Saigon. Question for those who were there
In February I will begin a month long cruise which will cover Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, and finish in Hong Kong. I am particularly interested in the three stops in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Da Nang, and Hanoi. Other than Earl, I doubt that any of our members made it into Hanoi during the war, but I'm sure that many of you spent time in Saigon. So what was the city like during the war? I picture Saigon during that time as being crowded and dirty, and filled with bars, hookers, crooked cops and corrupt officials. If it was nothing like that then I'd like to find out what Saigon was like during the war so that I can compare it with what I'll see during my visit.
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There's a little info in this thread:
https://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5723160 -
"...crowded and dirty, and filled with bars, hookers, crooked cops and corrupt officials" is almost correct. You left out the overpowering stench, the nearly constant rattle of automatic weapons fire, the thud of distant artillery, and the roar of traffic.
On the other hand there was the occasional sight of a young sylph on a scooter, black silk pajama bottoms, white silk ao dai and long black hair all flowing in the breeze - visual poetry so astoundingly beautiful that it made your heart skip.0 -
Give us a full report, Mark. I still remember the great photo essay you did from Gallipoli.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Henry0Reilly
There's a little info in this thread:
https://forums.GunBroker.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=572316
Thank you, Henry. That was very helpful.
quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
You left out the overpowering stench, the nearly constant rattle of automatic weapons fire, the thud of distant artillery, and the roar of traffic.
On the other hand there was the occasional sight of a young sylph on a scooter, black silk pajama bottoms, white silk ao dai and long black hair all flowing in the breeze - visual poetry so astoundingly beautiful that it made your heart skip.
Thanks, RR. Hopefully I'll catch sight of the latter and miss the gunfire!0 -
I drove thru Saigon a lot on convoys. There were a lot of bars open until tet 68 and then most of them closed as it got pretty tight. I remember having to slow down and stop going thru after tet. We pulled our trucks up around a traffic circle it was dark and the white mice ere having fits that we were pulling our trucks up so close to the curbs around the circle where they were. Come to find out they had clay mores all around the traffic circle aimed right at our trucks. When I first got to V N in 67 it was more or less wide open. Any thing you wanted you could get there. No problem getting around town for us. A lot of Air Force guys had apartments in Saigon and had girls living in them. They would spend all there off time in town. That all changed after tet. It had its pretty spots and its dirty spots. It was a lot different before and after tet. I am sure that there is nothing there now that would even be close to what I saw and remember. Saigon was a big place and had a lot of civilans and military living around town. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by DresserDan
I drove thru Saigon a lot on convoys. There were a lot of bars open until tet 68 and then most of them closed as it got pretty tight. I remember having to slow down and stop going thru after tet. We pulled our trucks up around a traffic circle it was dark and the white mice ere having fits that we were pulling our trucks up so close to the curbs around the circle where they were. Come to find out they had clay mores all around the traffic circle aimed right at our trucks. When I first got to V N in 67 it was more or less wide open. Any thing you wanted you could get there. No problem getting around town for us. A lot of Air Force guys had apartments in Saigon and had girls living in them. They would spend all there off time in town. That all changed after tet. It had its pretty spots and its dirty spots. It was a lot different before and after tet. I am sure that there is nothing there now that would even be close to what I saw and remember. Saigon was a big place and had a lot of civilans and military living around town.
Dan, I appreciate your insight, and feel free to post more often in the forums.0 -
I never was in Saigon or DaNang City. All of my time was on various types of military bases, or on transportation going to one or the other, but l think you have it pegged correctly. So, if I went back, I'd like to go to the places where my memories were formed. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by kimi
I never was in Saigon or DaNang City. All of my time was on various types of military bases, or on transportation going to one or the other, but l think you have it pegged correctly. So, if I went back, I'd like to go to the places where my memories were formed.
Thanks, Kimi. There is a stopover at Da Nang with a tour going to Hue, the old capital of Vietnam, but I think I'll skip Hue and spend the day at the beach at Da Nang!0 -
I never made it to Saigon but I can give you a little info on what the weather will be like from personal experience....very sunny, very hot, very humid, very wet and very dusty all in the same day, day after day in a Grunts life [V]. Beautiful countryside especially from the air.....enjoy [;)] 0 -
quote:Originally posted by mark christian
quote:Originally posted by kimi
I never was in Saigon or DaNang City. All of my time was on various types of military bases, or on transportation going to one or the other, but l think you have it pegged correctly. So, if I went back, I'd like to go to the places where my memories were formed.
Thanks, Kimi. There is a stopover at Da Nang with a tour going to Hue, the old capital of Vietnam, but I think I'll skip Hue and spend the day at the beach at Da Nang!
Have a safe and wonderful trip, Mark. It sounds like an awesome adventure! I remember one day my unit had a picnic at Red Beach not far from Da Nang. It was really a nice setting.0 -
You can thank Kennedy for the bars & prostitutes. He had President Diem murdered & got rid of his sister-in-law the "Dragon Lady" who wanted to get rid of all that.
During her brother-in-law's presidency, Madame Nhu pushed for the passing of "morality laws" outlawing abortion, adultery, divorce, contraceptives, dance halls, beauty pageants, boxing matches, and animal fighting, and closed down the brothels and opium dens.0 -
From fellow vets who have gone back, I can tell you this: NOTHING is left of what we remember. Even the runways at old airbases are gone. It is an entirely different country now. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
From fellow vets who have gone back, I can tell you this: NOTHING is left of what we remember. Even the runways at old airbases are gone. It is an entirely different country now.
U-tube needs to be checked out, many clips show how much its changed [;)]0 -
Mark, not to divert your purpose, where will you be in Australia? 0 -
Saigon in the 1960's: the wharf area was very busy and crowded, lots of ships unloading. Tuo Duo street was the main strip for night / bar activity, very crowded and busy where you could buy anything and get cheated exchanging money. There was a nice sub-division where many Air Force personnel lived (forgot the name). The Vietnamese were very skilled and you could buy nice oriental paintings, tailored clothes and leather holster / belt rigs. Tan Son Nhut airfield was extremely busy and the morning departures there of the various types of aircraft was really something to see (from an aviation viewpoint). 0 -
quote:Originally posted by Junkballer
quote:Originally posted by Rocky Raab
From fellow vets who have gone back, I can tell you this: NOTHING is left of what we remember. Even the runways at old airbases are gone. It is an entirely different country now.
U-tube needs to be checked out, many clips show how much its changed [;)]
+1
I asked a friend who is an aucctioneer of heavy equipment, he has been there last year and again this year. He is a gun nut, but not a vet, only 51 years old. He thougth he would find loads of SKS's and AK's cheap to bring back.{don't ask}. There was NO signs of a war to be seen.
Just a country hungry for more and more of the "capitalist" way of living.0 -
quote:Originally posted by He Dog
Mark, not to divert your purpose, where will you be in Australia?
No problem. Here is the itinerary for the first leg; Sydney to Singapore:
Unfortunately I am only in Sydney for a single day. I used airline miles and the best flight I could get (for free) arrives on 13 Feb., which is the same morning that I depart.
The second leg; Singapore to Hong Kong, shapes up like this:
Time is Vietnam is limited to three day-long stops, with no overnights. That was a disappointment because nightlife in Saigon (HCMC) must be wild! I conclude the trip with a three night stay in Hong Kong.0 -
Mark in Darwin, rent a car. Take the Stewart highway South to the turnoff to Humpty do. On the SE corner is a place called the Diggeridoo Hut. A fine place to see and buy Aboriginal art in the NT. Further out that road toward Kakadu Park and off a little north of the highway is a place called Fogg Dam. Back in the mid 50's some Yank decided to build a 1/2 mile dame across the Adalaid and Mary Rivers flood plain to catch flood water to hold for growing rice through the dry season. The project failed by the dam remains and created one of the most interesting wet lands any where. Greatest population density of water ptyhons in Australia, many bird species, and the occasional croc to chase you around on the dam. One of my favorite places. Darwin is a bit of a touristy boardwalk, and no doubt the good bars have all changed since I was last there.
The art museum in Sidney is pretty interesting as well. Otherwise it is a big city. The Aquarium on Darling Harbor is worth a visit, The Taronga Zoo across the bay from the Opera House is also very interesting.
Beware Aussie hamburgers, they come with an over easy egg and a slice of beet.
Best beers in our opinion are XXXX Gold (4X gold) from Queensland and James Boag, from Launceston, Tasmania. Draught naturally.0
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