If you are 60 you'll recognize the names

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We were picked up at 7:30 and headed north. Our tour guide was a veteran who served as an officer in the South Vietnamese army for two years after he was drafted out the university at 18. Two years later the war was over and he then spent two years in prison. After that his choices were limited and as he put it he became part of the “working class”. He is a devote Buddhist who believes in reincarnation, so I think he is more accepting of his life knowing that if he lives this one well, the next will be better. The first stop was a Catholic church that was bombed and strafed and has been left as is to document the war. We then stopped at several battle sites, Khe Sanh and what had been US Field Intelligence HQs. The propaganda element at each little museum was pretty strong, although when you are the winner you do get to tell the story the way you remember it. The caption under one photo asked, “What was President Johnson thinking?” and it was a damn good question. At Khe Sanh there were several US helicopters that are sitting beside a small museum and since they are not protected in any way they are rusting apart and becoming overgrown with weeds. The last stop was the Vinh Moc tunnels. These tunnels were built by the local people to escape US bombing. The lowest level was 75 feet deep and would protect them from US bombs that did not explode on impact, but burrowed into the ground before exploding. Built into the sides of the tunnels were small alcoves that were 4’ wide, 5’ tall and 6’deep where families lived. 17 babies were born during the two years the tunnels were occupied. As Jack explained to the guide, where there is a will there is a way.

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