Daddy Jay Stories

Scotch burns from the minute it hits your lips, into your chest and for about 30 seconds after a sip. I am determined I will become a scotch drinker by the end of this trip but I am not sure if that will be the case. I had asked for a splash but I got a two-finger pour in my small teacup. Daddy Jay whirled the brown liquid around in his glass, clapped me on the shoulder and said: “Well, honey, what did you think about the day?” That was a loaded question. Overwhelmed was all I could think. We were only on the second day retracing his two tours in the Vietnam War 47 years ago. I was in a different world and it was hard to process, let alone trying to imagine what he went through. 

A few months ago I sat down with a writer for National Geographic in hopes this story would make it to the big leagues. She told me I had to go out and find my purpose -- this became a catch phrase for most of our meetings. My story was disconnected, lacking in areas where others were over polished. I searched the Internet for information on the Vietnam War, Vietnam, and Communism, anything that could spark an idea that could take this story to the next level, after all I think it deserves to be shared. But, I got nothing. So I jumped on the plane, hoping that I would be able to figure it out along the way. 

The sun had set on Da Lat and the streetlights were shining into my room, the stream of scooters in the street was still never-ending. “You know, honey, I was only in Vietnam about 4 days before I got sent to Di Linh,” Daddy Jay finished his glass and set it on the table. “I landed after bouncing around a bit, was met by Major Van Meter, who was a sorry son of a bitch but we’ll get to that. He gave me my order of operation to cross the line of departure at 0430.” Keep in mind he has not yet had a chance to test fire his rifle. “’Well don’t worry about that,’ Meter had a big fat belly he always rocked back and forth on, ‘you’ll be in a fire fight by 8 in the morning you can test it then,’ he had said, and sure enough, I went and met the 407th Scout Company, crossed the LD at 0430 and got in a firefight at 7:30 in the morning and my rifle worked just fine.” Daddy Jay clapped his hands together, “And thus began 365 days in Di Linh that I actually loved. I had lots of adventure, excitement, and just enough combat with the best soldiers in the United States Army.”

Sitting in Da Lat, Vietnam, listening to my grandfather recall all of his favorite memories and important events of his years here I knew I would never find the purpose they were wanting me to find. I found a better one. This story is not for National Geographic, The History Channel, or me, this story is for all of the soldiers, like John Dunn, Randy Miller, and Jimmy Ray, who kept my grandfather alive. This is for all the fun you had, and all of the pain, for every soldier, and I hope you enjoy it.

I am proud to say that tonight I finished my first glass of Johnny Walker Black, hooah.