Southeast Asia

Thailand was the next stop following Shanghai, and the first thing on the agenda was a brief with some top Thai brass. It was rather interesting that so many general officers had so much time to spend with us since the possibility of a coup was mentioned more than once in the international press in the days before our arrival.

Fortunately for us, there was no coup. The elephants were able to stay in the zoo for a couple more months. Above is the "George Washington" of Thailand who led the Thai people in fending off the Burmese a long, long time ago. Obviously Scott was day dreaming during that part of the brief.

Just as bowing is a customary and respectfully greeting in Japan, Thailand uses the "Y." Everyone was doing it. Even Ronald. Actually, not everyone was doing it. The crazy American in the picture apparently didn't want to fit in.

And to wrap things up for Thailand (someone was getting tired of taking pictures), above is our only single Marine in the LOGTECH program. After the lovely Thai lady in the background introduced one of our speakers the day prior, the speaker noted that she is a former Miss Thailand. It didn't take long for Ted (Smith) to annoint her the future ex-Mrs. Smith. He did nothing but talk about her for the rest of the day. Above is the photo shortly after she walked up for another short tour the next day. That's one happy Marine.

Vietnam

While we did other things in Vietnam, the trip to the tunnels was by far the most meaningful to me.

This is one of the entrances to the tunnels. If an American were lucky enough to stumble upon one of these entrances, good luck fitting in. As Van, our program director, shows, it's not an easy fit for a 6 foot plus American frame.

Having a place to disappear from the Americans was only 1 benefit of the tunnels. It was also a unique place to launch deadly, harrassing attacks on American patrols. If this hole were allow to grow over a bit more, no one from the outside would be able to recognize it. It's hard enough to see with it trimmed the way it is.

A view from the other side. An easy, safe place to take a shot or two at some passers-by and then disappear.

While an effective counter to the American presence, it could not have been an easy duty for the soldier who lived in these tunnels for up to 6 months. Even with a smaller Vietnamese frame, maneuvering through these tunnels could not have been easy on the body.