Part III —Final Chapter
Minneota’s Charlie Hettling remembered being scared upon arrival at his new home in the field, but soon learned how to live and survive as a combat Marine. 
Around Thanksgiving of 1966 Charlie’s regiment moved to a new base further south at An Hoa, inland from the huge U.S. base at Danang.  An Hoa posed special challenges to the Marines from the beginning.
“It was the monsoon,” Charlie remembered, “Everything was under water and muddy — nothing got through unless it was by air.” 
He added, “Beans, bullets, and bandages was all you got — the first convoy that came through at An Hoa was about March.”  An Hoa was only semi-developed.

FROM MY FRONT WINDOW

Jim Meger, left, visiting with Ross Riecke of Clarkfield.

By Byron Higgin, Mascot Publisher

Always fun to run into Minneota’s artist
I bought a couple paintings from Jim Meger, Minneota artist, at the Yellow Medicine County Fair.
Jim, being the kind of professional he is, practically repainted one of my paintings because he just can’t see the painting  go out unless it’s the best it can be.
We had a terrific talk while Jim was “touching up” my painting.

OUT & ABOUT

By Gayle VanVooren, Mascot Editor

The last weeks in July and now into August have produced some really hot and humid days. One of the days I think of was on Tuesday, July 27.
To this writer, it was very comparable to living in an armpit. Hot, humid, and you just wanted to get away from it!
I would love it if we had a lake right around the corner. The air is always a little cooler near the water and just getting a little of the wet on you is a quick cool-down.