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.

What’s Covered:

• Popi’s May 13 letter, written after a 17-hour day of missions and a major enemy casualty report
• A quiet moment of camaraderie in Soc Trang
• Thoughts on gifts, home repairs, and a son being bullied back home
• Part four of Fish, Pharmaceuticals, & Phil: Kid 2’s decline, the Baker Act, and how broken systems fail children

📷 Featured Photo: A Huey helicopter parked on the ground, with a red winged wheel painted on the nose and the words “Road Service” on a placard in the window. A striking and unusual detail—yet another sign of how these aircraft were personalized by the men who flew them.

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