BongHall-1Last night I returned to Vietnam. The last time I gazed onto the countryside of Vietnam my aircraft had just lifted off the runway at DaNang to the unrestrained cheers of all souls aboard, banked over Monkey Mountain, leveled out over the South China Sea allowing me a quick glance at my home away from home for the last fifteen months, as we flew into a dense cloud-bank concluding my stay and my sight picture, my only thoughts were, I’m alive. That was my last thought as I departed Vietnam. I’ve not been back. Last night, here in Greenville, at the TD Center, I returned to Vietnam.

Last night, 14 February, 2015, the Vietnamese-American community of South Carolina celebrated the entry of the “Year of the Goat” with the traditional Vietnamese New Year celebration. I became their guest in a round-about way, and it brought me back to January 1968, when my Vietnamese interpreter invited me to his home for a new year’s celebration. I actually briefly looked for the former Vietnamese Army Sergeant Sey (pronounced see), but I knew that he was not there. After all, he was working for the American Marines at the DaNang Airbase. The Communist would not have let him “slide” after their takeover; that is, if he were still alive in 1975.

Admittedly, I was proud and delighted as men in their old military uniforms of the Republic of Vietnam and of the United States marched into the room filled with Vietnamese men, women and children, many of them refugees from Vietnam, and with a scattering of American military veterans, properly and proudly presenting the flags of the United States, that had abandoned them, and of the Republic of Vietnam, the country of their origin, the country we swore to defend. For many of them it was the country of their birth. But, the younger ones were born right here in America.

It was these children that were most impressive.  These very young girls and boys are the future of this country. That being said, this country is in good hands.  Their pride and patriotism, gleaned from fathers and mothers, shows no bounds.

At one time in the evening events, I leaned over to Bob Dill, the editor of the Times Examiner newspaper, and remarked “I am so impressed that these Vietnamese people show such unqualified loyalty and dedication to this country that had abandoned them in 1975. Very impressed!”  Later I remarked, “It’s obvious that we were helping the right folks,” referring to the people of South Vietnam.

Part of the American withdrawal from Vietnam in early 1973 was that we would continue to support the government of South Vietnam in their struggle with Communist invaders from the North, and Viet Cong guerrillas in the South (directed, trained, and equipped from the North), and that should the North Vietnamese invade the South again, we would come to their aide. We lied on both counts. Congress cut off all funding for South Vietnam, and then cut off all their support coming from outside South Vietnam. In 1975, the North Vietnamese launched a massive invasion of South Vietnam as we sat on our assets and failed to act. As Saigon was falling to the Communist, we did provide evacuation to US personnel and some Vietnamese. Many more fled by boat or any other means available to them. The Republic of Vietnam ceased to exist as we watched.

BongHall-2Last night I was the guest of Ronald and Bang Hall. Bang is the Vice President of the Vietnamese-American community of Greenville. Ron is a veteran of the Vietnam War.  I was a replacement for Marine Sgt Maj Bob Burns (Retired), who couldn’t make it due to a previous commitment. I got lucky.

Mingling with these American and Vietnamese veterans of the war sure brought back vivid memories of long ago and far away. Of course, all in that room are American citizens now. For the Vietnamese in the room, they certainly earned their citizenship. You can sense their pride in being an American citizen. Their citizenship was not gained by some amnesty program in an effort to solicit future votes for one political party over another.

One of the goals of this community that was learned last night is that they are attempting to establish a local memorial to those who lost their lives in the struggle against Communist aggression in Vietnam—both, Americans and Vietnamese. My understanding is that the Greenville County Commission is favorably reviewing the situation. For me, I certainly hope it comes into being.  This County, this State, this Nation can never repay the Veterans of the Vietnam War for the acts of disloyalty dispensed upon the war and the warriors who fought it. It was a national dichotomy. It was a national disgrace.

Let’s get the memorial up and running. It’s the least we can do.

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Ralph Stoney Bates, Sr., USMC (Ret) - www.shortrations.com

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