Tag - Vietnam Era

By NJVVMF Former Museum Director, Greg Waters 

In February 2020, former NJVVMF Museum Director Greg Waters spent just over two weeks traveling throughout the southern half of Vietnam. The goal of the trip was to gain a better understanding of how the Vietnamese remember and memorialize what they call the American War. Greg visited numerous museums and memorials as well as locations where important events occurred during the war.

Greg planned to continue traveling north to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, but the trip was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned home safely, with plans to get back to Hanoi as soon as possible when the time is right.

Chapter 7: Khe Sanh

The next part of my trip took me off the typical tourist path and into the interior of the country. I arranged for a tour guide to pick me up from my hotel in Hue and we traveled together to our first stop: Khe Sanh.

Khe Sanh holds an important place in the history of the Vietnam War and in the popular imagination of the American public. The area saw some of the most intense fighting of the war and hundreds of Soldiers and Marines lost their lives here. Khe Sanh was bordered directly to the north by the Demilitarized Zone, a theoretical no man’s land that separated North and

On the road to Khe Sanh

South Vietnam. Directly to the east was the border with Laos, a country that wasn’t officially part of the war but certainly played an important part in it. The Ho Chi Minh Trail passed through the region and much of Khe Sanh and the surrounding area was controlled by the North Vietnamese Army.

Khe Sanh and its reputation as a particularly dangerous area within Vietnam were cemented in popular imagination by Bruce Springsteen’s 1971 hit Born in the USA. He sang: 

Had a brother at Khe Sahn

Fighting off the Viet Cong

They’re still there, he’s all gone

I traveled to Khe Sanh to visit the remains of the Khe Sanh Combat Base, the main hub of American operations in the area and the site of one of the largest and bloodiest conflicts during the Vietnam War. The Battle of Khe Sanh took place over 2 months in 1968 during the Tet Offensive, with 5,500 Marines surrounded by an estimated 20,000 North Vietnamese Army soldiers. The fighting was fierce and hundreds of American Marines and their allies lost their lives in the battle. 

The road from Hue to Khe Sanh passes through some of the most beautiful natural scenery on earth, with deep valleys and muddy rivers juxtaposed against dramatic mountains rising up through misty triple canopy jungle. My guide, Vu, pointed out the locations of several American combat bases along the way, long since reclaimed by the jungle.

The museum at Khe Sanh Combat Base

Khe Sanh Combat Base is now a museum and historic site maintained by the Vietnamese government. It is one of the best cared for museums that I visited in Vietnam and it featured a similar narrative to other war-related sites in the country – that the imperialist American invaders were driven out of the country by a united and determined Vietnamese army. 

I spent a few hours going through the museum and then visited the outdoor exhibit space. Much of the original base has been taken over by banana trees and coffee plants. There are yet again a large collection of captured American military vehicles. A Huey and a Chinook helicopter are parked near the museum. A tank and an armored personnel carrier stand watch over the abandoned runway. At the far end of the runway, next to some old bunkers, stands a C-130 Hercules, a massive transport plane that dominates the site.

It’s difficult to explain how a place like Khe Sanh feels today, separated by half a century from the extreme violence that occurred here. There is a serene quality to the mountains and jungle that doesn’t match up with the tragic events that took place during the war. I left with increased respect for the men who fought and, in many cases, gave their lives to defend this remote outpost. 

C-130 Hercules

Inside the Museum

Chinook Helicopter

American Tank next to the Khe Sanh Combat Base runway

Next Chapter: Hamburger Hill

By Museum Director, Greg Waters 

In February 2020, Museum Director Greg Waters spent just over two weeks traveling throughout the southern half of Vietnam. The goal of the trip was to gain a better understanding of how the Vietnamese remember and memorialize what they call the American War. Greg visited numerous museums and memorials as well as locations where important events occurred during the war.

Greg planned to continue traveling north to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, but the trip was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned home safely, with plans to get back to Hanoi as soon as possible when the time is right.

Chapter 6: Hue

Caption: The Perfume River

After leaving the Mekong Delta, I took a short plane ride to the coastal city of Da Nang and then traveled by car north to Hue. I arrived in Hue on a very hot and humid day, the sunshine beating down as the Perfume River flowed lazily towards the ocean a few miles to the northeast. 

Hue (pronounced hway) is an ancient city that dates back many centuries. It was the capital of the country from 1802-1945 and holds an important place in the region’s history. I wanted to visit the city because Hue was the site of one of the longest and bloodiest battles of the Vietnam War. The Battle of Hue also marked the beginning of the Tet Offensive, a massive military campaign against the Americans and their allies orchestrated by the North Vietnamese Army and the Vietcong.

This series of coordinated surprise attacks, named after the Vietnamese new year celebration, began on January 30, 1968. They took place simultaneously across the country, catching American forces and their allies off guard. Several cities were taken over by enemy forces, including Hue, and the fight to take them back caused widespread damage and significant casualties.

Caption: Gate to the Imperial City

The Battle of Hue lasted over a month, with American forces and their allies finally retaking the city on March 2, 1968. Much of the city was destroyed as Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers fought door to door in brutal close-quarter combat. It is estimated that over 5,000 civilians were killed in the fighting along with a comparable number of enemy soldiers. 216 Americans lost their lives during the battle with another 1,584 wounded. 

Today the city is a popular tourist destination, with the oldest part of the city deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. While the city had changed much in the intervening 53 years since the Battle of Hue, there are still a few places where evidence of the war can still be found. The most obvious are the scars from bullets and explosions that damaged the walls surrounding the old city.

Caption: Remnants of the Battle of Hue

The Truong Tien Bridge was also heavily damaged during the battle and bullet holes can still be found in its steel support beams. This is juxtaposed against the nightly light displays that now light up the bridge in bright colors to attract tourists.

Another stark reminder of the war are the rusting American military vehicles on display in front of the local military history museum, similar to other museum displays found across the country.

One other place where the history of the war still echoes in Hue was the local tourist economy. It was a little disconcerting, if not surprising, to find several Vietnam War-themed bars and restaurants in Hue, including the very popular DMZ Bar (similar to another very popular bar in Saigon named Apocalypse Now). It seems that there is no collective sentimentality for the past, especially for such a difficult period of history. Life in Hue continues forward without looking back, like a river flowing to the sea.

By Museum Director, Greg Waters 

In February 2020, Museum Director Greg Waters spent just over two weeks traveling throughout the southern half of Vietnam. The goal of the trip was to gain a better understanding of how the Vietnamese remember and memorialize what they call the American War. Greg visited numerous museums and memorials as well as locations where important events occurred during the war.

Greg planned to continue traveling north to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, but the trip was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned home safely, with plans to get back to Hanoi as soon as possible when the time is right.

Chapter 5:  Into the Mekong

The Mekong River begins high in the Tibetan Plateau and winds its way through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and finally comes to an end nearly 3,000 miles later in southern Vietnam. As it nears the South China Sea it begins to stretch out like an open hand, creating the massive Mekong Delta that makes up much of the country south of Saigon. My trip into the delta was a slight detour as I was ultimately headed north but I wanted to experience this unique ecosystem where many important events took place during the Vietnam War. 

The Mekong Delta is the source of a large percentage of Vietnam’s agricultural production, including over half of the rice grown in the country. During the war, the North Vietnamese and the Vietcong relied on the region for food production as well as important transportation routes that allowed them to resupply their troops. The unique realities of life in the delta required the United States military to adapt to the environment as the tactics used farther north in the country were ineffective. The brown-water navy, for example, patrolled the marshes, swamps, canals, and rivers in the region on boats as foot patrols were unable to operate effectively. Several large operations took place in the Mekong, including Operation Market Time and Operation Game Warden, and the experiences of the soldiers who fought here were much different from those who served elsewhere in the country. 

My destination in the delta was a small lodge several miles outside of Can Tho, the region’s capital. Can Tho is a thriving city with an airport and growing downtown along the river. Large hotels with restaurants and spas cater to tourists visiting the region. I decided, however, that I wanted to experience the river from a closer perspective. My accommodations at the lodge consisted of a bamboo hut with a thatched roof and three walls. The fourth wall was open to the delta, with a small branch of the Mekong River running just outside.

Full moon over the Mekong Delta

It was hot and humid and the air conditioning consisted of the occasional river breeze. The delta is known for its incredible diversity of flora and fauna and I was able to observe many examples of both during my stay; the frogs sang while the mosquitoes and gnats and dragonflies and other unidentified insects flitted around, especially as I slept, and bats darted around my river hut as a fell asleep each night.

Despite the rustic nature of my accommodations I slept better in the Mekong, lulled to sleep by the sounds of the river and the cacophony of nature than I did in any of the actual hotels I stayed in elsewhere on my trip.

I arose at four in the morning during my second day in the delta to take a boat tour of the surrounding area. Our group traveled in sleepy silence as low hanging clouds drifted past and the full moon reflected off the calm water. After a few minutes, we joined the main branch of the Mekong River and I was able to fully appreciate just how large this waterway truly is.

The Cai Rang Floating Market

The sun began to rise as we traveled down the middle of the river, both banks were lined with homes and businesses that were already bustling in the early morning. Fishing boats were already hard at work, coming and going. Other boats, weighed down with fruits and vegetables and other goods, were headed to various markets in the area. As the sun came up, the colors of the delta came to life. The muddy brown water and the bluest of skies, accentuated with occasional puffy clouds, contrasted with the deep green jungle and the fishing boats painted in bright colors. 

Our destination was the Cai Rang Floating Market. Locals have been traveling to this spot on the river for many decades to buy and sell fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and a wide array of other goods. The river was dotted with boats of various sizes. Many of the larger vessels were anchored in place and open for business. The numerous smaller boats seemed to never stop moving as they navigated the frenetic marketplace. A small boat with a single occupant came up alongside ours and I realized that he brought with him a mobile coffee shop. We enjoyed observing the busy market, trying to make sense of who was buying and who was selling.

Breakfast on the river

We then traveled farther upriver to a much smaller market with far fewer tourists and more locals. Here we were met by a small elderly woman rowing a boat that contained a small restaurant. She passed us steaming bowls of Pho, a Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and chicken that is traditionally eaten for breakfast in Vietnam. It was a remarkable meal, made even more memorable as I ate it while sitting on a boat in the middle of the Mekong River. 

My time in the Mekong was limited but I greatly enjoyed learning about this unique place. As is the case with all of Vietnam, changes are coming to the region that will most likely alter the landscape and the environment in many ways. During the Vietnam War, for example, few roads existed in the region, and the only way to reach many places in the delta was by boat. The river was in many cases the only way to transport people and goods in the region. New highways and roads are beginning to crisscross the landscape and connect previously inaccessible places to the outside world. Bridges are being built over rivers that were previously impassable by car. Commerce is being altered as the river markets that have been a pillar of the local economy are now shrinking as goods are shipped overland.

The past and future meet on the Mekong

It was interesting to see the number of tourist boats like mine that were visiting the markets. It seems that one of the main purposes of the modern river markets is to give tourists a glimpse into how life in the delta used to be. These markets may continue on as a kind of living museum, as long as tourist dollars make it worthwhile. All of Vietnam seems to be dealing with this form of rapid expansion and change. It’s hard to determine if these changes are good or bad – perhaps they are a little of both. 

Next Chapter: My Lai

By Museum Director, Greg Waters 

In February 2020, Museum Director Greg Waters spent just over two weeks traveling throughout the southern half of Vietnam. The goal of the trip was to gain a better understanding of how the Vietnamese remember and memorialize what they call the American War. Greg visited numerous museums and memorials as well as locations where important events occurred during the war.

Greg planned to continue traveling north to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam, but the trip was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. He returned home safely, with plans to get back to Hanoi as soon as possible, when the time is right.

Chapter 4: A Rooftop in Saigon

I set out on the morning of my last day in Saigon on a mission to visit one of the most iconic spots in American history: 22 Gia Long Street.

22 Gia Long Street, taken from across the street

American combat troops were ordered out of Vietnam in 1973, but the war continued on for another two years as northern forces made their way south to reclaim the entire country. They reached Saigon, the southern capital, in April of 1975. By this time the vast majority of Americans had already been evacuated, but an estimated 1,000 civilians, military advisors, and journalists remained in the city.

In addition, thousands of Vietnamese citizens who had allied with the Americans were now in danger. As northern forces approached the city, they began shelling strategic locations, including the airport. Extensive damage to the runways made the previously planned mass evacuation by plane impossible. The remaining Americans and their Vietnamese allies made their way to various predetermined rooftops throughout the city to be evacuated to safety by helicopter as northern forces began to take control of the city.

During the war, 22 Gia Long Street was the address of the Pittman Apartments, home to Americans working for the CIA and other government agencies. In 1975 it was designated as one of the locations for the helicopter evacuation due to its location and the unique design of its roof. On April 29, a Dutch journalist named Hubert Van Es was working in a nearby building when a colleague told him that a helicopter was landing on the rooftop. He quickly pulled out his camera and documented this critical moment in the evacuation and in the war itself. The photographs that he took that day have become some of the most powerful images of the Vietnam War.

Hubert Van Es’s famous photograph, April 29, 1975

The day after the evacuation, the North Vietnamese Army invaded the city. In a moment of intense symbolism, a North Vietnamese tank drove through the front gates of the presidential palace — a moment that marked the official end of the Vietnam War.

I had heard that it was possible to visit the rooftop, now a residential apartment building, by offering the security guard in the lobby a small monetary incentive to use the elevator. I managed to find the address and walked inside.

Thankfully, the young man on duty that day knew why I was there; he quickly pulled out his phone and pulled up the famous photo and pointed upwards toward the roof. I nodded in agreement, and he told me the price of admission: 50,000 Vietnamese Dong. Having only recently arrived in the country, I was still a novice at converting their currency to mine. I was initially shocked at the price, but, after some quick math, I realized that he was asking for $2.13. I happily paid him, and he led me to the elevator, hit the button for the ninth floor, and walked away. After a short elevator ride later, I stepped outside into a place frozen in time.

The rooftop today

There was something eerie about being on the rooftop. Very little has changed since the photograph was taken 45 years ago, but the place is now layered with symbolism. For the Vietnamese victors, the rooftop symbolizes the final retreat of the most powerful military force on earth. It also is the place where the Vietnam War came to an end and the reunification of North and South Vietnam began. In many ways, modern Vietnamese history began here.

For Americans, this place and the famous photograph represent the futility of American involvement in Vietnam. Over 58,000 American soldiers lost their lives in a project that ultimately culminated in a panicked evacuation from this Saigon rooftop.

In yet another reminder that the march of progress never ceases, 22 Gia Long Street has become an extremely valuable piece of real estate in modern Saigon. Surrounded by several glass skyscrapers, it is likely going to be torn down in the near future to make way for whatever comes next. I feel lucky that I was able to visit the spot before it’s lost forever.