AGE FOUR Student Editor’s Note: The Phoenix, newspaper of New York City's Queens College , has sent two students to Viet nam to report on the war The Daily Collegian, in cooperation loith the Phoenix, will carry columns written by the two reporters. One student, Ralph Paladino, supports the presence of the United States in Vietnam. The other, Lee Dem bart. holds the opposite view. 1 , Today’s column, .by Dembart, is the first report of the series. . SAIGON, Feb. 4 We had thought that we would see some action during our three months in Vietnam. We didn’t expect we would see it so quickly. The'Viet Cong gave us a noisy if not altogether receptive welcome less than 15 hours after our arrival here, as they began an all-out offensive in Saigon that included an attack on the Presidential Palace 100 yards from our hotel window. The sun was hot and the air was dry as we stepped out of the plane at Tan Son Nhul International Airport. Less than 24 hours later, the field would be under con stant mortar, artillery, and small arms fire, and hundreds of soldiers would lose their lives in the battle for the airbase. But all was quiet as we walked to the terminal and stood in line to clear immigration and customs. It was Tet, the Oriental New Year, and flags, signs and banners welcomed it. Firecrackers, sounding unner vingly like rifles, exploded around us as we walked through the downtown area to the U.S. and Vietnamese press offices. Full-scale battles had erupted throughout the coun try except in ihe capital. Every major city from north to south was under attack. Signs in military installations warned that Charley was infiltrating Saigon, and that all personnel should take extreme caution. But on the streets it was Tct, and no one seemed concerned about the imminent onslaught. At precisely three o’clock in the morning the cele bration of Tet ended in Saigon. There were still fire works, but now they were coming from grena'des, rock ets, bazookas, automatic weapons, and high-powered rifles. A tremendous explosion rocked the courtyard out side the hotel. Two more blasts and accompanying flash es brought us quickly from sleep to full consciousness. The sharp cracks of rifles were answered by ma chine guns. Another explosion, closer to the hotel, and then quiet. But only long enough for us to think the worst. They were surely coming into the hotel, coming to blast down the doors, coming to machinegun us a 11.., And then more shooting outside. Mortar explosions. More automatic fire. Another brief pause. I tried sleeping. The firing continued outside. So did tiie explosions: v Daylight always has the advantage of making things seem more manageable. With the sun up, we had almost convinced ourselves that all the noise the night before had been nothing more than big firecrackers. We were still unaware of the extent of the fighting going on" throughout the city. BuJ; the desk clerk warned "Us. “Be careful, sir,” -he said as we walked out. “There’s shooting outside.” Only later in the day did we discover that the Viet Cong had attacked eight major areas in the city, includ ing the American Embassy, and had taken over the Cholon section to the south. They were still firmly en trenched in the partially completed apartment building next to the hotel, having sought cover there when their Anyone can With Eaton’s Corrasable Bond Typewriter Paper, you can erase that goof without a trace. Not a telltale smudge remains. A special surface per mits quick and easy erasing with an ordinary pencil eraser. For perfect papers every time, get Corrasable. In light, medium, heavy weights and Onion Skin. In handy 100-sheet packets and 500-sheet ream boxes. At Stationery Departments. Only Eaton makes Corrasable.® EATON PAPER CORPORATION, PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS For gifts you'll give with pride (t*p Jeweler b