t seem like they even knew there was a Coast Guard base in Cat Lo. The man behind the desk told me that the Marines would be making a mail run that morning. He suggested I try to find them and ask to ride along.

I went outside and searched around until I found the USMC armored truck. I introduced myself to the marine in charge and asked if I could hitch a ride. He took me to the back of the truck, where there were at least eight different weapons lying on the flatbed. He asked if I could fire any of them. I told him that in fact I could fire all of them but if given my choice, I’d choose the Thompson machine gun.

On the way down, I shared the back of the truck with six marines. I asked them if they made the mail run every day. “Every day except Sunday” one of them replied.

I asked whether they were afraid of an ambush, especially considering the predictability of the route.  One of the marines said to me, “We are always on time. If Charlie wants us, he’ll know when to come.”

By 1400, I had arrived at the Coast Guard base and I reported to the Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Division 13 as Prospective Commanding Officer (PCO) USCGC Point Welcome, an 82-foot Point-class cutter. I was informed that the Pt. Welcome was not in port at that time but would be arriving shortly. I waited. I later learned that waiting for something to happen was to be a big part of life in Vietnam.

About two hours later, the Pt. Welcome came in from patrol. I was surprised to see that the outgoing CO was Harry Reid, who had been one year ahead of me at the Coast Guard Academy. I knew him because he was the same man I had relieved a year ago as the Captain of the Cape Fox in West Palm Beach Florida.  I guess I shouldn’t have been too surprised; it was common knowledge that if you requested the assignment to command a 95-foot Cape-class cutter that was a precursor to a tour in Vietnam.

The Pt. Welcome was due to be in port for several days, but Harry got her underway again the next morning for an “introductory sortie.” For all the stateside training we received in the US, this was the first time I had ever been on an 82.

That night, several CO’s and XO’s invited me to what was generously called an “Officers Club.” The roof was thatched, with half walls and a couple of ceiling fans, which I was very grateful for. I was raised in the American south and had lived all over the world as an “Air Force Brat” but the humidity in Vietnam felt unlike anything I had ever experienced. Little did I know this was far from as bad as it could get.

As the Guest of Honor at the club that night I was “allowed” to buy the beer. At some point in the evening, I was given my official SQUADRON ONE belt and buckle, which I have held onto to this day.

On Sunday 22 October, I assumed command of the Pt. Welcome. On 26 October, the Pt. Welcome was transferred to Coast Guard Division 12. We left early that morning, heading about 500 nautical miles north for Danang Harbor, RVN.  I had been in Vietnam for one week.