1 - December 22, 2008 2:45 pm

Name:

Earl Myers

Location:

Ohio

Comments:

currently building 1/6th scale radio control Skyraider model to be finished up in VNAF colors, first of a series.
US Vietnam Veteran, 1969-70

Reply: This is a real McCoy that all VNAF modelers and former VNAF pilots can't wait to see. Don't forget to send us some photos (on the ground and in flight) once it's finished. Will be so glad to post them here for everyone to see.

2 - November 29, 2008 10:22 am

Name:

Yomama

Location:

Comments:

You're a racist scum! You should wake up and smell the coffee, you hear!

Reply: To be correct you should say: "You are a f...king yellow racist scum!" I already woke up because I smelt all shit. Hehehe...!

3 - October 27, 2008 6:15 pm

Name:

Warren Harris

Location:

Florida

Comments:

Thank you for your response to my email.

In 1977 I took my wife to a Vietnamese restaurant In Tampa, Fl a few miles north of MacDill AFB where I was stationed. The waiter and I some how got on the subject of Vietnam. He said he was a Captain in the ARVN. He said he was in charge of security of one of the biggest uranium deposits in the world which was near Cam Rahn Bay. I have searched the net to validate this claim after not thinking about it for too many years.

I had been to Cam Rahn Bay and saw a lot of mining equipment in the area and just figured that it was for mining limestone for use in cement and concrete.

Reply: There was not such "the biggest uranium deposits in the world" near Cam Ranh base. You might run into a "Wanna Be," or the guy "must be born near Long Binh ammunition site" which was the largest ammunition storage in Vietnam during the war. :o)

BTW, "must be born near Long Binh ammunition site" is a Vietnamese postwar slang (used among Vietnamese Vets) for "talking bullshit," lying, etc. It began with another war era Vietnamese slang for "bullshit": "NO" (with some accent marks literally means EXPLOSION in English). And only Long Binh ammunition dump was a potential site which might cause great "EXPLOSION." So Anyone who talks "bullshit" (NO), "must be born near Long Binh ammunition site." :0)))

Thank you for visiting the vnafmamn site.

4 - October 25, 2008 10:20 am

Name:

Warren Harris

Location:

Florida

Comments:

I was stationed on Tan Son Nhut AB Nov '69 to Dec '70. In 1970 the ARVN and VNAF disabled vets were protesting in Saigon to gain some support, medical, housing and money. I remember seeing outside the base starting at the main gate and continuing down the road towards Cholon a long line of 'cardboard boxes'. I asked about them and was told that the vets had set up a 'Cardboard City' to live in because they had no other. I was on nights and Saigon was placed off limits while this was going on. A few days later it was gone. Again I was told that the RVN government had basically told the vets to F* off and sent bulldozers to raze 'Cardboard City'. I know that the Cardboard City exisited. I saw it with my own eyes. I want to know if what I was told concerning their fate was true. From your web site I would say it is quite possibly true.
I have to choke back the tears.

Reply: The "Cardboard City" you saw near Tan Son Nhut was part of the movement called "thuong phe binh cam dui" (disabled vet grabbing land) which was staged by ARVN disabled vets in demanding for more pension and housing at that time.

During the war, an ARVN private got only about $14,000 dong (piastres) a month (equal to 20 tickets at REX cinema in Saigon or 20 Dunhills packs of cigarettes). So their money would last for only the first week of the month. For ARVN disable Vets, their pension would be much less than that. Remember the old mamasan who sold cigarettes on sidewalks in Saigon? That was where we (ARVN junior officers and soldiers) can buy "a few cigarettes" at a time because we don't have enough money to buy a whole pack.

As I remember, Saigon government had to use ARVN elite troops to clean up the "Cardboard City," because Saigon police couldn't handle those stubborn, tough disabled Vets who had no thing to lose. A village for ARVN disabled Vets was later set up somewhere near Thu Duc, but of course it wouldn't solve their problems in general. For those who were still in service, most prefer to die rather than wounded in battles.

After Saigon had been "liberated" in April 30, 1975, there was no more ARVN disabled Vets' protest in Saigon, because even the ARVN "whole piece" Vets had been sent to concentration camps dubbed "Trai Cai Tao," and their families to rough country areas dubbed "new economic zone." For those wounded ARVN soldiers who were still hospitalized for treatment in that final moment, all had been thrown out literally on the streets.

Check on this photo

5 - August 12, 2008 2:39 am

Name:

Harry Smith

Location:

Hervey Bay Qld,

Comments:

I note your Long Tan story. I have to say that needs updating as we now know more about the enemy side of the story, and I would like to get all the facts right in 2008.

Please E mail me and I will send you an update.

Otherwise, a good article,

Harry

Reply: Hello Major Smith.

It would be great to have updated part on Long Tan story. This reply is also sent to your email. Thank you for the writing. A salute to all Long Taners.