Anybody gone back?

[Tom-ADC]

To Viet Nam to visit or vacation? It was suggested to me the other day by some friends that are going to tour the area. Now none of these people have ever been there, heck I haven't been there since 1971.
Just curious if you went what do you think of it now & if like me would you visit or not.

[1Shirt]

Been there once, that was enought for me!
1Shirt!

[Carolina Cast Bullets]

From what I have read and seen on internet travel sites, Vietnam
is today a tourist attraction that is both very inexpensive (once there) and quite
exciting. My StepSon and his wife have sent pictures and letters from their vacation
there.

Jerry
Carolina Cast Bullets

[starmac]

I was a hair too young to have to go there, and never thought of a reason to want to go there.
My uncle and best friend, spent several years there in the sixties as civilians, he loved it and may never have moved back, if it wasn't a have to deal. I watched lots of old reel to reel movies he took, the years he was over there, one of the highlights was hog hunting with the mountain ords, with knives. lol

[462]

Nope, I'll never go back.

Why help support a Third World commie government that tortured and murdered an unknown number of people whose only "crime" was to hold differing political and religious views?

Besides, there are too many places in the United States that I want to see, so I'll keep my tourist dollars at home.

[bradh]

Spent 1966 in Vietnam, don't think I will go back but the thought has crossed my mind.
Da Nang and Dong Ha...

[Rick Hodges]

Nope, I'll never go back.

Why help support a Third World commie government that tortured and murdered an unknown number of people whose only "crime" was to hold differing political and religious views?

Besides, there are too many places in the United States that I want to see, so I'll keep my tourist dollars at home.

+1...never went the first time..but see no reason to go now.

[felix]

Afghanistan is way different! My son spent a year there doing agricultural eduacational work for Chemonics International. He got to visit many places. The scenery is like no other towards the northern mountains, as in Himalayas. A serious hotel chain will do no wrong in the future. ... felix

[Tom-ADC]

Yea, I also have a problem spending tourist dollars in a commie country. I see no reason to go back. Think I'll work on my friends to see if I can talk them out of it.

[Houndog]

Been there, done that and have NO desire to return. I was there in 67-68.

[Guesser]

I was there parts of 65, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73. Never more than 4 months at one time, was in Thailand in support, also P.I. I have been seriously considering going back for a short stay in VN, visit Thailand and the P.I. Last time in Thailand was 78, P.I. 85. I keep thinking I need to go. I have retired navy acquaintances that live in and various places around the P.I. I don't mind telling anyone; I miss the old days, they gotta be old cause I'm 67 and went in the navy in 63, I think I need closure. Isn't that what it's called now? Good excuse, anyway!!!!

[starmac]

I was a pretty young kid, when I mentioned going to a foreign country to see something, I don't remember what or where, but I do remember what he said. I will not live long enough to see everything this country has to offer, so why would you ever want to go to some foreign country.

[jcwit]

Nope, I'll never go back.

Why help support a Third World commie government that tortured and murdered an unknown number of people whose only "crime" was to hold differing political and religious views?

Besides, there are too many places in the United States that I want to see, so I'll keep my tourist dollars at home.

Plus 2

Was not deployed out of the country during my hitch in the U.S. Army in the 60's, but I confer with your feelings.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

G/Co, 75th Inf, the Ranger Company assigned to the 23rd Infantry Division. August of 1969 thru September of 1971.

I would go back, if I can go in a Comanche Helicopter or B-52 with nukes...

Rich
Sua Sponte

[hunterldh]

I was there again just last night.

[ammohead]

Hell I won't even go to California!

I work with young vietnamese fellow. He went back recently for a wedding in the family. He said that only the cities have anything going on economically. He visited some relatives in a rural area and he said the electricity is off as much as on. They turn it off in rural areas whenever the cities need the current.

[curator]

I wouldn't give those people the time of day no less than some american $$$. No one ever comments on how they violated the treaties they signed and the millions of their own poeple they killed or tortured in "re-education" camps. I would only go if I could give them a taste of their own medicine. They should be an international pariah-state and no one should trade with them under any circumstances.

[Guesser]

yeah!! as the old timer says; Hell, if it weren't fer flash backs, I wouldn't have any memories at all!!!!
Remember the lightening in the hills after dark? That's what we thought it was the first time we saw it, then the rumble caught up with the flashes, it wasn't thunder!!!

[leftiye]

Love the sight of a vulcan strafing a hillside at night!

[starreloader]

No need to go back... some days those long ago memories are still real.. Nov 66 to Feb 68

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I will expand my choices to include a pass or two in "Puff."

Rich

[Bullet Caster]

I agree with 462. Been there, done that and have absolutely no desire to return to a place that only holds bad memories. Besides there are plenty of places I haven't seen in the U.S. and would NOT like to spend any of my $$ in a commie country. USMC - Vietnam '71-'72. BC

[contender1]

My brother did two tours in Nam. I'm a bit too young to have been sent over. (Just after it.) I served with many vets who were there, and I know a bunch more.
That said, I have no desires to ever go there. I enjoy travel, but I have to look at a bigger picture.

We have a wall.

We STILL have MIAs unaccounted for. I still have a current POW/MIA bracelet. I know people who have travelled there looking for remains. Lots of still unanswered questions.
We are still missing our soldiers.
The only way I would go would be if I was going to recover an American soldier or his remains. Otherwise, we gave them way too much back then. I'll not continue to give to them.

[lbaize3]

Was there from March of 1967 through February of 1968. Less often now, I do dream about Vietnam. I can't think of any reason to go back. And as I explain to waitresses that I can not hear in noisy restaurants, "I lost most of my hearing long ago in Southeast Asia and have not gone back to find it."

[Beekeeper]

Never lost anything there but part of my youth and money.
Haven't found a reason to go back and look for either one.


beekeeper

[Guesser]

I made some friends in several places over there, have kept in loose contact with some and a couple managed to get out and are now U.S. citizens. Great people and they have a much better and more complete appreciation for this country than most of the people who have been born here. I like that, they have offered to accompany me or me with them. I'm very tempted!!

[Rick N Bama]

I wouldn't take a million $$$ for the experience, but I wouldn't give a nickel to go back.

Rick

[bruce drake]

I feel no desire at all to return to Iraq or Afghanistan or where ever the next deployment takes me.

I'll go if the Army says I got to go because thats the nature of my job, but I don't think I'll be doing Battlefields Tours of Fallujah, Najaf, Kirkuk, Baghdad or Kandahar in 20 years either when I'm retired and in my "golden years."

Bruce

[WARD O]

While I missed the main event, I had a very good friend that spent a lot of time on river boats as a Marine. A few years ago he went back to visit and said he couldn't recognize much of anything as the place has changed so much - went all fancy commercial touristy. He went with some friends from that era and they had a great time. They ended up spending most of their time in Thailand - seeing the country via rented Harleys.

He would continued to go back to Thailand each year to meet up with old and new friends for the bike riding. I would guess he would be preparing for this years trip right now if cancer hadn't taken him last summer.

If you want to do it - get up and go - times a wastin.

ward

[beagle]

My old platoon sergeant went back several years ago on business and made a visit to the old "hood" and sent new pictures. The place had built up and is prosperous. He said the communists were still there with their BS (mostly behind the scenes) as they know that affects tourist dollars. They're still giving the surviving montgyards a hard row to go but they keep things quiet as they want the business now and our tourist dollars.

Go back? Sorry, I saw enough with two tours and darn sure wouldn't want to repeat a tour under Obama's guidance./beagle

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Nope. 70-71 was enough for me. I don't know what happened to that kid that went over there but he wasn't the same person after. Ok, but not the same.
You can use Google earth to see picture of the place now. I can make out a couple of old roads and an old and rusty building that I used to walk by. Maybe you can find your old base or area.

[Guesser]

I worked really hard at becoming a "bamboo american". Never got it done. I had an uncle that was a China Marine with the 4th prior to WWII and an acquaintance that was a China Fleet Sailor in the same time period. Their stories when I was growing up in the late 40's into the 50's led me into the Navy. I liked East Asia, that's where I spent the majority of my career, that's why I keep thinking of going back.
If I hadn't married a "round eye" I would probably have retired somewhere over there.