I don't remember Thanksgiving in Viet Nam, it was just another day, don't even know if we had turkey, we ate mostly K rations out of a box. We lived in small 2 men tents, graduated to bigger ones. We went 8 weeks with out bathing and wore the same clothes for those 8 weeks. 
However I do remember Christmas eve very clearly. There was no firing of our big guns that evening and the sky was very clear. Someone got me a coffee in my canteen cup, I couldn't leave the area on duty, we worked 18 hours on and 6 hours off, 24/7. We was allowed to sleep in place, but had to respond spontaneously at a seconds notice. I walked outside and could clearly see a big beautiful star in the night sky. I remember saying a prayer and remembering the star of Bethlehem. Then I heard a very unusual sound, It sounded like music a long distance away. I walked to a bunker and asked the guys if they heard it too. One of them said that some GI had set up an weak FM transmitter and was transmitting Christmas songs. I was excited because I had an FM radio tucked away in my duffle bag. It was dumb to bring it, there were no radio stations there. I found some batteries and quickly found the only station on it. We listened to the music, but it made most of us feel very alone and homesick. I watched that star and enjoyed the music. Then for what ever reason, (the guy must of been homesick too) He ended the music with a song by Bobby Goldsburg, part of the lyrics were

Now I'm a soldier,
A lonely soldier,
Away from home,
thru no wish of my own.

I shut it off and went back inside.

That was 50 years ago.......some things you never forget

@Ron Altier...THANK-YOU for your service during a difficult time in history and especially for the shared memory of THAT Christmas Eve...very sobering of how thankful we should be for everything that has been done for us beginning under that Star of Bethlehem. Bless you Ron this Christmas for this thread. 

Edited December 24, 20169 yr by Grandpadave52

Thank you Ron for sharing, thank you sir.

thank you Ron...

Thank you Ron!