Returning to Vietnam

John,

Welcome (back) to Vietnam and thank you for your service.  You had multiple references to both I and We in the post above.  Which is correct?

It is " we " my fiance and myself.

jhoys wrote:

It is " we " my fiance and myself.

You probably meant your fiancee, unless your future spouse is a man.  The word is borrowed from French, the actually spelling is fiancé (husband-to-be) and fiancée (wife-to-be).  When writing in English about your future wife, you can ignore the accent atop the first e if you don't want to search for it on the keyboard, but don't forget the second e.

jhoys wrote:

The part of closure Is that I served the United States Marine Corps from May 1966 through January1968 in what was then known as the “ I Corps “.The I Corps  extended from Chu Lai toCon Thein  which was the most northern military base in Vietnam. I wanted to revisit some of these areas  I served in at that time. Unfortunately most or all of these areas are no longer recognizable to me or they have been completely changed by the Vietnam government.

I was in I Corps.

I don't understand "unfortunately".

I was pretty thrilled to land in Danang and see that virtually all signs of our previous occupation have been eradicated.

Of course, if I ever get really nostalgic I can ask for permission to join the Agent Orange cleanup at the airfield.

Seriously though, "the Vietnam government" hasn't been able to "change" or eradicate all visible signs of our having been here.

Maybe that handicapped person you saw begging for ₫1,000 VNĐ notes today was one of these people:

Vietnam's Forgotten Victims of Agent Orange

You say you came for closure.

Didn't it occur to you that the Vietnamese people would get on with their lives as much as possible after we finally left in 1975?

I recently interacted with another Marine who served here during that same time frame.

He moved here from Thailand but couldn't come to grips with the present reality of life in Vietnam.

He also has never overcome the moral injury that sprang from his need to see the Vietnamese people as something less than human.

That happens in all wars, of course, but you and I were both taught to think that way starting in Basic; even before that, depending on our backgrounds.

He failed to last 6 months here and has now returned to The States.

I really do want you to feel welcome here (Welcome, Marine! 🇺🇲😎👍) and I sincerely wish you good luck as you attempt to do what a lot of us are also attempting.

I simply encourage you (if you haven't done so already) to start looking for the closure you seek by accepting and embracing the humanity of the Vietnamese people.

Cheers!

No problem she is definitely a woman!

During the war Vietnam was divided into five Corps. I Corps was from the DMZ to Da Nang, which was basically Marine Corps areas of operation.
The following link will show all 5 Corps and what military outfits were responsible for each Corps.
https://images.app.goo.gl/593zgpA2gjtRFCBEA
When it comes to agent orange the US government and the Vietnam government have been very lacking in helping anyone not only the Vietnamese people but  The US soldiers that served in those areas affected by each and orange.
I have a saying I returned from Vietnam but Vietnam returned with me I am one of those soldiers that was affected by  agent orange.
When it comes to closure I don’t know what kind of combat situations you were in but for me I returned to try to remember those I lost, giving the  Ultimate sacrifice

John, I sent you a private message.

jhoys wrote:

During the war Vietnam was divided into five Corps. I Corps was from the DMZ to Da Nang, which was basically Marine Corps areas of operation.
The following link will show all 5 Corps and what military outfits were responsible for each Corps.
(Link Removed)
When it comes to agent orange the US government and the Vietnam government have been very lacking in helping anyone not only the Vietnamese people but  The US soldiers that served in those areas affected by each and orange.
I have a saying I returned from Vietnam but Vietnam returned with me I am one of those soldiers that was affected by  agent orange.
When it comes to closure I don’t know what kind of combat situations you were in but for me I returned to try to remember those I lost, giving the  Ultimate sacrifice

I sincerely pray:

"May The Memories of Your Friends Be Eternal!"

It was clear from your first post that you wanted to go this route and have the kind of discussion most of us avoid on this website.

The moderators call it "host nation sensitivity" and this wouldn't be the first thread to get shut down because someone felt a compulsion to unload about their experiences during The American War in Vietnam.

It happened to me.

As for care in the USA for those American veterans exposed to dioxin poisoning during their time in Vietnam, it's a fully indefensible position to infer that care and compensation given to U.S. veterans is somehow on par with what the Vietnamese people have endured and are continuing to endure to this day.

I speak with some authority: I am rated 100% by the U.S. Veterans Administration for combat related disabilities incurred as a result of my service here.

Through very thorough and competent care given by the V.A. healthcare system, I have tested positive for elevated levels of porphyrins, a clear sign of dioxin poisoning.

Because of my Agent Orange history, the V.A provides total care and compensation for a number of my now-chronic physical ailments.

I didn't even need to test positive though.

As you certainly know, exposure to Agent Orange is considered presumptive for any service members who set foot in this country, or who served in the brown river waters or blue ocean waters off the coast.

That means that adult onset diabetes and many other conditions (heart disease, cataracts, peripheral neuropathy, etc) are also automatically covered for medical treatment AND monetary compensation.

Contrast that with what the Vietnamese people (shown at that link I shared) continue to endure today, without compensation from US.

No one begrudges you the right to mourn those you have lost.

I truly hope you come to be at peace about that.

I know some people who can help you with any search for sites where you served.

But you might want to remember that this is a public forum, with both expats AND Vietnamese citizens reading what we write.

Also, if you become close to Vietnamese citizens (which I sincerely hope you will) I advise against being too quick to share about your mourning of fallen comrades in arms.

You are now surrounded by a nation full of people who lost far more in that war than you and I can possibly fathom, and who graciously welcome us here, in spite of their own persistent state of mourning.

If you have the opportunity to retrace your steps a bit, there is a memorial near Tam Kỳ, Quảng Nam to the hero mothers of Vietnam who sacrificed so many children and close relatives during the war:

Google Maps Link

I hope this country indeed becomes your new, lasting home.

Excellent reply Oceanbeach.

Hi John. There are lots of facebook sites listing properties for sale and rent, right throughout the country. Only problem is 90% of the listings are from agents who negotiate an amount with the owner, and then pocket the balance from the tenant. This is often substantial. Some advice would be to find a base for a week or two and have your partner deal directly with owners. They owner would know that a foreigner would be moving in but possibly she could negotiate better.

About the only thing left in Danang, are the old FAC radar array on top of Monkey Mountain!

John, retired (1990) USNavy here.  I've been living over her for 16 years...spent 7 years in Saigon, mostly in District 12.   Moved to DaNang because of the weather and beaches, not to mention the lack of gridlock at times in Saigon.
Why do you want to live in Saigon?  Have you actually looked at other places to live?  Cost of living is different from city to city. 
You can get an online 120 hr TESOL Certificate online from a San Diego company easy...Completed the course in 3 days...didn't need it, but got it anyway.  Been teaching with permission from both the Education and Labor department here with immigrations 'thumbs up' as well. 
Getting things done through the government has been very easy here compared to Saigon and no 'coffee money' thus far...a couple baskets of flowers for an assist over the years but no exchange of money. It's not like many of the other places I've visited and lived over here. 
I can imagine that your bride to be is from Saigon and for her to move around or away from family would not be a desired choice.  Mine moved from Hue to DaNang years ago.  Great beaches and that salt water here does wonders for the body. 
As to putting things in order...I lost my brother back in Nov. 1970 over here...I intend to die here with no regrets of the history of past.  Only that of tomorrow.   Hope your healing continues to increase...god speed, fair winds and SF.

I recently returned to the States after a vacation in Danang. I could live there with no problem.