Dearest Suzie

Episode 102: 1965-06-05 | Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam Pt. 1

June 5th, 2025  |  5 mins 17 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on June 5, 1965, from a moment of anticipation—he’s about to go on R&R in Saigon. But even that, he discovers, comes with its own tangle of logistics and disappointment. He’s learned that the free seven-day leave he’d hoped to take in Nha Trang isn’t available unless he leaves the country. Rather than burning precious leave time, he decides to stay put and promises to save that money for a future trip to Daytona Beach with Suzie and the boys. It’s another small window into the balancing act soldiers performed between downtime and duty, always trying to make the most of both.

Popi’s letter is paired in this episode with a Stars and Stripes article from August 30, 1965, that captures a surreal moment in the Vietnam War: the 114th Aviation Company’s Cobra Platoon—Popi’s unit—shooting an elephant being used by the Viet Cong as a pack animal. The story, complete with helicopter transport of the meat to a local village and the gifting of the tusks to the unit, reads like something out of fiction. Yet it’s real—another piece of the strange, sometimes shocking mosaic of Vietnam. The article’s mention of Popi’s own unit and familiar names like Molinelli and Cosimano ties the story back to his world and ours, offering a connection that bridges the lines between memory, history, and narrative.

Episode 101: 1965-06-04 | In Search of a Vietnam Hero

June 4th, 2025  |  18 mins 26 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi’s June 4, 1965, letter is a short but telling glimpse into a week of steady missions and routine hardships. He’s worn out after long days, reflecting on the slow grind of war and the small comforts of home, a letter from Suzie, an update on car payments, and those custom shirts he finally managed to send out. Tucked in this letter is something that bridges Popi’s world with the larger conflict around him: a request for Suzie to track down a copy of Life magazine from May 28, 1965. Inside, on page 23, is a story about Lieutenant Dale Meyerkord, a man Popi called a friend. Meyerkord was killed in action and Popi wanted the article for his keepsakes. It’s a small but meaningful request, one that reveals the impact of loss, the ways soldiers carried each other’s stories, and how those stories became part of the archive of memory they would bring home.

The second half of this episode takes listeners deeper into Meyerkord’s story, an extraordinary tale of service, sacrifice, and humanity amid the chaos of war. We hear about his fearless leadership, his close partnership with his Vietnamese counterpart, and the quiet moments he shared with those around him. Through the words of the Life magazine article, and through Popi’s own memories, we glimpse the human connections that tie soldiers together. And then we step back, asking the hardest questions: How much can we really know a man through the words he left behind? How much can we really know ourselves? In the end, it’s a meditation on memory, connection, and the search for understanding that never truly ends.

Episode 100: 1965-06-02 | Inheriting More Than Letters

June 2nd, 2025  |  9 mins 14 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on June 2, 1965, sounding exhausted after another nine-hour day in the air. His letter is short but full of those familiar, loving updates, details about paying off a used car, finally mailing the shirts he had made for Suzie and the boys, and worrying whether they’ll fit. Yet beneath Popi’s routine worries and warm tone, there’s a deeper legacy at play, one he never wrote about in his letters but that still shapes our lives today: Agent Orange. In 1965, Popi wouldn’t have known the name or the dangers of the chemical. Like most soldiers, he thought of it as a tool to clear the jungle, to make his missions safer. But that chemical contained dioxin, one of the most toxic compounds ever created. Decades later, the true costs became clear: severe health issues for Vietnamese civilians and American veterans alike, and the heartbreaking realization that its effects didn’t stop with them.

This episode explores that invisible inheritance. It’s a story of how a defoliant used to strip away jungle cover has left an imprint in the DNA of families across generations. It’s about the real cost of service, the price paid not just by the soldiers who went, but by their families who bear the legacy. And it’s about the hard questions that come with that knowledge: What else did we inherit from Popi’s time in Vietnam? His kindness? His burdens? His regrets? It’s a reminder that history isn’t just something we study; it’s something we live with, long after the letters have stopped.

All Episodes, May 1965

June 1st, 2025  |  1 hr 50 mins

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this special episode of Dearest Suzie, we look back on the letters from May 1965—a month marked by long flights, uneventful operations, administrative headaches, and the persistent strain of being far from home. Popi writes often about mail, money, and military logistics: insurance policies, bank balances, and the arrival of his 13th Air Medal. He jokes about being spoiled by Suzie’s steady letters and shares his excitement over new photos of her and Brett.

Across the month, Popi balances light-hearted moments with reminders of war’s constant presence. He reassures Suzie about his safety, shares his quiet frustration with Army bureaucracy, and reflects on the weariness setting in.

Episode 099: 1965-05-31 | The Parachuting Monkey

May 31st, 2025  |  6 mins 52 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on May 31, 1965, during a stretch of unusually quiet days. It’s Memorial Day, and though officially off-duty, the men are restless—itching for something to do. With no missions on the schedule, they head to the range just to kill time. Popi is still waiting on the custom shirts he had made for Suzie and the boys, hoping to get them in the mail soon. It’s a small moment, but it opens the door to a much larger story: the often-overlooked logistics of the Vietnam War, and how those quiet, personal acts—like mailing shirts home—relied on an immense supply chain that kept the war, and the families behind it, connected.

What truly makes this letter unforgettable is its strangest and most delightful detail: Charlie the monkey has officially become “airborne qualified.” Popi describes rigging a parachute onto his pet monkey and dropping him from the airfield tower—an event so popular, it drew a crowd of over two hundred people with cameras in hand. For years, this story floated around the family as a kind of myth, a funny memory that seemed too ridiculous to be real. And yet, tucked in among Popi’s slides was the proof: a blurry photo of Charlie mid-air, parachute deployed. It’s a deeply human moment—silly, pointless, and pure. The kind of story only a 28-year-old soldier with too much time and a monkey could bring to life.

Episode 098: 1965-05-29 | Knights of the Air

May 29th, 2025  |  6 mins 48 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on May 29, 1965, from a moment of rare quiet. There’s no mission that day, just rest and reflection—and a bit of flair. The letter comes on what he jokingly calls “sexy paper,” printed with silhouettes of a Huey helicopter and a white knight chess piece. These symbols represent Popi’s unit: the 114th Aviation Company, better known as the Knights of the Air.

Formed in 1963 and stationed at Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta, the 114th was one of the Army’s first helicopter companies to see sustained combat in Vietnam. They set the standard for modern air mobility: flying into hot zones, rescuing the wounded, escorting troops, and providing fire support across some of the most dangerous terrain in the war. After nine years of combat service, the unit was reassigned to Panama, where it continued operations in disaster relief, regional support, and humanitarian aid until its deactivation. Veterans of the 114th stayed connected long after, forming an association that keeps the memory alive through reunions, archival projects, and even a coffee table book—where Popi makes a brief appearance. In many ways, they were the unsung lifelines of the war. They got people in. They got people out. And then they kept flying.

Episode 097: 1965-05-28 | When You’ve Seen One

May 28th, 2025  |  6 mins 52 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes with a tone that feels heavier, wearier. He opens with warmth, thanking Suzie for pictures of the kids and slipping in a flirtatious remark he quickly retracts. But the letter shifts quickly. He’s just learned that Ed Piper—a man Suzie knew—was killed in a mid-air collision at Quinhon. Popi doesn’t dwell on it, doesn’t dramatize. He just says it plainly, because by now, tragedy is “just about an everyday occurrence over here.” The mission tempo hasn’t slowed. He flew nine hours the day before and will likely fly more tomorrow. Even an upcoming awards ceremony feels hollow—he’s earned his 13th Air Medal, but the recognition doesn’t carry the same weight anymore. “They’re a pain in the neck,” he writes, adding, “when you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.”

Still, there’s a glimmer of hope. Popi’s looking forward to his three days in Saigon and planning to take his seven days of R&R in Nha Trang—a beach town, peaceful and quiet. He doesn’t want more spectacle. He wants rest.

Episode 096: 1965-05-25 | It Won’t Be Long Now

May 25th, 2025  |  6 mins 9 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on May 25 with a rare sense of warmth and optimism—thanks, in part, to receiving two letters from Suzie in a single day. He mentions that his brother Jim, a Marine, is being sent to the Dominican Republic for a conflict unfolding at the same time as Vietnam acting as part of the wider Cold War logic that sent American troops around the world. Bill doesn’t linger on it, but the mention highlights just how deeply military service ran through families like his. One brother heading into Southeast Asia. The other into the Caribbean. For them, duty wasn’t just patriotic—it was inherited.

In between updates about long flying days and unit losses, Popi shares one of the more touching gestures we’ve seen: he had two photos of the boys—Billy and Brian—enlarged and framed. He writes with pride about how well they turned out, how much he wishes Suzie could see them. These photos become more than keepsakes; they’re anchors. Objects that carry home into a warzone.

Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil | All Episodes

May 24th, 2025  |  35 mins 11 secs

addiction and recovery, american family studies, anthropology of bureaucracy, baker act, belief in outsiders, bureaucratic failure, carceral institutions, central florida, child protective services (cps), child welfare system, conservative america, daytime tv culture, department of children and families (dcf), dr. phil, estranged families, ethnographic writing, exploitation in media, family court system, family dynamics, family narrative, family separation, first-person story, fix-it culture, florida families, florida politics, florida social services, foster care, foster system reform, generational cycles, government accountability, grandparent caregivers, institutional distrust, institutional neglect, intergenerational trauma, investigative storytelling, juvenile justice, juvenile mental health, kinship care, longform journalism, media influence, memoir podcast, mental health, moral economies, motherhood and addiction, narrative podcast, narratives of care, nonprofit oversight, north orlando neighborhoods, ocala national forest, oral history, orlando suburbs, parasocial relationships, parenting challenges, personal essay, political anthropology, pop culture and politics, poverty in america, public anthropology, public appeals for help, public trust in media, reality television, republican governance, sanford florida, social commentary, social safety net, social services reform, social systems analysis, state and subjectivity, storytelling podcast, strongman politics, systemic injustice, trump era politics, tv psychology, working class struggles

In this personal narrative episode of Dearest Suzie, we step away from the war letters and into a birthday dinner in suburban Florida—a setting that slowly reveals a decades-spanning story of intergenerational trauma, systemic failure, and the quiet desperation that leads ordinary people to seek help from extraordinary places.

What begins as a quiet evening with Mary, an 81-year-old matriarch, becomes a window into the life of her granddaughter Jessica and the four children caught in a cycle of addiction, poverty, and state neglect. As Mary asks the narrator to write to Dr. Phil on her behalf, the request opens a floodgate of stories—of parental abuse, foster care instability, broken judicial processes, and bureaucracies that punish the people trying hardest to help.

This is a story about how systems fail families, how good intentions become entangled in red tape, and why, when institutions collapse, people turn to outsiders—TV doctors, political strongmen, or anyone who feels like they might finally listen.

Episode 095: 1965-05-22 | A White Knight, Not the Snake

May 22nd, 2025  |  7 mins 3 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes about a surreal mission supporting South Vietnamese troops on a disputed island off the coast of Ha Tien. While the island was claimed by both Vietnam and Cambodia, the mission itself felt more like a break than a battle. Back at base, his thoughts turn to home: a surprise gift for Billy, who hasn’t missed a single day of school, and custom-made blue shirts for each of the boys and Suzie. Embroidered with initials and a white knight. Not a snake or a cobra, but a knight: a symbol of pride and care. And years later, those same shirts would reappear—found tucked away in Mema’s trailer, still intact, still meaningful.

This letter invites a reflection on what soldiers choose to bring home—and how those objects come to matter. In war, men like Popi weren’t just fighting. They were shopping, gifting, collecting. The shirts say something not just about the man who bought them, but about the craftsman who made them. About the little economies that bloomed around military bases. And about how, in the middle of a foreign war, a soldier could still act like a tourist, a father, and a man trying to hold onto home.

Episode 094: 1965-05-20 | Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil, Finale

May 20th, 2025  |  8 mins 22 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes from Vinh Long on May 20 after a rare slow day, sharing simple pleasures and family pride. He compliments Billy’s school paper, jokes about toddler haircuts, and eagerly awaits new photos from home. With little news from the field beyond a trip to the range and an upcoming U.S.O. show, Popi admits there’s not much to write—but in that quiet, you can hear the subtle ache of distance, the strain of trying to stay connected with the ordinary world while surrounded by war. His closing remarks are soft, familiar, and full of longing: "I love you all very much and miss you same as always."

This episode also marks the final installment of Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil. In today’s conclusion, Mary and the family’s frustrations reach a boiling point. As the state continues to offer no solutions, they begin looking beyond institutions—to charismatic outsiders and unlikely saviors. Mary’s faith in Dr. Phil becomes a symbol of desperation and parasocial trust, a last-ditch hope that someone—anyone—might care enough to intervene. The story grapples with Strongman fantasies, media exploitation, and what it means when a system fails so completely that even questionable public figures feel like lifelines. In the end, the narrator steps away from the table, but the weight of the family's pain lingers long after the fish is cleared.

Episode 093: 1965-05-18 | A Quagmire on the Horizon

May 18th, 2025  |  5 mins 51 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on May 18, sharing a quiet day in Vinh Long marked by a short operation and a long-awaited letter from home. His tone is warm and affectionate, filled with light updates about insurance policies, family visits, and his role as an instrument instructor. Though officially recognized by the Army as an aircraft instructor, he jokes about being “scared to death” of autorotations. It’s a letter that captures the slow tick of time during deployment—no new orders yet, just steady anticipation and the emotional labor of staying connected across distance.

While Popi reflects on training, checks, and missing mail, the world around him is shifting. In May 1965, President Johnson temporarily paused Operation Rolling Thunder in hopes of bringing North Vietnam to the negotiating table. But behind the scenes, diplomatic efforts were unraveling, and military escalation was quietly accelerating. In China, Ho Chi Minh secured support from Mao Zedong—with conditions—and by the end of the month, tens of thousands of Chinese personnel were quietly assisting in the North. Meanwhile, in Washington, a now-famous warning appeared in a memo: if the U.S. went further into Vietnam, it risked stepping into a “quagmire.” That word would echo across decades of history, but in Popi’s letter, the future still feels uncertain and unwritten.

Episode 092: 1965-05-17 | Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil Pt. 5

May 17th, 2025  |  9 mins 21 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on a much-needed break after several intense flying days. He’s still receiving letters from home and sends updates about camera gear, anniversary gifts, and the lack of desire to ever extend his tour in Vietnam—"not for all the tea in China," as he puts it. Between updates about taxes, slide projectors, and tailoring concerns, he’s clearly trying to hold onto whatever sense of normalcy he can. His tone is light and even playful, but his remark about potential forced extensions quietly nods to the mounting uncertainty of war.

This episode also continues our serialized story, Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil, with Part 5. Today’s section explores the crushing inertia families face when caught in the gears of broken institutions. Despite their best efforts, Tim and Lisa find themselves powerless as Florida’s foster care and child welfare systems shuffle court dates, misplace caseworkers, and leave the most vulnerable children adrift. Kid 1 and Kid 2 struggle deeply, their dreams colliding with harsh realities, while Mary clings to hope in the only way she knows how—by asking for help from Dr. Phil. The story touches on parasocial trust, moral optimism, and the desire to believe someone out there can fix what the state refuses to.

Episode 091: 1965-05-15 | Popi’s Souvenir Rifle

May 15th, 2025  |  10 mins 48 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on a rare day off, reflecting on a grueling two-day operation that left over 200 Viet Cong reported dead. It’s May 15, 1965, and though the battle is over, the war lingers—in photographs, memories, and a souvenir rifle he brings back from the field. Popi casually mentions photographing the aftermath and recovering a weapon used against them. Beneath his steady tone, the emotional weight of what he’s seen and done begins to surface. He also shares small victories—like nearly two weeks without smoking—and thoughtful updates about family gifts, food rations, and his hopes of sending Charlie the dog home soon.

This letter prompts a deeper reflection on two powerful artifacts from Popi’s service: a graphic black-and-white battlefield photograph and the Soviet-made Mosin-Nagant rifle he brought home as a war souvenir. Today’s commentary explores both—the photo’s haunting presence in the family archive and the rifle’s Cold War legacy. Used by the VC and NVA, the Mosin-Nagant reminds us how older, simple weapons remained lethally effective in the hands of guerrilla fighters.

Episode 090: 1965-05-13 | Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil Pt. 4

May 13th, 2025  |  9 mins 53 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes after an exhausting day—17 hours of flying, including a major operation that left 125 Viet Cong reported killed and one American wounded. It’s May 13, 1965, and his fatigue seeps into every word of the letter. Despite being overwhelmed, he takes time to connect: recounting a chance meeting with Captain Hodgson in Soc Trang, commenting on gifts sent and received, and reflecting on small moments of frustration and care from back home. The war may be escalating, but his focus is still on Suzie, their children, and the rhythm of ordinary life.

Alongside the letter, we continue with part four of Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil—a deeply personal and sobering narrative about the cascading failures of Florida’s child welfare system. Today’s installment centers on Kid 2, the girl Tim and Lisa tried hardest to help. From struggles with bedwetting and depression to repeated involuntary psychiatric holds under Florida’s Baker Act, her story reveals the deep trauma that cycles through families and institutions alike. As state-run systems fail to provide meaningful care, the episode highlights the limits of well-meaning foster families and the immense emotional toll that caregiving takes when public structures are fractured at the root.

Episode 089: 1965-05-11 | Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil Pt. 3

May 11th, 2025  |  9 mins 23 secs

1960s war correspondence, army, army history, arvn, asia, aviation, aviation history, bangkok, civil war, family history podcast, grandfather’s vietnam war letters, helicopter pilot, helicopter pilot war stories, huey, legacy of vietnam veterans, letters from vietnam, military, military history, military history podcast, personal vietnam war archive, pleiku, saigon, vc, veteran stories, viet cong, vietnam veteran memoirs, vietnam war, vietnam war diary, vietnam war letters, vietnam war oral history, vietnam war personal accounts, vietnam war photo archive, vinh long, war, war correspondence

In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes from an unusually quiet night in Vinh Long. It’s May 11, 1965, and for once, he’s alone on base. While the rest of his unit is off at Ben Hoa responding to an attack that left five Americans dead, Popi remains behind after a supply run to Saigon, teaching new pilots and preparing for a farewell party. The tone is calm, even domestic—he talks about gifts sent, letters received, and his pride in helping a new pilot pass his check ride. But the wider context of the war creeps in as he casually mentions the day's casualties and an increasingly active Viet Cong, reminding us how quickly things can shift in Vietnam.

Alongside the letter, we continue with part three of Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil, a personal narrative that examines the collapse of a family’s stability and the deep flaws in Florida’s child welfare system. Today’s installment focuses on the children’s fathers—each one gone, deadbeat, or deeply troubled—and the profound impact their absence has on the kids now scattered across foster homes and group facilities. With each twist, the story reveals a painful intersection between systemic failure and personal trauma, offering a sobering look at how broken lives are often passed down, compounded by bureaucracy, poverty, and neglect.