Richard has found our Blog and joined. Welcome Richard!! 
He was in Saigon from 1958 to 1960 and attended the American Community School.
His father, Frank, was a Project Director with JDP (Johnson, Drake and Piper) construction company who built Highway #1 in Vietnam.
Richard’s father was a good friend of Father Crawford helping to build his church. Father Crawford was the sponsor of our Baseball team *The Teenagers* at American Community School. In fact, if he had not helped us when we were starting the ball team up, we may never have had a ball team in Saigon.
Richard lived with his family at the JDP Compound while in Saigon.
I’ll let him fill everyone in on the rest of his adventures in Vietnam.
Everyone give Richard a *BIG WELCOME* –
We are glad you found us, Richard. Please feel free to make Posts to the blog and leave your Comments to others Posts, as we share our memories and experiences of Saigon.
I’m sure everyone would enjoy hearing about your visits to the Highway #1 construction camps.
Bob
PS: If you’d like to reconnect with Richard, you can contact him directly through *Friends Connect* located at the top of the left side Menu area.
I was an alter boy for father crawford spent a lot of time with him. I served the mass for President Kenndy was a real sad time. I been wondering what ever happened to father crawford. I enjoyed watching him buzz aroung on that motorcycle of his. My mother and father always said that God rode on the back seat with him. I would like to find or make contact with anyone that knows Robert Peck, Hal Brient and Rip Westmorland we use to hang out a lot with each other. The VC bombed a hell of a lot of places in Vietnam but during our time there 1962-1965 they kept away from the church.
I dont care to much about talking or bring up memories of Vietnam. Brings bad dreams. I saw to much for a kid that should have never been there in the first place. I till this day dont know what my parents were thinking of taking their four children to such a terrible place. For me the Kinh Do theater bombing was the last straw from that day on I started wetting the bed sleeping under my covers no matter how hot it was. When I went back to the states I had all kinds of problems until a doctor told my parents that I was showing all the sides of a combat veteran. What shocked my parents they never told him that we were in Vietnam and I never ever talked to him about it. Well that took a load of my back he started treating me as if I was in combat and to tell the truth I was. Several hundred other children were in the same boat with me. I still wonder sometimes when I read some of the stuff on this blog site that some of these kid now grandparents think or make comments to how cool it was back then. What was cool watching one community after othe burn down around Saigon. Bodies being laid out on the streets to be pick up because of the pest. Or maybe it was cool to watch some poor budist monk burne himself to death. Yeah I saw it all and it was not cool.
Gilbert – Father Crawford has passed away. From what I understand he remained in Viet-nam after South Viet-nam fell to the North in April 1975.
Rip is an attorney in New York. I don’t have confirmed contact information for them. Perhaps some of the other SKs might know how to get in touch with him.
I don’t have any information on Robert Peck or Hal Brient. Maybe someone else has been in touch with them and will come forward with contact information.
I’m saddened to learn of the problems you encountered as a result of your stay in Viet-nam. I don’t think any of the SKs think the bombings, destruction and loss of human lives, which took place around them was *cool*. Also, from talking with some SKs who were in Saigon from 1962 and thereafter, I think most (like you) lived in a constant state of *fear* to various degrees.
I think what many of the SKs today refer to as *cool* about their Saigon days is in referrence to their *positive* experiences while there, such as, interpersonal relationships with other SKs, school activities, and their positive adventures in Saigon. I think most, if not all, would like to *forget* the negative aspects of their days in Saigon ever happened. I tend to agree with you, that a war zone is no place for children.
For us older SKs (such as myself) who were in Saigon prior to 1962 (mid-1950s through 1961) it truly was a wonderful experience in a beautiful city. We could pretty much go anywhere and do anything we wanted in relative safety. It really wasn’t much different then living in the States – except for us teenagers who could do all the things they wouldn’t let us do in the States (such as walk into bars and be served, etc.). We didn’t have to deal with bombings and destruction like what took place from 1962 on. My dad was with the State Department. In early 1961 the State Department advised all there personnel in Saigon to get there dependents out of the country, as things were starting to heat up and by late 1961 to early 1962 it would no longer be safe for dependents to remain in Saigon. This is the reason I was sent back to the States to boarding school in early 1961. Many of my classmates at ACS followed during 1961.
From what I’ve learned from folks who were in Saigon after I left in early 1961, in many ways, I’m glad I left when I did, as everything changed for the worst (in my opinion) starting shortly after I departed. I truly don’t think I would have enjoyed Saigon much after 1961 or so. Particularly, having known and experienced what a wonderful and beautiful place it was while I was there.
Peace be with you …
Bob
I was there from 1961 to 1963, away and then back in late 1963 to fall 1964 and yes, there was and had been some attacks, but most SKs were pretty calm about the whole thing. I was NOT there during the bombing of the theater and I am sure I would have been “shell shocked” as well.
While not directly related to SK stuff, I was a GI in Vietnam from 1968-69 (just missed the Tet Offensive) and we were shelled or rocketed a number of times during my Army stay. After that, any time a firecracker went off or the door to my communications vault to slam shut (metal on metal) and I jump…and that lasted for years. Fortunately, I was a support troop and didn’t have to endure some of the horrors that many GIs did in Vietnam. As a cop in Florida, I also saw my share of dead folks, some not pretty. But to return to the SK thread, Bob is right…Saigon was a great place to be and I don’t regret a moment I spent there as a teenager, (dancing with Brooksie was soooo much fun)…could have done without the Army time, but even that wasn’t too bad for me.
Hot as hell in north Germany….gotta ride.
Ciao – Ken
Being a Sk from 1958-60 changed my life. I was very fortunate to have only good memories from Saigon, but my heart goes out to any kid, American or otherwise, who has had to endure any effects from being in an area experiencing conflict.
Saigon was a beautiful city and bonding with other SK’s and reuniting with them after all these years is an amazing experience. My opportunity to learning, through this blog,that so many of us have led productive, and interesting lives is great news to me, and I hope you can reconnect with your friends too, Richard.
Welcome.
Suellen
Greetings all. What a difference a year or two made in our experiences in VN. Having been there from ’55 ( or early ’56) to ’60, the only wars I experienced were those at home. Actually, when the first coup happened, there were trucks traveling through the city with 50 caliber machine guns atop. A general across the street from us was eliminated. But I think my father’s calm attitude toward all of it was what saved me from any sort of serious trauma. I knew there was fighting. I knew you couldn’t leave the city. i knew people were getting ambushed, but I never felt afraid. The domestic scene wasn’t great as my folks didn’t get along. That probably traumatized me more than bombings and war. Fortunately I returned to the States before the Brinks bombing and the burning monks – thank God. I have missed the place for most of my life and hope those who were damaged during their stays there are able to reconcile those experiences to the degree that they can rest easy now. Blessings to all. Seullen, I was there when you were, but I was in the fifth grade.
Cheers
Leri
I know what you mean, Leri – since starting this site I’ve found it very interesting how all of us have so many different memories and experiences depending on the time we were there, what age we were then, and other variables, etc. – and, the effects our Saigon days had on each of us.
Bob, thanks for the kind welcome to the ACS site. Gilbert, my heart goes out to you for having to grow up in those difficult times in Saigon. I was 7/8 years old when my family was there. I only have fond memories…even though I did sense a danger “out there”…usually after tagging along with my father when he drove into the countryside meeting with construction crews. He/we were stopped more than once by the fledgling VC guerilla bands. In a strange way they never really threatened my father…maybe because he made a point of embracing/employing many of the villagers in building HWY #1… maybe because they knew he was a friend of Fr. Crawford.
I hope to post some Saigon pics from my family’s photo collection in the near future.
Suellen, thanks too.
We’ll be sitting on the edge our chairs waiting to see you family’s photo collection –