A Disillusioned American

Anh and I have known each other for more than nine years and have been married for over a year. I am sixty-two years old, US citizen, and a veteran. Anh is fifty, a Vietnamese citizen, and business woman. We own property in Vietnam, have our own house, and Anh has a very successful job as a national tour guide. We want to go back to the US so that Anh can finally meet my family, especially my mother who is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Should be no problem, right? Wrong!

For some undisclosed reason, the US Consulate's office has Anh's visa on hold. We filled out the required forms, we paid the $130 application fee, we flew to Saigon for the interview and were told that she passed but it would be a few days before they could process the visa. That was on May 18, nearly a month ago. When we try to find out what is going on, we find there is no way we can talk with a real person. The telephone number is an automated service that runs you around in circles then hangs up. We have sent three emails to the address given on the website but, we get no response. The consulate's office does not have the decency to let us know what is happening. To go to the office in person is a waste of time and money. They will not let me inside to deal with this matter. They give me a phone number to call. It is the same number that runs in cirlces.
 I find it appalling to be treated this way by my government and resent the lack of cooperation I get when trying to get this matter resolved. Why should there be any question of whether or not I can take my wife to my country to meet my family? We have done nothing wrong. Hell, we don't even want to stay in the US. all we want is a few months over there. But it's like complaining at the airport security check. Say anything and you are shoved aside until it's too late to travel. Knowing this, I have tried to be very polite, to the point of grovelling in my correspondence but have been ignored.
  
What has happened to my America? Have we become so fearful that we have given up all of our rights and freedoms? Must we be content to be treated like cattle while the man behind the desk sips his coffee and smiles at our discomfort. It's humiliating and shameful. Let's not forget the ideals our country was based upon; the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness.

Rest in Peace

Though the war between the United States and Vietnam has been over for more than forty years, there are more than a thousand Americans who have not yet returned. But they have not been forgotten. Unprecedented efforts between the US and Vietnam to locate these missing men have resulted in finding nearly half of these missing and the search continues to this day.

Four black boxes, four silver caskets, four folded flags. It was a solemn affair on the tarmac at Da Nang airport as the remains of American servicemen were prepared for the long flight back to the United States.Anh and I were invited by JPAC (Joint Prisoner of War, Missing in Action Accountability Command) to attend a repatriation ceremony on April 9th. I was impressed by the professionalism that was shown by the team in the handling of the remains. It was indeed an honor to be a part of this event.

 One by one, black wooden boxes containing the remains were placed in individual coffins which were then draped with an American flag before being carried to the waiting C-130 transport plane. Though the remains often consist of no more than a single tooth or bone fragment, they are handled with all the dignity and respect deserved by those who have given their all for their country.No names were read or personal tributes offered. The identity of those found must first be confirmed by the forensic team in Hawaii before any names will be released. It's been a long time coming for these men and their families. Hopefully, they can now find peace.

"Pete" Peterson, the first American Ambassador to Vietnam after the war and former POW was present at the ceremony. Anh and I have had the pleasure to get to know Mr. Peterson and his wife, Vi over the past few years and had dinner with them after the ceremony.

Thailand

 During the beginning of the Tet holiday, Anh and I flew to Bangkok to join up with our friends John and Caroline and Nikki to set off on our adventure through northern Thailand and Laos. I had never spent any time up in the northern part of Thailand before and was anxious to see it since I've heard so many great stories about it.Our first stop was Chiang Rai, a northern town in Thailand.

 The White Temple is located outside of Chiang Rai and is something that should not be missed if passing through this part of Thailan. The ornate temple is all in white and silver and looks almost like something you would find in a frozen landscape. I can't remember the whole story about this place but do know it is still a work in progress. A Thai artist has come up with the concept and gets most of his funding through donations.

We rented a car in Chang Rai and drove up to the northern border with Burma (Myanmar). A group of people called the Karens live up there and are known for the heavy brass rings they wear on their necks that push their shoulders down, giving them the appearance of having extremely long necks. I remember seeing an article about them in National Geographic when I was a kid and was fascinated by them. To see them in real life is even more fascinating. They begin the process of stretching their necks at a very young age and life their entire lives with the adornments. I picked up one of the neck bands and was shocked by how heavy it was. I estimated it to weigh at least fifteen pounds.

The Karen people come from Burma but have fled across the border into Thailand to seek refuge from the heavy-handed Burmese government. They live in simple mountain villages and make their living today mostly from tourists that come through and buy their handmade jewelry and clothing.

 

The Mighty Mekong

After spending five days in Thailand, we drove to the small northern town of Chiang Khong to begin our two day cruise down the Mekong River. We had to catch a small shuttle boat across the river to get our Visas into Laos then boarded a long boat to take us down the river about 300 km to our final destination of Luang Pra Bang, Laos.

The journey is a journey through time, taking us past remote villages and spectacular wilderness areas where few outsiders venture. The geography seems to change endlessly as we wind our way down this mighty river. The river is low this time of year but our boat man said it was even lower than normal. The Chinese have put numerous dams higher up stream, causing the Mekong to reduce to not much more than a trickle in many areas we pass through.

We pull in for the night in the small village named Pak Tha and have a great meal and some cold beer at the guesthouse we have reserved for the night. The air is cool early the next morning when we head out for our final leg of the trip, causing us to wrap ourselves in blankets as we watch the local people in their morning routines of fishing and washing clothing along the river banks. We even saw some 'working' elephants being led to the river for their morning bath and drink before beginning their day of hauling huge timbers from the surrounding rain forest

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Doc Smith and Hoa

In 1967 Glenn Smith was a Corpsman working with Marine CAP Unit Charlie 2-2-4 in the small village of Dai Loc, just south of Da Dang. A CAP unit (Combined Action Program)consisted of a small group of Marines assigned to live in a village and help pacify and protect the people in the area. As a result, they often got to know the local people quite well. While Glenn spent most of his time on the Marine base located on Hill 65 just outside of Dai Loc, he would often go down to the village to help the villagers and the Marines.

Hoa was a young boy of about ten when Doc Smith arrived in his village. Though only a young boy, Hoa idolized the Marines and hung out with them every day. He polished their boots, cleaned their weapons, and often slept in the bunkers with them. He considered himself a Marine. Today, Hoa's guesthouse near Marble Mountain has become almost a legend to the backpackers that pass through the Da Nang area. His English and his "take it easy" attitude have made him loved and respected by most who have gotten to know him. He has become a very dear friend of mine.

One cannot spend much time around Hoa without hearing of Charlie 2-2-4 and the days of the war. He often speaks of the Marines who lived in his village and became such a big part of his life. I decided one day to do a little research on C-2-2-4 and came across an email address for Glenn Smith. When I asked Glenn if he knew or remembered a boy named Hoa, Glenn replied immediately that he did indeed remember him. He even had photographs of the two of them together.This initial contact resulted in Glenn coming back to Vietnam, something he had often considered but never acted upon. Hoa and Glenn got back together after forty three years.

The death of Marine Sgt. Flynn was an event that both Hoa and Glenn remembered very well. Glenn was the Corpsman who retrieved Flynn's body after he was shot while trying to cross the river. Hoa thought of Sgt. Flynn as almost a father figure. Before coming back to Vietnam, Glenn had some dogtags made for Sgt. Flynn and wanted to put them in the river close to where he was killed. We went back to the scene and had to walk across a muddy flood plain to get to the river. Hoa probably doesn't weigh a hundred pounds and skirted over the mud like a waterbug. Glenn, on the other hand, weighs more than two hundred pounds and sunk into the sucking mud up to his knees. As Glenn was trying to retrieve his shoe that had been pulled off by the muck, Hoa turned to him and said, "Glenn, walk lightly."

December

It's hard to believe that another year has begun. The month of December flew by us.We had some friends, Al and Carol Chesson,come over for their second tour over here. They were on the first trip I led with Anh as my guide over here in 2002. We tried to get a look at places they weren't able to see the first time. We tried to get back up into the DMZ again where Al and I served, but the rain was coming down in buckets. We spent the night in Khe Sanh but had to get out of there early in the morning to avoid becoming stuck by mudslides across Highway 9. 

 

 

 

 

 

We caught the train to Ninh Binh south of Hanoi and stayed for a few nights to go up the river on small boats. It's magnificent there. The landscape is similar to Ha Long Bay but on dry land.

 

Next, we headed west to a small village called Mai Chau where we did a 'homestay' in a stilted house. The bamboo forests were unbelievable and the village, though becoming a little touristy, was fun to wander around in
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The night train took us up to the northern tip of Vietnam to visit the popular villages of Sapa and Bac Ha. Both of these areas are known for the colorful clothing worn by the local women. Sapa, with its incredible terracing and cool climate has made it a favorite of travelers for nearly a century.

 Each Sunday, the town of Bac Ha holds its Lover's Market where the local people for miles around put on their finest garments and gather for a time of socializing and romance.

After that, we went to Hanoi to pick up Glenn. Glenn served as a Corpsman and was on his first trip back to Vietnam since the war. We all loaded up in a van the next morning and headed off to Ha Long Bay. I don't know how many times I've seen the Bay but I am always in awe of it. To spend the night on a boat in Ha Long Bay is an experience that never gets old.

November 9-10, 2010

November has been a busy month for us. To start it off, Anh and I got married. Actually, we got 'officially' married in March but didn't have the party until November ninth. You aren't considered really married until you have the celebration with family and friends. We had friends from the US come over and also some American friends who live in Bangkok come for the occasion. This plus a number of our Vietnamese and foreign friends living in Da Nang made for a great wedding party. 

 

The day following our party was November 10, the Marine Corps birthday. So of course, another party was in order and there was no better place to hold the party than on China Beach. There were eight of us in attendance, six Vietnam veterans, one Iraqi vet, and a Vietnamese man who hung out with the Marine CAP unit in his village when he was a boy. In traditional form, we had an NCO cut the cake then offer the first piece to the oldest Marine present (Suel) and the second piece to the youngest Marine (Sam).