We continue with Part 16 of the 16 part series Deja Vu: Vietnam. The series of videos is made using Google Earth to focus in on various parts of Saigon and surrounding areas of Vietnam. Then overlaid with video footage filmed in 2007 with ‘fade backs’ of videos and photos going back to various time points in prior years. Some all the way back to 1882 Saigon.
In this video we travel down the past and present Bien Hoa Highway to visit the South Vietnam National Military Cemetery, Thu Duc Water Plant and the New Port Bridge. Then we’ll be travelling back to Tan Son Nhut Airport for departure from Vietnam.
Each of us lived in Saigon at different times during the years from the mid-1950’s to 1975. Because of the span of time we lived in Saigon, different parts of the series will mean more to each of us … but, they will all trigger memories and experiences of your time in Saigon.
Enjoy …
A Born To Wander Production
This completes the 16 part series. I hope everyone has enjoyed it. And, that it has refreshed your memories and experiences of your days in Saigon. I know it sure has mine. I’m sure all of us have had questions lurking in the backs of our minds about Saigon and Vietnam … perhaps some of those questions have now been answered for you though these videos.
For those of you going to the Saigon Reunion 2009, I hope you’ve been reminded of long forgotten places … you’ll want to put on your agenda of places to revisit while in Vietnam for the reunion.
For those who will not be attending the reunion, perhaps this ‘virtual’ revisit to Saigon will serve to satisfy your yearnings to return to Saigon.
While this is the last part of the official series, I’ll be making two additional posts, in coming weeks, pertaining to Deja Vu: Vietnam. Stay tuned!
As always, you are welcome to leave you Comments below.
Bob
Bob: Brings back memories. One Saturday, my brother and I drove my motorbike to Bein Hoa and then continued south towards Vung Tau. It was, for us a quiet and peaceful drive. We decided to turn around before we got to Vung Tau, because the trip was a lot longer than we expected. I believe we were more than halfway there when we turned around. We heard on AFN Radio that a USAID worker had been kidnapped by the Viet Cong along the route we traveled after we arrived back Saigon – boy that was too close for comfort! . As I recall this was in the Fall of 1964. I don’t recall the name of the AID worker, but I believe he was subsequently killed or died.
Bein Hoa is where I landed as a Lieutenant in 1970 and departed in 1971. It was much different than it was in the early 1960’s. Also I recall the communist propaganda was the highway was built so the “American’s could land B-52’s” – it really was at the time a highway to the middle of nowhere. Ken Berger
Great comments Ken, thanks for sharing. Yes, I remember even back in my early days of Saigon the road to Cap St-Jacques was a risky adventure sometimes. But, it was so beautiful once you got there.
Bob
I enjoyed the entire series. With few pictures of the 3rd Field Hospital, I had hoped to see 100 Pee Alley and the Hotel Columbia. However, your tour is truely a work of art. I visited many of those locations and as you, I would love to go back. The Vietnamese have a unique way about themselves, seemingly full of joy most of the time. Your series brought back good and bad feelings, mostly good, and I will be telling many people about it. Great work!
I forgot to mention that I spend many an afternoon at the Miami Swim Club. I have a few pictures of it, when staff of 3rd Field spent a day there. I dove off the top of the tower so many times the top of my head began to ache. I’ve always thought it caused my baldness.