A New Base Called Fontaine
SP4 Marvin Dale Miller to his mother, 9 March 1971 — a short, practical note sending his income-tax paperwork home for his brothers to handle, and mentioning, almost in passing, that he had moved to "a new base called Fontaine."
9 Mar 71
Dear Mom,
I'm sending back my income tax papers. I need the whole booklet to fill out my return. But I think it would be easier if I sent it back and Dan or Buss can fill it in. You can keep the money you get back from it. I think it should be over $100. Maybe you get a stairway put in with it. I'm sure you'll be able to find some use for it.
In case I haven't told you yet I moved to a new base called Fontaine. It's not very far from where Silver was.
Well I just finished writing you a letter a little while ago so I can't think of anything else to say.
Love Marv
Transcription Notes
- Blue ballpoint, single page. All text clearly legible.
- "Maybe you get a stairway put in with it" — transcribed as written (he drops the "could").
Archivist Notes
FSB Fontaine — primary-source confirmation: "In case I haven't told you yet I moved to a new base called Fontaine. It's not very far from where Silver was." This is Marvin's own confirmation, in his hand, that he was at FSB Fontaine in early March 1971, and that it lay near the now-dismantled FSB Silver. It aligns with Howard McGrew's calendar, which records the company convoying to Fontaine on 4 March 1971; the unit had been rotating between FSB Mace and FSB Fontaine since Silver stood down in late January (see the "Silver Stands Down" timeline entry).
Taxes handled at home — Dan and Buss: "I think it would be easier if I sent it back and Dan or Buss can fill it in. You can keep the money you get back from it." Marvin routes his federal return home for his older brothers Dan and Don ("Buss") to complete, and gives the refund (he estimates "over $100") to his mother — another instance of the family managing his money while he was away.
The stairway — the rebuilt house again: "Maybe you get a stairway put in with it." Like the new furnace in the 26 Dec 70 letter and the living-room floor and attic in the 20 Aug 71 letter, the stairway is another increment in the long rebuild of the family home (burned 1960). Marvin repeatedly channels his pay toward finishing the house.
A companion letter — likely the 7 March letter: "Well I just finished writing you a letter a little while ago" — Marvin had written another letter shortly before this one, accounting for how little he says he has left to report. The strong candidate is the 7 Mar 71 letter, two days earlier: it lays out the income-tax plan ("I'll send it along with the W-2 forms") that this letter then carries out ("I'm sending back my income tax papers"). The "a little while ago" phrasing could alternatively point to an even closer, same-day note now lost.
Cross-references:
- 7 Mar 71 — previous letter (incomplete); lays out the income-tax plan this letter acts on, and the likely "letter a little while ago"
- 8 Mar 71 (to Dan) — the day before; the brother Marvin routes his tax return to here ("Dan or Buss can fill it in")
- 22 Mar 71 — next letter (Vung Tau stand-down)
- McGrew calendar (primary source) — 4 Mar 1971 convoy to Fontaine
- Timeline: "Silver Stands Down — Cat Platoon Last to Leave" (move to FSB Fontaine)
- 26 Dec 70, 20 Aug 71 — money home toward the rebuilt house
