gums
22nd Oct 2021, 16:20
Salute!
Just had one of my Vee A-37 students walk over to the truck as I sat by a fishing pond to read news and weather and stuff here. Just chilling out, you unnerstan?
This man, likely 8 or 9 years younger than I, as he was a cadet in 'nam, but had managed to get to VNAF pilot training and we crossed paths first time back in 1970. I was one of his IP's in the A-37. I looked up a few of those pilots in 1972 when deployed to Thailand for the first end of the war. Volunteered to help with our "turnaround" effort at Bien Hoa as by then the ROE was zero USAF or USN or USMC or USA units stationed in-country. Various units in Thailand would fly a mission and then land, re-arm and fly abother mission before returning to Thailand. One of my students was then flying F-5's there at Bien Hoa, but most of rest were up at Nha Trang, Da Nang, Binh Thuy, Pleiku, Phu Cat and elsewhere. We had a good talk, and then he had to brief and fly a local mission. By late fall that year, the PVAN and such had failed to take over the south. After screwed up peace talks, we decided to bomb the hell outta the North and get our POW friends home, then leave. Which we did, and then left. Two years later I was back for the "real" end of the war.
So this morning, Tran walks up and we fist bump and exchange that feeling you only have when sharing combat times and all the training and such. He escaped in 1975 by boat with his family. Some of my other students flew out to Thailand not all in the A-37 or F-5. One hijacked a O-1 and took wife and kids with him, heh heh.
By late summer of 75, my wife and I had to sponsor several of the Vee that had escaped and were in the U.S. We had to find them a job and a place to stay or they had to remain in the "camps" . Nothing like the present U.S. immigration policy.
Tran worked in a fish house for maybe 10 years, but also got a low level job with the city water and sewage department. Finally started his own seafood market and got promoted in the city government. A great success story for what used to be standard fare in the U.S.
====
Tran walks over and without any consideration for political correct stuff, I told him flat out that folks comparing the 'stan debacle with his country's finale didn't know squat, or history. He agrees while shaking his head. He knew that my squad had capped Saigon in April of 1975, and he understood the gradual, military collapse of his country that spring. Not a religious thing or ill-perpared collection of warlords and village chiefs. I looked him in the eye and said, simply, **** happens. He smiles just a bit, shakes his head again and then we move on. One thing about those folks is when the war is over, then the "WAR IS OVER".
I pray that the western world would move on and let the tribal societies and those arbitrary countries the western colony folks outlined on a map, and governed by an unusual religion, just press on as they wish. Freedom to determine their own way of life is their choice, huh? If they don't like it, then change it or die trying.
Gums ends rant..
Just had one of my Vee A-37 students walk over to the truck as I sat by a fishing pond to read news and weather and stuff here. Just chilling out, you unnerstan?
This man, likely 8 or 9 years younger than I, as he was a cadet in 'nam, but had managed to get to VNAF pilot training and we crossed paths first time back in 1970. I was one of his IP's in the A-37. I looked up a few of those pilots in 1972 when deployed to Thailand for the first end of the war. Volunteered to help with our "turnaround" effort at Bien Hoa as by then the ROE was zero USAF or USN or USMC or USA units stationed in-country. Various units in Thailand would fly a mission and then land, re-arm and fly abother mission before returning to Thailand. One of my students was then flying F-5's there at Bien Hoa, but most of rest were up at Nha Trang, Da Nang, Binh Thuy, Pleiku, Phu Cat and elsewhere. We had a good talk, and then he had to brief and fly a local mission. By late fall that year, the PVAN and such had failed to take over the south. After screwed up peace talks, we decided to bomb the hell outta the North and get our POW friends home, then leave. Which we did, and then left. Two years later I was back for the "real" end of the war.
So this morning, Tran walks up and we fist bump and exchange that feeling you only have when sharing combat times and all the training and such. He escaped in 1975 by boat with his family. Some of my other students flew out to Thailand not all in the A-37 or F-5. One hijacked a O-1 and took wife and kids with him, heh heh.
By late summer of 75, my wife and I had to sponsor several of the Vee that had escaped and were in the U.S. We had to find them a job and a place to stay or they had to remain in the "camps" . Nothing like the present U.S. immigration policy.
Tran worked in a fish house for maybe 10 years, but also got a low level job with the city water and sewage department. Finally started his own seafood market and got promoted in the city government. A great success story for what used to be standard fare in the U.S.
====
Tran walks over and without any consideration for political correct stuff, I told him flat out that folks comparing the 'stan debacle with his country's finale didn't know squat, or history. He agrees while shaking his head. He knew that my squad had capped Saigon in April of 1975, and he understood the gradual, military collapse of his country that spring. Not a religious thing or ill-perpared collection of warlords and village chiefs. I looked him in the eye and said, simply, **** happens. He smiles just a bit, shakes his head again and then we move on. One thing about those folks is when the war is over, then the "WAR IS OVER".
I pray that the western world would move on and let the tribal societies and those arbitrary countries the western colony folks outlined on a map, and governed by an unusual religion, just press on as they wish. Freedom to determine their own way of life is their choice, huh? If they don't like it, then change it or die trying.
Gums ends rant..