In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi grapples with the financial strains of war, admitting to a poker loss and an obligatory promotion party expense that leaves him unable to send his paycheck home. His frustration is evident—not just with himself, but with a family dispute over a car that threatens to become another burden.

But the weight of money troubles pales in comparison to the devastating scenes he witnesses firsthand. Tasked with evacuating civilians after a Viet Cong mortar attack, Popi describes an elderly man, wounded in both legs, forced to walk barefoot with only a young girl to help him. A small boy, about the size of his own son, suffers a grievous injury, bringing Popi to tears. In these moments, the war becomes deeply personal.

What’s Covered:

• The financial pressures of military life and the role of poker and promotion parties
• A family conflict over a car that adds to Popi’s worries
• A harrowing account of evacuating wounded civilians after a mortar attack

📷 Featured Photo: A shot from Popi’s helicopter, showing ARVN soldiers evacuating civilians over a hill, carrying a wounded person on a makeshift stretcher.

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