Here’s a brain twister for all you Saigon Kids. Let’s see how good your history and memories of Saigon are …
What historic event took place today (November 11th) in Saigon during 1960?
Leave your answers and memories of the day below in the Comments section.
Bob
Cheryl Smith’s Birthday!!!
Yep, that too Frank … lol
Well, on the morning of November 11, 1960, we were all at home, because it was a legal U.S. holiday: I was home from school, Dad from his job as a USOM advisor at Tan Son Nhut, and my older brother who had landed a job as a courier for the Embassy. But Mom had to get up, because she was duty secretary that holiday at the Embassy. While she was getting dressed, there was gunfire heard in the distance (the presidential palace was about 4 blocks away) and a stray bullet hit the roof of our house. Dad claimed it was “just those damned French celebrating Armistice Day.” The duty van came by and took Mom off to the Embassy, still blissfully unaware of what was going on. She soon found out as she hugged the floorboard of the van as it sped to the Embassy! Later, one of the men at the Embassy she was supporting got hit by a spent bullet as he lollygagged on one of the upper balconies. So November 11 has a special significance to me and my family: it was the day of the abortive coup attempt that Ngo Dinh Diem managed to quash.
I also remember that day. Since we did not have school that day I had taken my basketball and started the 6 to 8 block walk to the Cercle Sportif. I walked up to where the Commissary and found VNA preventing me from going any closer.
I got in a ciclo(sp)and basically circled the Palace, the Cercle Sportif and the park before giving up and returning home. At that point is where I started hearing the gun fire.
I also remember that by the time I returned home my mother was besides herself with worry about where I was. We then spent the remainder of the day at home. A few other American Military Officers did show up.
The next day or the day after I walked around the front of the Palace and saw the holes where the bullets had landed.