Salute!
What I also found very interesting is there seems to be no hatred towards Americans...
As SAS and others have stated here, we warriors from that miserable time can meet and share a beer and even joke about "if you were a better shot I wouldn't be here!!"
Some have pointed out here that the northern Vee were much more nationalistic than communistic. So very true, and I have had a hard time over the last 45 years buying into Uncle Ho being a devout communist more than a devout patriot that wanted to kick the foreign powers out and have one country of their own.
I worked with the VNAF for almost three years helping a few dozen to become proficient in the A-37. When I went back in 1972 I had a chance to run an A-7 turnaround site at my old haunt - Bien Hoa. Hunted down some of my students, who were now in F-5's. They put on a "good" face, but I could see it in their eyes. They had lost faith in their government.
The Tampa Bay newspaper had this article some time ago, and although very emotional, it describes one of my closest friend's "closure". At the end, some of the pictures show that "bygones are bygones". I am in the "C-flight" picture. I also flew Sandy 3 for the Kansas rescue attempt, escorting and protecting the backup Jolly. Wound up escorting the wounded Jolly outta North Vietnam with the backup Jolly tagging along. That helo was shot up, folks, and finally was running on one motor.
Vietnam veteran's search for peace began with angst over image | Tampa Bay Times
Another good account of folks going back can be had with yet another fellow pilot I flew with - "Bury Us Upside Down".
As Don put it in the epilog:
"I wasn't a hero, but I flew with men who were".
Gums sends...