My experiences in Vietnam have affected everything I have done or thought since, for better or for worse.

I received my Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal 3 days before ANZAC Day 1996 - 26 years after my tour.

Marching alongside my Brothers is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

Meeting Sherry Dennis, also an Entertainer there, was just incredible.
We laughed and cried, did some songs for the Vets Connect Round Australia Motorcycle ride - brought the house down.
A very moving experience, and a far cry from coming out on stage as a rather innocent 17 year old, with several thousand horny men yelling "GET YOUR GEAR OFF!"
'course, now if you put in front of a load of young men, I'd want 'em to yell that, but you can guarantee they'd be yelling at me to put it back on!

	DETAILS OF TOUR OF VIETNAM, 1970. Stage and Preferred Name: Aviva Arrived at Tan Son Nhut 12th March, 1970. Departed for tour of bases throughout Thailand, 7th June, 1970. Entertainer (Dancer - Jazz, Flamenco and Go-Go) with group The Sydney-Siders; also did shows with The King's Cross Capers, with whom I toured Thailand. Organisation: The Douglas Wolf Organisation.

 
This is what I have from the letters, and through looking at maps of Vietnam. I recall many other places, such as Nui Dat, where I performed with the King's Cross Capers, Pleiku, the Central Highlands, (where I was taken to visit a tribe of Montagnardes and discovered the joys of drinking rice-wine from a tube straight from the barrel!), along the coast, Quong Tri, etc. I was also taken to see an orphanage in Hue, which is still giving me nightmares and flashbacks. (That was the same day as the rice-wine; bad combo, boys.)

26-31st March - Vinh Long, Can Tho, back to Saigon.
2nd April - Da Nang
5,6 May - Dong Ha

Staff Sgt. Earl "Freddie" Walker was going to Australia on R&R on May 18. I gave him my parents' address, I don't think he contacted them - after not having been "In The World" for so long (he'd been in country several years, he told me) I'm sure he had other ideas on how to spend his time!
12th May - Qui Nhon. Came off the back of a Harley ridden by a guy built like a brick shithouse - you'll have to read about that in the book!
13th May -- Phu Bai
14th May -- L.Z. English and Phu Cat

Treated at a base hospital - dysentery, vomiting - my bowels had been turning themselves inside out for some time before I collapsed after one of the shows. 15th May -- L.Z. English, North English

16-18th May -- Bong Son, then Cam Ranh Bay
Met a guy named Bob Golling, whose birthday was also on May 21st.
I think he was the same guy who was from Cleveland, Ohio. He said knew my Uncle, Henry Marsh.
18th May - Returned to Da Nang.
30th May - Saigon
31st May - Vung Tau
Returned to Saigon.

7th June - Flew to Bangkok for tour of U.S. bases with the King's Cross Capers, also did shows at the Chao Phya and Windsor Hotels.
Our fire dancer nearly set fire to one of the tables.
This tour went till June 19th, when we flew to Singapore.

I flew back to Australia on June 25th or 26th, stayed over night in Sydney, Then returned to Melbourne the next day.

Was I glad to get home? Not with that homecoming, Brother.

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