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Welcome back to The Allgoods: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Love. I’m reading the real letters my parents—Dick and Sarah Allgood—wrote to each other during the Vietnam War while they were expecting me.

In this letter from May 23, 1971, my dad had just been to a wild detachment party where they served something called “Pussy Punch.” He made it himself—vodka, gin, Cointreau, fruit punch, and lemon. Let’s just say… it packed a serious kick.

But in between the drinking, the jokes, and the shrimp flown in from the coast, you can feel something else: he’s starting to settle into the idea of fatherhood. He admits he’s “tossing the quarters down” less, that the “juice” isn’t needed anymore. And beneath the mischief, he’s sending all his love to my mom and the baby he can’t wait to meet.

This is one of the many letters that reveal the complexity of love during wartime—the loneliness, the humor, and the hope that carried them through.

To explore more of their story, see original photos and letters, and support the project, visit theallgoodslove.com. That’s also where you’ll find the link to our Patreon if you’d like to help keep these voices alive.

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The Allgoods: Vietnam Through the Eyes of Love is a personal podcast project based on real letters exchanged between Capt. Richard Allgood and Capt. Sarah Allgood during the Vietnam War. Photos of the original letters, family snapshots, and behind-the-scenes commentary are available for supporters.

Support the show:

Recurring support through Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2489476/support

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Visit the official website: https://www.theallgoodslove.com