I also wanted to add a couple videos that I had not posted before – Enjoy.

Check it out –   the music really sets the tone!

Fred Bergerson - Camp Evans 1968

I was contacted recently by one of my men, Paul Seaton, after he discovered our blog online. I had lost track of him for more than 40 years. He sent along some photos, [including the one posted here]. This photo will give the people we traveled with [as well as those who’ve followed our blog] a sense of how close we were to the actual place where the 191^st Military Intelligence Detachment worked at LZ Evans. The road where we parked at LZ Evans prior to the memorial service was on the airstrip. You can see that location clearly in the picture, because there are a few aircraft parked on the runway. We then walked towards where I was standing in the picture to find a suitable place to plant the flag.

The trip is a gift that keeps on giving. Reuniting with Paul Seaton, with whom I worked so closely, is a special pleasure for me. You may recall the story of how when I lost weight, one of my men, who started out more slender than I, was losing at the same rate. For example, when he went from long-large to long-medium, I went from long-extra large, to long-large. As I lost those 70 pounds, I kept getting Seaton’s fatigue pants, rather than having to wade through the vicissitudes of the Army supply system.

Fred Bergerson - Khe Sahn

Cpt. Fred Bergson was featured in Bill Bell’s Memorial Day column in the Whittier Daily News.

http://www.whittierdailynews.com/business/ci_15194011

The war is over - meeting olf VC & NVA in Hue

Frank wrote: “I recall our meanderings in Hue. When inside the Citadel we came across two “ex-VC” and one former NVA type. They all went to great lengths to share with us the following sentiment,  ‘The war is over, we are friends now.’ While I still have much to work through from that trip, I must admit, ‘The war is over, we are friends now.’ Peace”

http://www.hanoitimes.com.vn/newsdetail.asp?NewsId=13962&CatId=15

Hanoi

Within any country there are regional differences and rivalries, north vs. south, east coast vs. west coast, etc. Vietnam is no different. As we traveled north from Saigon/Ho Chi Min the people of the south good-naturedly warned us about the stoic nature of the northerners. One individual referred to it as “Charlie Homeland.” Very colorful description.

That said, upon arriving at Hanoi – I felt the incredibly energy of this city. It is very different from the south, but in a good way. It is very international and active. On a Monday night at 10 p.m. there is still so much life going on. Young people sit by the river kissing, others chat in restaurants and cafes, tourist continue to shop for souvenirs, and others are just trying to navigate their way home. Taking a detour from the usual Vietnamese faire, we decided to look for pizza. We found a great location – Al Fresco. We had pizza, spaghetti and to my amazement, quesadillas; very decent ones in fact. The wait staff was ultra friendly and offered us complimentary dessert for this being our first day in Hanoi. I got a kick out of seeing locals (I think) eating fajitas and drinking margaritas.

Prof. Fred Bergerson with Norma Hernandez '99

In Hanoi we met up with Whittier College alumna Norma Hernandez. Norma is currently stationed in Vietnam and works with ambassador. We were all very proud to find a Poet working at such a top job so far away from home.

Guard at Ho Chi Min's Presidential Palace

One of the lasting impressions of Hanoi was the great contrast between  communism and capitalism within the city. You can see vestiges of the old way — a statue of Lenin and Soviet flags waiving high; we also visited the tomb of Ho Chi Min – Uncle Ho, who is has been mummified and encased in a glass casket.We walked into the tomb of HCM

On the other hand free-enterprise seems to have taken a hold in Hanoi. Stores sell huge wide screen televisions and  there are the factories that can be seen coming in to town from the airport.

Factory in Hanoi

These buildings dot the landscape of what was once government controlled family-worked rice fields.

And the disparities between the haves and have-nots seems a bit more stark here than in Saigon. There are more people driving SUVs and Mercedes alongside the hundreds of motorbikes. Moreover, these shinny vehicles stand in extreme contrast to the women who travel from the outskirts of the city by foot and who literally carry their goods on their back to sell in the city. While

Woman in Hanoi

the practice of selling food and fruit on the sidewalk is common, it is still against the law. The women therefore risk having their items confiscated and having heavy fines imposed on them.