24th Evac Home        Guest Book        Reunions        History       Recollections


I remember checking in at the hospital and being taken to the tent "hootch".  After settling in that day I met a couple of the guys there. This one guy, can't remember his name, but he sure had the coolest, longest handlebar mustache I'd ever seen.  I thought to myself  "That's what I'm gonna grow."  I never did grow it that long but I've had a mustache ever since.  Anyway this guy said something to the effect that he was "short" and was gonna shave off his mustache.  I asked him what "short" meant, so he told me.

My buddy, Ken Kirk, also from Michigan, kept a map of Michigan on a locker with our home towns marked and an erasable poster board that we used to keep track of the days.  This Ken was an "old" man to me.  About 24-25 with a couple kids and me 19.  We were together in basic training at Ft Knox, then AIT at Fort Sam and processed at Fort Ord .  We said our goodbyes as I left for Nam before he did.  After a couple days there sitting in the hootch, and in walks Ken !!!   Damn I thought -  what a coincidence.  He bunked across from me for the next 14 months.

I remember when it was time to process out, I took Ken's papers with me to do his too. I was able to do most without him as I told the clerks he was not feeling too good. Well he wasn't sick sick just a little hung over.  I laugh about that till this day cuz he just took the last week off and made up for 14 long months.

We left together.  After processing out we signed our last paper.  Standing  there at the desk waiting for the clerk, he gave us the papers.  He didn't say a word.  I said to him "is that all ?".He looked up real slow and said "Well, unless you want to re-up, get out of here"  I didn't even have time to say "No thanks - I'm to short".

That night Ken and I called a buddy, Ken Lattin, who had left a few weeks earlier from the 24th.  He lived in Oakland.  To this day this is all I remember of that night and next day:  Remember walking up the sidewalk to his parents house, but not the ride to get there.  Do not remember his parents ,whether or not we ate or where we slept.  He woke us up and said it was the next day about 6pm.  How we got to the airport just don't recall.

We landed in Chicago. Ken and I said our so longs.  About 8 years later we met again and had a good chat.  I have talked to him only once or twice since.  Time flies, but I have that guilty feeling for not keeping in touch.  I'm trying to locate him but I think he has retired and moved.

I'll find him one of these days.


Contact Mel Libby by email, if you wish.


24th Evac Home        Guest Book        Reunions        History       Recollections

Updated: July 7, 2003