It was December 26, 1965 in Chu-Lai, Vietnam five to six thousand Marines and Sailors were gathered on the sand to be entertained by the Bob Hope USO Show, with Anita Bryant, Joey Heatherton, Carol Baker, and Les Brown and His Band. I had just over two weeks left in my Combat Tour with Foxtrot-2-4, and it was time to see my favorite singer Anita Bryant sing some of my remembered songs. When it was time for her to be on stage, I climbed one of the skinny trees to see her better.
I belted myself to the tree and swayed to the music. Suddenly the tree top broke off and I dropped onto, and in to the outhouse they had built in the sand made out of tin and a bucket dug in the ground. The roof collapsed, the
walls shot out, and I dropped into the bucket spraying the mess over myself and those sitting nearby. It made quite
a noise, and I guess it stopped the show while the guys pulled me out and cleaned me off in the nearby sea. I don’t remember much of the rest of the show.
On January 7, 1966 while on my last patrol, I stepped on a Bouncing Betty Mine and ended up at the Great Lakes
Naval Hospital. About two weeks later, who should show up to visit us injured veterans but Chicago T.V. Station WGN along with Anita Bryant and her husband. She was sent to talk with the Soldier in the bed next to me – George Washington – and then me. We were live on the 5:00 News’ After speaking with George she turned to
me, asked my name, and then while laughing turned back to George saying “you guys are pulling my leg” but we really weren’t. I told her about seeing her in Vietnam and falling from the tree, and she remembered the incident stopping the show.
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