In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes two letters from March 5, 1965, giving us two starkly different glimpses into life in Vietnam. The first letter finds him on O.D. duty—walking the perimeter at night, checking the guards, and navigating the uneasy trust between American and South Vietnamese forces. Later that day, he sits down to a formal dinner with high-ranking Vietnamese officers, struggling through lobster and lychee nuts in the name of diplomacy.

Accompanied by a photo of an offensive position along a perimeter, today's episode highlights the uneasy balance between danger, duty, and moments of unexpected humor in the midst of war.

What’s Covered:

• The tension of nighttime O.D. duty
• Popi’s first face-to-face encounter with the Viet Cong
• A surreal diplomatic dinner with South Vietnamese officers
• The role of food in wartime memory

📷 Featured Photo: An offensive position along a perimeter, fortified with sandbags and earthwork barriers — a reflection of the ever-present threat at the edges of the base.

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