By the time my two tours in S. Korea was coming to the end, I was getting tired and ready to get back to my family and the World as we called the U.S. It had been 20 months since I seen them and the only time off for R&R was a trip to the 1970 Worlds Fair in Osaka, Japan. I went there with my friend Jim Hinkle from Bucket Site in May '70. He went back to Korea a week before I did so I climbed Mt. Fuji and toured other places in Japan alone and had a wonderful time. That adventure is a whole other story to tell sometime.

My signal unit STRATCOM started getting replacements from Viet Nam about the time I was getting ready to leave site and E.T.S. (discharge) from the Army. The U.S. was pulling out of S.E. Asia and there was a surplus of troops so Korea was getting many of them.

One radio operator assigned to Tacoma Site had been in Viet Nam 3 days and had not even left the replacement center when he was told he was going to be sent to Korea. He said they lined them all up, gave a speech and presented them all with a medal for being there even though they were now going to Korea. He arrived on site in his new jungle fatigues.

When a soldier is about to go home and has only 99 days left in country he becomes a "Two Digit Midget." His attitude changes and he becomes more relaxed knowing he is about to leave the "Land of Morning Calm" and return to the states. I was no different and I was getting tired after nearly two years in country. I had to do many projects to get ready to process out of country and the Army as well so I was very willing to let my replacement take on the responsibilities of my position. In my case Bobby L. Cole from the site was going to move into my position so he was at least familiar with the systems and site operation and I did not have to give him as much of a briefing as someone new would have required.

When I was stationed on Tacoma Site 10 during 1970 it was called Happy Mountain referring to where a Korean goes after death. Other nicknames were Alcatraz of the East, The Rock and others I do not member now. Only recently have I learned more about the history, lineage and personnel on this very small but vital radio relay site that began during the Korean War. Tacoma Site 10 is one home of the "VAGABONDS" from 38th BDG Signal units. Other signal commands operating Tacoma Site 10 have been 8th Army Signal Long-Lines, Co C USA STRATCOM LL/Bn-South which has been re-named Net Com/ 9th Army Signal Command and is HHQ for 1st Signal BGD, 36th Sig. Battalion, 501st Signal Company which operated radio relay sites in this area of South Korea today.