Saigon Kids and American Community School » Vietnam History

White Christmas: The Fall of Saigon

Admin — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 13:46:51 +0000

A short “documentary” about the fall of Saigon and the role that the Bing Crosby song, “White Christmas” played in this historic event. The recording was broadcast on the radio on April 30, 1975, as a secret, pre-arranged signal precipitating the U.S. evacuation of Saigon.

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French Tri-Car In Vietnam: 100 Years Ago

Admin — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:14:50 +0000

Annam 1905 Gabrielle Vasscal Driving Tri-Car. Click to Enlarge

In her book On and Off Duty in Annam (1910) Gabrielle Vassal tells of her and her husband’s rather eventful journey from Nha Trang to Daban in their new Tri-Car.

Not being familiar with the term Tri-Car I was wondering if it would have [...]

READERS CORNER: Saigon and Viet Nam at the turn of the century (1900)

Admin — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 23:42:57 +0000

Click To Download Book

Title: On and Off Duty in Annam (1910)

Subject: Great “turn of the century (1900)” tour of Viet Nam – Travel, Social Life and Customs.

Author: Gabrielle M. Vassal

Review: This is a great read for anyone with an interest in Viet Nam. The book is the travel narrative [...]

Slide Show: Memories of Saigon Then and Now

Admin — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 05:32:46 +0000

This is the second in a series of slide shows contributed by Pastor Tom Johnson who was assigned to the 3rd Field Hospital (formerly American Community School) as a Chaplin’s Assistant and Medic from 1965 to 1966.

When his son learned he was planning a visit to Viet-nam, in February 2008, he suggested taking [...]

Slide Show: Memories of Saigon 1965 and 1966

Admin — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:46:57 +0000

Pastor Thomas Johnson who was a Chaplin’s Assistant at 3rd Field Hospital from the Fall of 1965 to Spring of 1966 has been kind enough to contribute this slide show of photographs he took while in Saigon.

These pictures will give you an idea of what Saigon was like during the year following the [...]

Slide Show: Memories of Saigon and Viet-nam

Admin — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 05:01:11 +0000

Saigon Kid Steve Pryplesh brings us this awesome slide show presentation.

He got it from and old Army buddy of his. It is quite a collection of pictures of Cap St-Jacques (Vung Tau), Saigon, Cho Lon and other sites around Viet-nam.

They brought back many memories for Steve of 1959-61, 1971-72, and a visit [...]

Bye Bye To Passage Eden in Saigon

Admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 15:41:05 +0000

In April 2010 demolition began of the old Passage Eden, a central Saigon landmark.

This short video shows areas of the building before all ‘tenants’ were ordered out on April 8th. At least 150 owners of apartments on floors three to five of the est. 1947 French colonial structure are resisting moves by the [...]

Old Saigon The Way It Was In 1955

Admin — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:16:25 +0000

I thought everyone might enjoy seeing Saigon the way it looked in 1955. This collection of films was taken in November 1955.

Those of us Saigon Kids who were in Saigon prior to 1961, this is pretty much the way Saigon was when we were there. The rapid changes, in Saigon, seemed to [...]

Kinh Do Theater Saigon – Now Playing: Man Of The Month – Ho Chi Minh

Admin — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:34:48 +0000

Welcome to Saturday At The Movies with Saigon Kids.

This week we’re at the Kinh Do Theater in old Saigon since this film is about the leader of the people who were responsible for the bombing of the theater. This film is from the 1960s TV show “The Twentieth Century” regular feature “Man Of [...]

How Opium Led To You Becoming A Saigon Kid

Admin — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:02:23 +0000

Have you ever wondered what went on in Viet-nam and Saigon during the period between World War II and the mid to late 1950s when Americans started arriving in Viet-nam – and why?

I did, in my continuing quest to learn how I became a Saigon Kid.

This took me on a journey [...]