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This bunker atop Signal Hill was my favorite "house"
while I was in Vietnam even though I didn't stay in it but two or
three nights. When I was first atop Signal Hill in March, I just
envied the veterans in this bunker while I slept on the low-rent
side of the hill -- under a sheet metal lean-to about 18 inches
high. I had to scoot under it sideways. Every time a mortar round
would land near the top of Signal Hill at night, I would quickly
sit up straight and bang my head. Once a rat ran across my chest
and I leapt up and hit my head so hard it left a welt.
This photo was actually taken later in my tour when we made
a short stop over between operations. We were then veteran enough
ourselves to stake claim to it. I shared it with three or four
other guys: Dave Bartosek, Frank Bokan and Mike Mayer. You can see
all of our "luggage" draped around the sandbagged walls.
That's mine just to the left and right of the doorway. I recognize
it because my stuff was always neat and because my flack jacket
was flat and floppy (I had taken all the protective panels out
because they were too heavy and didn't work anyway.)
Between my first and last short stays atop Signal Hill, I
was always looking for a better place to sleep ... (Please
see photo No. 6.)
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