U.S. aircraft carrier to visit Vietnam in post-war first

Reuters ^ | 1/25/18

[iowamark]

In a post-war first, the United States is poised to send an aircraft carrier to Vietnam in March, officials of both sides said on Thursday, dramatic evidence of deepening military ties between them, more than four decades after the Vietnam War.

The announcement came during a two-day visit to Hanoi by U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that had been expected to focus on shared concerns about China.

The proposed visit is set for March at the central port of Danang, Vietnam’s defence ministry said in a statement. Such a visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier could bring the most U.S. forces to Vietnam since the conflict ended in 1975.

[Berosus]

The vast majority of today’s Vietnamese were born after the war, so they don’t see any reason to hate us.

[zot]

I have been told that stories about the help we provided through Civic Action have been passed down from generation to generation in South Vietnam.

[GreyFriar]

Based upon what I found/hear in small villages in Normandy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Holland during my tours with US Army Europe about good memories of US troops helping them during WWII, I think that the stories about the good done by our Civic Action folks being remembered is true.

[onedoug]

I was a medic with 1/1 Cavalry, Americal Division in central South Vietnam, 68-69. Some of my best memories are being part of MEDCAP teams in our AO.

Went back with my daughter in 2000. Some places much the same. Some very different. Whole sets of new people. Wonderful place. And in the South they really like Americans.

[zot]

I was Civic Action Coordinator for the 315th Tactical Airlift Wing at Phan Rang in 1970.

I haven’t been back to Vietnam, but one of my friends married a local Catholic girl, and he has kept me posted.