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A Gift to the Battalion
By Bill Kindt

In 1968, a manufacturing plant in Kansas City decided do something for the men in Vietnam. One of the workers had seen a combat report dealing with the 8/4th Artillery and the workers decided to take a collection and send it to us to show their support and they did big time! My memory fails me, but I believe the amount was about $1200.00. Anyway, they sent a life size pinup of a gal in a bikini and attached to the pinup was a check. It was rolled up in a container and mailed to us. I have a picture of the pinup and have regretted many times that I did not keep a copy of the letter. Curly Bordelon, the CSM, a couple of other senior NCO's and I decided (in an attempt to please as many as possible) to spend one-third on beer, one-third on soft drinks and one-third on snacks. Curly made arrangements for the purchase and it was divided equally among the five batteries and delivered to them. No, it wasn't Bud but some of the rusty bad stuff. I hope that some of the men involved in this may remember more of the details and particularly the name of the manufacturing plant that sent the money.

Bill Kindt
Battalion XO 67-68