Comments for Saigon Kids and American Community School

Comment on The Gecko Project: 1964 Gecko Yearbook by Admin

Admin — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:43:28 +0000

Hi, Bill and welcome to our Saigon Kids group. Great having you join us.

The 1960 and 1961 Gecko yearbooks are located in the Photo Gallery (see left Menu area to get to the Photo Gallery). But, thank you for your kind offer.

Bob

Comment on The Gecko Project: 1964 Gecko Yearbook by Bill Child

Bill Child — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:53:37 +0000

I was in Saigon from 1959 thru 1961, and attended 4th and 5th grades – I have copies of the Gecko yearbook for 1960 and 1961 – I’d love to scan them and upload the pages if you are interested? If you can provide a email/web location I’ll do that, thanks!

Comment on I moved to Saigon in 1966 and attended the PSG by elvera roussel

elvera roussel — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:28:21 +0000

Hi John, please drop me a line on my email. Be well, Elvera

Comment on 50th Anniversary Reunion Of Civil War Veterans by Admin

Admin — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:14:30 +0000

It is interesting to note that USA involvement in the Vietnam War (which was also a Civil War to the Vietnamese people) started 100 years after the start of the American Civil War. Thought to ponder: What did we learn during that 100 year span of time?

2013 will be the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the American Civil War. Thoughts to ponder: What have we learned during that 150 year span of time? Are we still fighting wars for the same reasons we have for the past 150 plus years? Have we learned to live in peace and harmony? Will we ever?

Comment on Golden Gate Quartet: 1958 Performance at Saigon Alhambra Theater by Gene Taylor

Gene Taylor — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:13:56 +0000

I remember (1956) the World Series being shown, inning-by-inning, at the Alhambra. Was on 16 mm film. I was very bored as a 9 year-old but my father and brother got to see Don Larsen’s perfect game.
Very small American community at that time and the Air Force pilots were always asked to bring back a movie to watch–one that we hadn’t seen 3 or 4 times.

Comment on 44th Anniversary: ’68 Tet Offensive by Kenneth R. Yeager

Kenneth R. Yeager — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:23:36 +0000

I was home on leave with orders to Vietnam in my pocket. Word of the Tet offensive came on the TV and needless to say, my mom was just so upset. I arrived in Vietnam just a few days later and the first night in country, the VC blew up the ammo dump near the reception center at Long Binh. As a support trooper (commo), I was assigned to a helicopter HQ at Long Binh and while we got shelled or rocketed a few times, the year was pretty much uneventful, thank goodness. Was home in January 1969.

Comment on Saigon Kid Obituary: Sondra Shankey Ewell by frank

frank — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:26:52 +0000

Vicki, So sorry to hear about your Mom. You are named after a special person. A lot to live up to! The Shankeys are always held to a high spot in my mind. I do not know how many people influence a person in their lifetime, but I know your grandparents, mother and Aunt had a very big influence on me. Regards, Frank

Comment on Jay Reimer – Phoenix Study Group – Joins Blog by John Gustafson

John Gustafson — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 17:36:32 +0000

I moved to Saigon in 1966 and attended the PSG. I remember the classroom I was in was the size of a large room with corregated tin for a roof and one light bulb hanging from the ceiling. They were still in transition then. We came back to the states in 1971. What you all knew as our school I believe was the third field hospital after your evacuation.

Comment on Saigon Kid Obituary: Sondra Shankey Ewell by Vicki (Ewell) Goldberg

Vicki (Ewell) Goldberg — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 14:40:35 +0000

Thank you all so much for sharing these wonderful memories of my mother! She spoke fondly of her time in Siagon and all the amazing friends she made. Thank you again for your memory share.

Vicki

Comment on Jay Reimer – Phoenix Study Group – Joins Blog by Cindy Nguyen

Cindy Nguyen — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:05:47 +0000

My older sister Patricia and I went to the Phoenix Study Group in 1965? to finish out the academic year when ACS abruptly closed down. We were both born in DC and had American passports, but we were Vietnamese, so stayed in Saigon until 1966, when my father (Nguyen Dinh-Hoa–he wrote English-Vietnamese and Vietnamese-English dictionaries) became cultural attache to the embassy in DC, which made it possible for my mother and two younger siblings (born in Saigon) to come to the States with us. I was in 3rd grade, I think. All I remember is that the PSG was in some sort of residence with an awesome swing set.

Comment on Jay Reimer – Phoenix Study Group – Joins Blog by Virginia Wilson

Virginia Wilson — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:36:05 +0000

I attended PSG in 1973 and 1974. I was in Mrs. Brundages 3rd grade class. We lived on Cong Ly. Does anyone remember Megan and Maurie Donahoe? If anyone has any contact information for them I would love to get in touch with them. My dad ran the hospital for the National Rehabilitation Institute just down the street from the PSG and my mom worked Dick Hughes – the Shoeshine Boys Foundation. I was there for 2nd and 3rd grade. Live in VA now and would love to reconnect with anyone from those days.

Comment on I Wasn’t Afraid Of Anything by Suellen Oliver Campbell

Suellen Oliver Campbell — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:13:45 +0000

Dear Leri~
I worked on the first Gecko with Jeannie and Judy Smith at the helm. It was quite an accomplishment at the time. It took lots of time, effort, creativity and support to have it printed. I am still the proud owner of it and I hope you will thank you dad for helping us in such a great way to save our Saigon memories.
Happily we were out of Viet Nam before the coup, but were there for a few other “exciting” memories in 1958-60.
Suellen

Comment on I Wasn’t Afraid Of Anything by Leri Thomas

Leri Thomas — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 22:53:04 +0000

Sorry I missed that, but I was there for the first coup. It actually held up our departure. I was struck by Ron’s comment that he wasn’t afraid of anything. Neither was I! They murdered a general across the street from where I lived and they were driving trucks through the city with 50 calliber machine guns on them. You could hear mortar fire as well. I think my parents had a lot to do with my state of mind. Back then American citizenship meant something. I was 5 in ’55 and lived in Saigon from 55-60. My father helped launch the first Gecko.

Comment on I Wasn’t Afraid Of Anything by Robert Pollock

Robert Pollock — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:26:02 +0000

IIRC, the movie playing when the theater was bombed was ‘The List of the Adrian Messenger’ starring George C. Scott. This stuck in my memory because there was a bombing (of an airplane) in the movie.

Comment on I Wasn’t Afraid Of Anything by ron ryan

ron ryan — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 19:23:25 +0000

I remember all the things you talked about. I was 10 yrs old in 1955. I had Mrs. Armstrong for one of my classes. I was in the theater when it was bombed and went throught the Coup also. Wow! What an exciting time for a kid. I wonder if you were in one of my classes. I will look you up in my year book.