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Forum URL: http://www.eyrie-productions.com/Forum/dcboard.cgi
Forum Name: Warriors of the Outer Rim
Topic ID: 26
Message ID: 8
#8, RE: A scene from Fulcrum IV
Posted by MOGSY on Sep-28-08 at 08:49 PM
In response to message #7
>Actually, I've been to none of those places, though there's a short
>window at the height of summer, believe it or not, where it can get
>like that here in Maine (100% relative humidity, temps above 110°
>F). I was mostly riffing on a few of the standard Vietnam War tropes;
>it's rare to see a narrative about Vietnam that doesn't mention the
>heat hitting you in the face on the tarmac at Tan Son Nhut.
>

There was a CD comp that came out some years ago featuring monologues by the real Adrian Cronauer, and that I recall, was one of the more entertaining ones he told in between songs which were plenty evocative of 'Nam (Strawberry Alarm Clock, Jefferson Airplane, etc).

My uncle, who completed a rotation at Da Nang, described it exactly as you say.

The closest I've come is Osan in July - we had an exercise there my first week on base, during which something like 50 folks went to the hospital for dehydration and heat stroke - we ended up in "Modified Simulated MOPP 4" - which meant BDU pants, brown t-shirt, and your IPE (individual protective gear) - with the Army UH-60s and USAF HH-60s overhead, it was rather evocative of Vietnam itself I guess.

That heat and humidity, right around monsoon season was no joke.

As far the Sandbox and the countries close by in the Gulf, well we like to joke that it's a dry heat
I'll let you guys know how Iraq is when i get there - going there in the next few months in fact.

"A good plan executed now is better than a perfect plan next week" - Gen George S. Patton, Jr.