Chicagoland Veterans Museum

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U.S. Marine Corps

William Corbett

Lance Corporal (LCpl)
"H" Co, 2nd Pltn, 2nd Btln, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Div (Rein)
Camp Carroll, Vietnam; earlier Con Thien
December 18, 1967
January 13, 1968

His Story

William Corbett, who signed his letters "Bill," served in the U.S. Marine Corps with "H" Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, and wrote to Barbara Madro of Cicero, Illinois, from Vietnam in the winter of 1967-68. His first letter, dated December 18, 1967, thanks her for a Christmas card that left him, in his words, "a bit stuned," though "it was a pleasant stun." He was not sure how she had gotten his address. He told her that he used to live in Cicero himself and now lived in Berwyn, and that mail helped "a long day seem worth while." By December 29 he was stationed at Camp Carroll, which he placed about two miles south of Con Thien. His battalion had just come out of Con Thien, and he wrote, "We are hurtting." He was twenty years old, six feet tall, and about 165 pounds after losing twenty, with eight months left in the Corps. He told Barbara he would give anything to be at home struggling through school, and that he planned to go on to college when he got home or else take up where he had left off as an electrician. His letter of January 13, 1968 was written about two hours after a convoy was hit. He reported 25 killed and 40 wounded, and said his outfit was sent to support the convoy but the N.V.A. had already broken contact by the time they arrived. By then he was in the rear, having been medevaced three times out of a combat zone, twice from Con Thien, and he hoped he had seen the end of his field days. He called the place "depressing and dangerous," wished it were over with already, and said he would like a career in computer programming. In each of his last two letters he asked Barbara to send a picture.

Letters

December 18, 1967
Vietnam (place not stated)

Mon.
12-18-67

Dear Barb;

I was a bit stuned to recieve your Christmas card but it was a pleasant stun. I’m not sure how you got my address but I would appreciate it if you would tell me. I don’t think it was because of Con Thien when I was medi-vaced.

I used to live in Cicero. I lived at 2114 So. 58th Ave.. I live in Berwyn now.

All I really want to say is thank you ever so much for the extra Christmas Cheer. I can always use mail to help a long day seem worth while so if you get a chance write back.

Thank you once again

Sincerely yours
Bill Corbett

One page. Spelling and punctuation follow the original (for example, "stuned" and "recieve"). The letter is headed "Mon. 12-18-67"; December 18, 1967 was a Monday. NEEDS VERIFICATION - location: no place is written on the letter and he does not say where he is. He refers to having been "medi-vaced" at Con Thien at some earlier point. NEEDS VERIFICATION - envelope pairing: the red-and-blue air mail envelope carries the archive number "1" and has no postmark. Its return address gives his rank as "P.F.C." It is matched to this letter on the archive number.
December 29, 1967
Camp Carroll, Vietnam

12-29-67

Dear Barbara;

I’m always happy to have my bag of mail with a letter in it. As much as the people back home would like to write everyday they can’t. I understand. I was pleased to recieve your letter. I’ve got plenty of friends going to J.C. and I know what you mean by suffering. Believe me I would give anything to be at home struggling through school.

I plan on going on to College when I get home. If not I’ll take up where I left off as an electrician.

Now as far as myself I’ll tell you about the kid. I’m 20 and have only 8 months left in the corps. I’m 6′ tall and weight about 165 lbs. I’ve lost 20 lbs. I’m going to send a picture. It’s really bad but what can I say. The guy that took it was standing on top of my bunker.

Right now I’m station at Camp Carroll about 2 miles south of Con Thien. I or shall I say 2/9 just got out of Con Thien. We are hurtting.

Well thats all for now Barbra.

Write back soon.

Bill
Corbett

P.S.
If possible send a picture.

Two pages; neither is numbered. The second page is placed with this letter because it continues the sentence about the picture, is in the same ink and hand, and was scanned with the envelope numbered "2". Spelling and punctuation follow the original (for example, "recieve," "weight," "station," and "hurtting"). On page 2 a short word between "on" and "top" (it appears to be "my") is struck out. "Camp Carroll about 2 miles south of Con Thien" is transcribed as he wrote it. "J.C." is left as written. NEEDS VERIFICATION - envelope pairing: the envelope carries the archive number "2" and has no postmark. In its return address "P.F.C. Corbett" is struck out and "L/CPL Corbett" is written beneath it. It is matched to this letter on the archive number. In the original scan the envelope lies over the blank lower part of page 2, so that page image ends below the signature and postscript.
January 13, 1968
Vietnam, "in the rear" (place not stated)

1-13-68

Dear Barb;

Well I received your letter and I was quit pleased I might add.

Would you mind telling me more about yourself and the happenings around town? There really isn’t much to say about this place except that its depressing and dangerous.

By the time you recieve this letter the news papers will have already gotten the news I am about to give you. We had a convoy hit about 2 hrs ago and there were 25 K.I.A.’s and 40 W.I.A.’s. Our outfit had to support them but the N.V.A. had already broken contact by the time we got there. I wish this thing was over with already. Right now I’m making out in a way because I’m in the rear. Reason being I was Medi-vaced three times out of a combatent zone. Con Thien twice and the Tue Loc area once. I hope I’ve seen the end of my feild days. I know it would take a lot of worry out of my loved ones.

As far as my futher goes I think I’m going to go to school when I come home. I would like to take up a career in Computer programing.

Well I haven’t got much more to say except thank you for the answers to my letters and I hope you keep on writting. If it’s at all possible send a picture.

An appreciative
friend
Bill

Two pages in blue ink; neither is numbered. The second page continues the sentence that ends page 1 ("out of a combatent / zone"). Spelling and punctuation follow the original (for example, "quit," "combatent," "feild," "futher," "programing," and "writting"). NEEDS VERIFICATION - casualty figure: the number of men killed is read as "25." The first digit is written with a loop, like the "2" in "2 hrs" on the line above, but it could be a 3. NEEDS VERIFICATION - place name: the area where he was medevaced the third time is read as "Tue Loc." The reading is uncertain and the name has not been matched to a known place. NEEDS VERIFICATION - location: no place is written on the letter. He says only that he is "in the rear." NEEDS VERIFICATION - envelope pairing: the envelope carries the archive number "3" and has no postmark. Its return address reads "L/CPL W.E. Corbett," the only place his middle initial appears. It is matched to this letter on the archive number.
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