Deja Vu Vietnam: Pt02 (MACV)

[Slumpnasty]

I revere all you old fuckers, especially my dad.

[landman7]

In 1969 I moved from J2-TASE to the Dodge City as the Detachment First Sergeant and was tasked with moving most of the troops out of the downtown hotels and into Dodge City, Richmond and all those 2 story barracks. I've often wondered about the old buildings and your pictures bring it all back. Many thanks.

[MrJeggus]

Wow, you knew Nancy. I remember her. I was a dependent also as my father flew for Air America. I lived there from 1966 to 1969. I was a young and impressionable 12 to 17 years old during my stay. My sister filled in as weather girl for AFVN after Chris Noel left. We lived in Cholon on Nguyen Tri Phoung street and in Phunuan about a half mile from Tan Son Nhut on Cach Mang street. Nancy's parents were kind of protective especially when it came to GI's.

[MrJeggus]

@MrJeggus Sorry I meant to say i was there from 1966 to 1971

[lstewartsa]

I was in Strategic Research and Analysis Branch as 1st Lt Army 10/71-8/72 at MACV. Thanks for the vids.Our office was directly across from the Air Amer hanger. I tell people how hard the duty was because the pool was so far away. Never thought I'd see vid of the pool! Good orientation technique, too. Thanks.

[dneuman100]

I can't seem to recognize anything in this Video. I was stationed there in 1971. We had concrete block billets. Outside one side of the housing was the EM Club. Across was the USO club with attached swimming pool. There were woods that we went through to get to MACV Hdqrts, it opened out to a parking lot, to the right was Abrahms and Weyands living area. To the left across the parking lot were the hdqtrs bldg.

[cliffworks4321]

@dneuman100 I was all over VN doing musical shows for the USO in hospitals, on bases , last day in VN Sept 25, 1972 met Gen. Weyand at MACV HQ. He said, Cliff I know you've seen a lot don't believe everything you saw, I replied, General I will only believe what you tell me I saw, and we cracked up. I reconnected with the great man in 2006 in Hawaii, he was a fine musician played sax and lap steel guitar. I attended his funeral services in 2010. RIP my wonderful friend.

[Skythecheckman]

Fantastic, you wouldn't have any pictures of Peeler Compound, enlisted barracks on

main drag out from MACV headquarters?

[ChelseaTheBlue01]

i'm going to vietnam tomorrow, thank for ur video and for ur service in vietnam

[maineiac99]

My stomach did a flop flop seeing the pool. When I first arrived in country in Nov. '70 I was at MACV waiting in-country assignment. On a hot sunny day I went swimming in that pool. I remember it vividly like it was only yesterday..altho there are times when that all seems like a lifetime ago. Thanks for the memories.

[borntowander]

@maineiac99 I'm glad the video brought you pleasant memories.

[dwtpa97]

Fantastic set of videos showing wartime and present Vietnam structures and sites. Thanks for posting this video.

[jwain0]

I spent from Jan 1965 until June 1966 in Siagon assigned to CM&R at MACV1 HQ.  MACV2 HQ was out on Trung Hao Dao. I couried classified docs between these two HQs, the 7th AF HQ at the airport and the American embassy. There was nothing like this video shows during those 18 months I was there. We stayed in BEQs but they were actual hotels through Siagon and Cholon.

[DEWEYTUBE2009]

If there's any of you guys from the IG's office out there, you may remember me. I was the resident "commercial artist" who supplied the officers and nco's with graphic devices such as maps and charts for their reports and investigations. I'm 64 now and wasn't drafted until I was 25 back then. Most of my peers were slightly younger than I was then. Any 60 year old guys remember this stuff...feel free to chip in. In addition, there was "craft center", library and photo lab there in Dodge City.

[DEWEYTUBE2009]

As for the swimming pool, the best time to use it was late at night when it was closed. Some of us used to sneak in there late at night to cool off, normally to be thrown out once we were discovered. When I first arrived in 9/72, I was living in two-story wooden barracks directly across the street from Dodge City. As I recall there were about a half dozen of those barracks. Eventually we were assigned to Dodge City with the NCO Club directly across the street from my window.

[DEWEYTUBE2009]

Nice job, I like your technique of merging your old photos with the and google earth stuff. I spent 11 months working at MACV Headquarters in the Inspector General's Office (actually a Full- Colonel Cook) from 9/72 until 8/73. Dodge City had no mess hall at the time I was there and the mess hall was located a few blocks north of the swimming pool. It looks like the red roofed building from the air.

[TroyBilt007]

I feel sorry for all the american and south vietnam vets that had to fight in this war. I am 49...too young to serve and I am thankful for that. This was a totally useless war. We lost over 58,000 lived needlessly. I'm also sorry for the vietnam people who had to live under communism. But, from what I have read things in vietnam are much better now. Not GREAT but a hell of a lot better.

[TheHartford3]

Tannks borntowander for these great videos. I served 1969 in Co.C , 716MP Bn at TSN. Our barracks (1stpt) was by the golf course. And the pool. Remember the Tet vets talking about cong coming out of tunnels in the golf course and cemetary. I stood "guard" at the gate by the (across) airport many times. Later moved to Co. downtown on TranHongDao. Dam if I can remember the name. Keep thinking New Years Hotel. Probably the Capital you mentioned in one part. Just don't remember. U#1,bw

[harringtongroup]

regarding the old gate to the airport- up until maybe 4 or 5 years ago- there was a very old fashioned toll booth style building spanning the main road. I assume this was the guard area for the airport?

[nighthawksh]

I enjoyed the video. I spent a lot of nights in old Dodge City and across the street at the club. Was there from 10/68 to 8/69

Lots of memories,, thanks

[tunglovemusic]

thank you interested in my country , my country have lot of nice sightseeing

[caroleinmn]

Your videos are amazing. You can tell an awful lot of time and thought and organization was put into them. I introduced my brother to them today and he said he was amazed. He was based at Tan Son Nhut in 1970 and was first an MP and later one of Gen. Abrams' guards. He's been showing me all around the place via your video remembering the places he worked and visited. He cannot believe all of the footage you have taken and can't thank you enough.

[mannheim316]

Thanks for the info!

And,I just wanted to say Great Vids.

Vietnam,looks like a really interesting place,wish I could have seen it the 60's&70's.

[mannheim316]

What's the parked 707 all about????

[borntowander]

The Boeing 707 seen in Google Earth was placed there post-1975 and re-configured as a restaurant. I didn't look for it on my last trip, so I don't know if it's still there.

[harringtongroup]

yes indeed it is still there. I would not want to eat there though! the plane is worse for wear these days, you can no longer eat inside- but underneath the wings. Great series of videos. It is am azing how fast this place changes. In just 2 years since you recorded these videos- there are lots of big changes. Particularly around the airport.

[joker7147]

great video i know those area

[eatandtravel]

I can't stop watching, Frank.

[drwhite2348]

How can I send you some pictures of the MACV annex. I lived on the north end, west side from 4/70 through 5/71. Have many pictures.

I walked that street daily where you met Nancy. I personally saw very few American women while there. Mostly those in the HQ where I worked. Knew none personnaly. I used to fly model aircraft on the helipad next to General Abrams house. Man, thank you for this video. I wish I had it on DVD. End to many a dream.

[flyfort1]

Wonderful video! I lived in Saigon as a GI in 1971 and have often wondered how it had changed. I worked at MACV and CICV and lived on MACV Annex as well as Muscara Compound on Chi Lang Street. I walked that road on which you met Nancy many times. Your project has brought back a lot of good memories and allowed me to give some good visuals to what up to now have been only narratives of those days to my family. Have you got this available on DVD or other media? Thanks for the posting.