I sure did Steve. Dinh and I attended each other's 60th birthdays because when he got out of Vietnam in 1980 he came to Australia. He had named one son Hugh and I spoke at Hugh's wedding after Dinh's untimey death. Jim Pringle visited me in Australia a few times (read "Lost in Noosa" for one) and we remain in contact today. He lives in Paris with his Cambodian wife Milly. Norma came to Singapore to work when I was there and she took me to the home of the Shaw Brothers who make all the Chinese movies on a cliff overlooking the water with its own theatre. Julie contacted me on my 80th birthday -- she said she remembered the day because I'd forgotten it was my birthday until a few days later in Vietnam and she couldn't believe anyone could do that.
Your writing Hugh is so very immersive I was there with you wondering how on earth you were just going backwards and forwards to the offfice with bodies dropping so near you
You couldn't say anything better Maureen than "I was there with you" ... that is my aim with these substack stories: to take readers to places they've never been and cannot go to.
I know sitting in Brisbane it is hard to image what I was going through -- but what happens i life is, you get into a dire situation, and you just try to get through it as best you can.
Some, like 3 of the 5 reporters in our office, didn't get through it. They've been dead since May 1968.
Did you know our old friend Dr Terry Casey who was in Vietnam about the same time. I I have just realised we knew little about his experience as he wasn't a writer .
I don't think anyone in Australlia knew just how bad it was for the individual civilian -- which was good. But Olive did say at Eagle Farm aerodromewhen I arrived home after weeks of Tet:
Thank you for your eye witness accounts of the events in that terrible war Did you ever catch up with Jim, Dinh, and the two British girls Hugh?
I sure did Steve. Dinh and I attended each other's 60th birthdays because when he got out of Vietnam in 1980 he came to Australia. He had named one son Hugh and I spoke at Hugh's wedding after Dinh's untimey death. Jim Pringle visited me in Australia a few times (read "Lost in Noosa" for one) and we remain in contact today. He lives in Paris with his Cambodian wife Milly. Norma came to Singapore to work when I was there and she took me to the home of the Shaw Brothers who make all the Chinese movies on a cliff overlooking the water with its own theatre. Julie contacted me on my 80th birthday -- she said she remembered the day because I'd forgotten it was my birthday until a few days later in Vietnam and she couldn't believe anyone could do that.
Hugh
That is heart wrenching..
Ha ha..it could have been worse..Danny Kaye for example
Your writing Hugh is so very immersive I was there with you wondering how on earth you were just going backwards and forwards to the offfice with bodies dropping so near you
You couldn't say anything better Maureen than "I was there with you" ... that is my aim with these substack stories: to take readers to places they've never been and cannot go to.
I know sitting in Brisbane it is hard to image what I was going through -- but what happens i life is, you get into a dire situation, and you just try to get through it as best you can.
Some, like 3 of the 5 reporters in our office, didn't get through it. They've been dead since May 1968.
Hugh
Did you know our old friend Dr Terry Casey who was in Vietnam about the same time. I I have just realised we knew little about his experience as he wasn't a writer .
..
That is heart wrenching Hugh. No, most of us would have no idea about a lot of things if
it weren't for writers like yourself who give first hand accounts.
Jack would have known him I think as he knew most of our friends through David Millar
That's terrifying Hugh. Olive and Fred and Jack and family must have been worried sick.
I don't think anyone in Australlia knew just how bad it was for the individual civilian -- which was good. But Olive did say at Eagle Farm aerodromewhen I arrived home after weeks of Tet:
You look so old, you look like Bing Crosby".
Again Hugh, superbly written and holds the reader alert - even to the horrific circumstances that many went through and are still going through today.
Deserves to be read and reread. Gay
Yes Gay, I wrote it at this time so raders would know what tens of thousands will be going through in the middle East.
Hugh
Almost forgotten history and so well told
Thanks Ian -- that's why I write these little bubbles: so that important things will not be pushed aside by things that don't matter.
Hugh