In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on August 9, 1965, just after returning to Vinh Long. It’s his final stop before heading home, and the tone of the letter reflects that shift, lighter, focused, and filled with anticipation. He’s back at his own desk, finally able to write with ease. His first priority? Packing. He describes buying a large trunk in Quang Ngai and quickly realizing it’s not big enough to hold all he’s accumulated during his year in Vietnam. From gear to gifts, every item tells a story, and he plans to lock the trunk with two padlocks, saving its contents for Suzie’s eyes alone.

This episode explores the quiet ritual of “packing out,” a tradition that stretches back through generations of American soldiers. Trunks carried more than objects, they carried closure. As Popi prepares to send his belongings home ahead of him, he’s also trying to shape how that return will feel. He’s not just coming back with things, he’s coming back with stories, tokens of love, and a hope that these small gestures will bridge the long absence. Even Charlie, his mischievous monkey, gets a mention, having caused trouble while Popi was gone. It’s a letter about transition, memory, and the delicate process of returning to a life you never really left behind.

What’s Covered:

• Bill’s reflections on returning to Vinh Long and beginning the process of packing up
• The history and meaning of “packing out” across different wars
• How souvenirs become emotional touchstones of a soldier’s service
• The small, personal ways Popi tried to prepare for homecoming

📷 Featured Photo: A bustling Vietnamese street. In the center, Popi—cigarette in mouth—helps load a large blue trunk onto the back of a jeep. A moment of quiet logistics, perhaps the very trunk he hopes to open at home with Suzie by his side.

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