I took a copy of my book and my RPG-2 down to Chehalis yesterday. I donated both to the museum because they did not have either one. Their collection of Vietnam stuff is rather amazing but the B-40 launcher will be a killer addition to the museum. Apparently I wasn’t the only packrat to bring/send a lot of stuff home. It was far easier in 1970 than now from what I’ve heard. Guys coming back from Af-stan are actually run through a metal detector now when departing. I’m glad they didn’t frisk me at Travis when I got back. I was a walking arsenal.  I sent the RPG out in the diplomatic pouch from the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane. That sounds far harder than it actually was. Everything leaving the U.S. Embassy went out in the pouch. No customs. Nada. The Russians, Communist Chinese, North Vietnamese and the Neutral Laotian Forces under Prince Souvanna were all spying on us when we came through Wattay Airport. It was common to have your picture taken by them when out bar-hopping downtown in the evening. The bounty on us up-country was reputed to be $350 for enlisted folks and $1000 for officers. To put that in perspective, $350 was what you could hope to make from all the opium you produced in 7 years if you were a Hmong farmer.

Chip Duncan arranged the Meet and Greet (“Come on down between 1030 and 1700 hrs.”) and accepted my donations in person. Good deal. My son’s days of shooting bottle rockets out of it is long gone.  By the time his kids are old enough, it’ll be a bozo no-no to even have a picture of one. Here’s Chip sighting in on my F-150 in the parking lot.

And his loader (Wayne Bier)

Somehow I neglected to take a picture of the young lady who supervises these two ( Marcy Weaver). I’ll make another trip down soon, haul some more mementos, and get her picture then.

I should add that this museum is a must-see if you are roaming around the Northwest quadrant of the United States on a summer vacation. The quality of the exhibits is professional. Much like a snowball rolling downhill, this will only get better as more Vets find it and donate some of their swag. Their Vietnam-era display was lacking very little with the exception of the RPG but then they are few and far between. Good luck trying to find a real one on Craigslist or Ebay.

For information on the Museum, go to this website. I posted an earlier blog on this when I visited last month. From the Revolutionary War to Af-stan/Iraq, this museum has it all under one roof. Great memories if you’re a Vet and a thoroughly enjoyable experience if you’re just a rubberneck.