June 21, 1971: The Broken Tape
Send us a text In this letter from June 21, 1971, Sarah writes to Dick after a crushing disappointment: the tape he sent her snapped halfway through playback. She had waited eagerly to hear his voice—only to cry for over an hour when it broke. The rain outside mirrors the ache inside as she describes waking up and instinctively reaching for him, forgetting for a moment that he’s still so far away. Still, her love is steady. She promises she’ll always be his wife, his “wittle chickie-dee,” t...
In this letter from June 21, 1971, Sarah writes to Dick after a crushing disappointment: the tape he sent her snapped halfway through playback. She had waited eagerly to hear his voice—only to cry for over an hour when it broke. The rain outside mirrors the ache inside as she describes waking up and instinctively reaching for him, forgetting for a moment that he’s still so far away.
Still, her love is steady. She promises she’ll always be his wife, his “wittle chickie-dee,” the mother of his baby. She updates him on finances, vents about work, and finds moments of kindness even in her exhaustion. But what stands out is the emotional intimacy—they’re apart, but they keep showing up for each other in words.
This is letter number 87 in their yearlong exchange while Dick is deployed to Vietnam. It’s a reminder that even broken tapes can’t silence the kind of love they shared.
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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