July 23, 1971: Wet Dreams, Welfare, and Those Damn Nancys
Send us a text This is the second letter my father wrote to my mother on July 23, 1971 — from Da Nang, Vietnam. He wasn’t dodging bullets or flying missions. He was stuck on a quiet base, doing almost nothing — and he knew it. In this letter, he talks about how the Air Force feels like a “welfare society,” how little he’s being asked to do, and how strange it feels to be in a war where the mission is unclear and the days are mostly empty. He tells a story about trying to help a friend with ...
This is the second letter my father wrote to my mother on July 23, 1971 — from Da Nang, Vietnam. He wasn’t dodging bullets or flying missions. He was stuck on a quiet base, doing almost nothing — and he knew it.
In this letter, he talks about how the Air Force feels like a “welfare society,” how little he’s being asked to do, and how strange it feels to be in a war where the mission is unclear and the days are mostly empty. He tells a story about trying to help a friend with an anniversary gift — and how that effort goes sideways. And then, in a flash of humor that somehow says everything, he and that friend discover they both have something in common: ex-wives named Nancy. And they’re not holding back.
This letter is funny and honest and a little bit restless. It’s not about action — it’s about distance, frustration, and finding ways to stay close.
The Allgoods: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Love is a personal podcast project based on real letters exchanged between Capt. Richard Allgood and Capt. Sarah Allgood during the Vietnam War. Photos of the original letters, family snapshots, and behind-the-scenes commentary are available for supporters.
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