After 46 Years...a Trip Back in Time, Part 13

by Glenn N. Holliman

Memories continued of a war in 1969....

By 1969, the U.S. Army felt the strains of a war that was dividing America, a protracted struggle in Vietnam.  The year for my service, January 31, 1969 to January 30, 1970, was shared with over 540,000 other Americans.  My Army division, the famed 1st Infantry of World War I and II combat, was composed mainly of draftees and career officers serving a second tour of duty in country.

Right, 22 years old, skinny, a college graduate in Lai Khe, Vietnam.  I had most of my life yet to be lived....

I remember composing a letter while on day time guard duty in a tower over looking a portion of the perimeter of Lai Kai, headquarters for the Division and 3rd Brigade.  In that epistle I noted that for four years the Division had occupied territory 40 miles of so northwest of Saigon, pushing against the Cambodia border.  And for four years the same ground had been contested between the U.S. forces and Viet Cong and North Vietnam troops.

True, the U.S. never lost a full-blown battle, but the night belonged to the V.C. The mighty pay loads of our B-52 bombers could blow apart tunnel complexes of the enemy, when such could be found. Our technology was overwhelming when an adversary would stand and fight, but this was a different, confounding war.

A 1st Infantry bunker with action in the background outside the perimeter. 1969

The V.C. fought the war against American conventional might, not in stand up battles, but rather by controlling the villages in the dark, ambushing high value targets such as convoys and forever harassing the Army and then disappearing into the bush or jungle. 

The North Vietnamese took horrific casualties, but just as had George Washington with the British, they had only to remain a force in being, and to wait until the Americans tired of the loss in blood and treasure and went home.

And that is exactly what happened.

In 1969, moral among U.S. troops was slipping.  I remember one night in barracks hearing a loud explosion, not incoming mortars or rockets, but that of a grenade.  A young officer, overbearing with his enlisted men, had been 'fragged' by one of his troops, i.e. a live grenade rolled into his quarters.  Wounded, he lived.  

Drugs were becoming a problem.  I remember waking up in the middle of the night at a Fire Support Base by a young lieutenant rummaging through the medic's bag looking for pain killers.  Another night walking through the barracks, waking soldier's for guard duty, I stumbled across troops smoking dope.  

Another time I discussed with the enlisted men in the field what it was like to patrol in the bush. 

 "Our 2nd lieutenant said he had only one mission here and that was to keep us alive until we could all go home."  

The desire to engage and defeat an enemy was rare among the troops in 1969.   Being a senior enlisted man or conscientiousness officer was not easy with an army of draftees.  Not easy when the USA was torn apart by anti-war marches and race riots.  The 1960s were destructive for America.  Our nation had a lot of self-inflicted wounds.   

Above and below, a patrol on Thunder Road, aka Highway 13.  In 1969 a muddy track and conflicted.  By 2015, a paved highway was lined with apartment and business office complexes!

            



 The government in Saigon, propped up by U.S. monies and supplies, was wobbly and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) loath to expend itself.  The will to win lay with North Vietnam, fighting a classic war of independence and a perceived puppet government still control by westerners.  The South Vietnamese soldier above had his military intelligence office next to our chaplain's office in the 3rd Brigade Headquarters, Lai Khe.

 That Christmas of 1969 the famed quintessential comedian of the 20th century, Bob Hope, came to Lai Khe came to entertain us.  He brought some pretty girls and Neil Armstrong who had been the first man to step on the Moon five months before.  In was incongruous - one of human kind's greatest feats justipositioned with one of human kind's great tragedies - warfare.

Bob Hope, a conservative patriot, announced to us that President Richard Nixon had a plan to end the war.  Amazingly the troops - thousands of us - booed.  Hope was taken aback, confused and stuttered, 'Yes, he really has a plan.'  The writing was on the wall; the army of draftees had had it.  We just wanted to go home.  

Below, the Bob Hope field after the 1969 show before being 'policed'.  A mail transport lands on the Lai Khe airfield.  The company mess hall in the picture on the left.

In 2015, I walked the same ground, exactly where the above picture was taken in 1969.  Below are rubber trees that now cover the same field.  The mess hall long since gone.  Left to right Dr. Jim Holliman and his wife Karen and my daughter, Grace who accompanied me on this emotional journey.

Next posting, more as an aged veteran returns and reflects....

After 46 Years...a Trip Back in Time, Part 12

by Glenn N. Holliman

I continue with photographs of 1969 and 2015, a nostalgic, emotional return to my 1st Infantry base camp in Lai Khe, Vietnam.  My daughter, Grace, and two cousins - Dr. Jim and Karen Holliman, kindly accompanied me.


From Fire Support Base Oran, elements of the First Infantry await their helicopter lift into the boonies, February 1969.

Left, Lai Khe -  damage to our barracks from a V.C. rocket attack.  Below, a Viet Cong wounded POW being carried by medics to surgery.

.

Below, approximately 8 miles from the Chu Chi Tunnels, elements of the 1st Infantry move toward Fire Support Base Lorraine near Ben Cat.   This desolate landscape had been doused with Agent Orange and worked over by massive plows to clear the tree lines.  Nineteen million gallons of herbicides had been sprayed on the Vietnam countryside, defoliating 12 million acres of forests and damaging the soil of millions of acres of farms. (The Tragedy of Vietnam by Patrick J. Hearden)  

 Ironically, I took this picture the same day in July 1969 that Apollo 11 landed on the moon.
The juxtaposition of humankind's progress and degradation disturbs me to this day.

Below, June 1969, I was on guard duty around the perimeter at Lai Khe.  A Vietnamese village bordered the camp on the north.  In the middle of the night, the Viet Cong attacked with rockets.  As they traveled at less than the speed of sound, one could here them coming.  The noise was that of a locomotive drawing nearer and louder.  I slammed myself down next to the concrete culvert pictured below.  The houses, a hundred or so feet away, behind the wire were hit; five Vietnamese nationals died.  

I heard their screams.  I still hear them a half century later.     

Right, March 2015, my daughter stands with me where I point out where I was guarding that night so long ago.   Grace was born five years after that event.  
I am a most fortunate man.

Next post, more memories of an old man returning to the Vietnam-American War....

After 46 Years...a Trip Back in Time, Part 11

By Glenn N. Holliman

In 2015, I returned to Viet Nam with my daughter, Grace Holliman, and two cousins, Dr. Jim and Karen Holliman.  My reflections continue....

Two generations have been born since my year in the Vietnam-American War, January 1969 to January 1970.  My service was with the 1st Infantry Division, a storied outfit that fought during World War II in North Africa, Sicily and stormed the beaches at Normandy.  In 1943 at the beach head in Gela, Sicily, my father's destroyer lay off shore and plummeted the German armor that came close to pushing the Big Red One into the sea.

Above in Lai Khe, Vietnam, 2015, left to right - Jim and Glenn Holliman and Grace and Karen Holliman. Below, a Fire Support Base, Aachan II in May 1969 near Lai Khe. The 'fire' from the 105 artillery pieces supported companies on patrol.

Now his son, born three years after his Sicily battle, would spend time at Fire Support Base Gela, named after the earlier battle. When I arrived in 1969, the division had been in country four years, basically sticking to base camps and night defensive positions, patrolling the bush and setting ambushes at night. The Americans and the South Vietnamese owned the day; the North Vietnamese and South Vietnamese communists (Viet Cong in the vernacular of the time) controlled the night.

During the darkness, the enemy would leave their tunnels at Chu Chi, tote rocket propelled explosives outside our Lai Khe base and fire them at random. Most of the time they missed but too often they destroyed people and property. The picture shows clean up after a direct hit on a Lai Khe bunker.

Most Americans living today have little idea how traumatic the 1960s were to our country. An undigested long overdue Civil Rights movement roiled the nation. Peaceful protests demanding greater freedom for African-Americans shook the halls of Congress and led to the destruction of racial segregation.  Unfortunately rage in the inner cities resulted in riot after riot during the warmer months of those years.  

Right below summer 1966, the Rev. Ralph Abernathy, assistant to Martin Luther King, prays during a march through Mississippi at signs demanding the impeachment of Earl Warren, chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and another criticizing King.

Ironically, black and white soldiers fought together in Southeast Asia, as the USA tried to live into a great meaning of freedom for its minority citizens.  It was a turbulent, polarizing time. Divisions in the early 21st Century in this country are tame by comparison.

Below, 1st Infantry military police in Lai Khe passing a bunker, 1969.

We are born in to a time and place in history, and my time has been that of the post World War II era, the Cold War and now a protracted conflict with Islamic extremism.  My brother- in-laws and I served in the Cold War era (of which Vietnam was a part), and my nephews in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

U.S. interventions such as Vietnam and Iraq have not been wise, both conflicts self-selected by the American government in response to perceived threats.  Certainly in the case of Vietnam in the 1960s there was an over reaction to communist ideology and not enough confidence that the capitalistic system would prevail over centrally directed economic autocracies. And not enough knowledge of the long history of an ancient culture and peoples.

Below right a 1969 ambush on Highway 13 north of Lai Khe.  We called it Thunder Road, an unpaved dirt strip in 1969.  Compare if you will the same road in 2015, lined with business parks, sidewalks and lush fields.  The highway toward Cambodia is now paved with traffic lights and development.  The killing fields I knew have blessedly turned into homes and industry.

Over 55,000 Americans died in Vietnam and an estimated 1 million North and South Vietnamese.  For those of us, the 3 million plus Americans who rotated in and out of the long running conflict - 1963 to 1975, the time in country has been seared into our consciousness.  

The veterans of that war are thinning out as Mother Nature takes her toll.  Here is more of my story, one of millions. May future governments think very hard before they send young men and women into harm's way.  Many support wars when they begin; many fewer do so when the conflicts go on and on and on.

Above, fire, destruction and American G.I.s on Thunder Road, 1969

###############################################################

To know more on this conflict, one might read Patrick J. Hearden's well-named 2005 publication, The Tragedy of Vietnam.

Next post, more 1969 and 2015 photographs of one old soldier's memories....

After 46 Years...a Trip Back in Time, Part 7

by Glenn N. Holliman

A Tour of Vietnam, an old Soldier returns....

My series on a March 2015 tour of Vietnam continues with more on the medical conference in Ha Long, Vietnam, chaired by my cousin, Dr. Jim Holliman, president of an international emergency medical association.  Thanks to an invitation from Jim and his wife, Karen, my daughter, Grace, and I took advantage of the situation and traveled with them.  For me, it was my first return to Southeast Asia since leaving South Vietnam as a young soldier in January, 1970 after a year with the 1st Infantry Division.  I continue to wrestle with memories of that anguished time in my life....

Jim, below right, speaks at the opening of the Ha Long conference and medical workshops. He is the author of numerous books on trauma and the treatment of emergency situations. He is family; I am allowed to brag about him. 

Below left, Jim and speakers fine tune their headphones for the simultaneous translation from Vietnamese to English.

 

 While Jim was working, I visited the exhibits and made friends with some 22 year old translators studying to be nurses.  They likened me to their grandfather, and enjoyed practicing their English.  In this culture, the old are venerated which felt good. 

At evening, we were bused to another hotel, and the Gala Dinner occurred – perhaps dinner for 400, mostly Vietnamese.  Sat at round table for ten, and again the Lazy Susan.  Twelve courses, delightful groans when the meal of crab, pork, rice, vegetables, noodles, fish, bread, and on and on, washed down with French wine.  A Vietnamese dance and singing groups put on a continuous show….delicate dances and native songs and costumes.  Remarkable, a demonstration of their Asian cultural arts.  Magnificent.

Another banquet and more folk music and dance.  

The instrument is made of bamboo.

During the dinner, the five translators saw me and ran up and treated me like a rock star much to Grace’s amusement.  I gave the girls my social card.  Did my ego a bit of good.

A Senior Moment

And that was good because I had a lapse in attention while checking my email back in my bedroom. Struck by irritated  skin, I fumbled for a tube and squeezed some lotion on my reddened ankle.  I noticed the cream was thicker than usual, but thought no more about it.  The next morning, no itch, great I thought, and then I noticed a tube of Colgate tooth paste on the desk, next to the computer.  Hmmm…maybe I will use more tooth paste in the future.  Fortunately I did not brush my teeth with hydrocortisone!

I am posting this latest article at Christmas time 2015.  The memory of that 1969 December in South Vietnam comes back to me.  Here is a few photo of a young G.I. in a time far away.

It is Christmas Eve day, and I am typing letters of condolences from the chaplain to the parents and loved ones of Americans who have died recently in combat with our brigade, the 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry, Lai Khe, Vietnam, 40 miles or so north of Saigon.  

Why the helmet and flack jacket?  A note on the picture says we were having a raid at the time, rockets fired from outside the perimeter into the base.  Yes, it was a manual typewriter.  Make a typo and one was required to start over from the beginning.  I typed very, very slowly and concentrated. Even with 'incoming'.

More observations of both new and ancient Vietnam (and aging) in the next post!

************************************************************************************

THE CHRISTOPHER HOLLYMAN, SR.

 HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Executive Committee

Tina Peddie (California) Jeanette Holiman Stewart (Texas), Allen Holleman (North Carolina), Glenn N. Holliman (Pennsylvania), Lynn Holliman (Texas) Glenda Norris (Alabama), Sue Jones (Wyoming), Joseph Parker (Texas), Denise Goff (Virginia) and Sandra Torbert French (Florida)

CORDIALLY INVITE YOU

to

The Inaugural Meeting of the Society

at

SMITHFIELD

ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY

VIRGINIA

MARCH 31- APRIL 2, 2016

FOR

A ONCE IN A LIFETIME TOUR TO THE CHRISTOPHER HOLLYMAN'S PLANTATION CA 1682

AND

OTHER HISTORIC HOLLYMAN SITES

AND

TWO DAYS OF SEMINARS

and Round Table Discussions

ON

THE HOLLYMANS of ENGLAND

AND

SUBSEQUENT MIGRATIONS

THROUGH OUT THE USA

PLUS

SESSIONS ON HOW TO TRACE YOUR HOLLYMAN DNA, THE MASSIVE FAMILY TREE (at www.Ancestry.com), HOLLYMAN WEB SITES, THE JAMESTOWN SOCIETY AND THE NEW HOLLIMAN ARCHIVES FOR HOLLYMANS (ALL SPELLINGS) AND ASSOCIATED FAMILIES!

For information and a complete schedule of the program and times, email Allen Holleman, Program Reservations, at jallen.holleman2@gmail.com or call (919-210-6862).

  

After 46 Years...a Trip Back in Time, Part 6

by Glenn N. Holliman

This post is a continuation of my memoir of 1969 Vietnam and my return in 2015, an old veteran observing, remembering.... 

Ha Noi to Ha Long....

We board a shuttle bus with physicians and nurses and slowly move through Hanoi, heading 80 or so miles the Red River into the country side moving east and north to the coast. One village or town after another as we head to our medical conference site. Third world roads, incredible congestion and insane drivers.  Fortunately only saw one accident.  Four hours through winter gloom, rice fields and some industrialization.  

The populous seems happy, energetic and well dressed.  A bit like Central America – warm climate so one’s shop is in the front and home in the back or above if more than one floor. 

Scenes left and right 1969, South Vietnam. 

Scenes below 2015, still paddies in Vietnam, the major export, but shops like the one above have been replaced by much improved construction.
                                                                                                          

                                   

Much was as 46 years ago, and yet change has come in a major way.  The communist victory in 1975 resulted in a decade of socialist-directed state rule, suppressing but not destroying the entrepreneur spirit of the people.  In 1986, economic policy changed and the business spirit of a people arose.  Per capita income is still low, not more than $2,500 American dollars but there is a steady increase in national income.  So much to do; is this is China in 1979?

Did stop once for rest room and tourist break.  A massive gift shop complex, very modern, selling Vietnamese ‘crafts’.  Fifty young people, embroidering, bend over their needles and fabric, souvenirs, lacquer, paintings, pearls, drinks, overwhelming stuff to buy.  But clean and interesting.  Back in the bus and through the rain to Ha Long.

Ha Long – Here we went through a toll booth to get to an island along the coast.  Fog and mist, but arrived at Saigon Hotel (photos below).  Modern, the whole area is modern and new, as this part of Vietnam has invested to attract conventions, such as ours, and well healed tourists.

Marriott style rooms – quiet nice, wi fi of course in 2015, and friendly Vietnamese and others from America and Australia.  Staff lovely, cheerful and willing to do anything to make us happy.  Happiness is a hot shower and a rest before the opening banquet.

Banquet food served on a  lazy Susan, ten courses!  Fish, squid, prawns, pork, rice, soups (two kinds), salad, wine, beer, bottled water and some dessert that tasted a bit like coffee beans.  

Below, dinner in Ha Long, left to right - Grace, my daughter and cousins Karen and Jim Holliman.

  Well, I must show bits of the feast at the banquet!

My daughter, Grace, in Ha Long, Vietnam

A Vietnamese folk band played for us, and strangely a television flat screen in the corner remained on, featuring a Milan fashion show. The conference leaders from Vietnam, a president of the Hanoi medical college, and another person, a professional lady, greeted us at the end of the banquet and then broke into song! 

It was delightfully bizarre – a 50-something college president sang three tunes, walking from table to table with a portable mike as if he was Frank Sinatra.  Then his female colleague greeted us and sang several songs celebrating International Women’s Day.  Amazing cultural trait!  I loved it.

Collapsed in bed, still suffering jet lag, but recovering…..Grace, my daughter, a good trooper.

Cousin Dr. Jim Holliman and I wear a coat and tie (me in white), and am by far the oldest person here.  The young nurses and physicians from V.N. think I am a senior doctor and treat me with deference.  I try to discourage them, well, not very much.

More observations of both new and ancient Vietnam next post!