Vietnam War: Tales from my time entertaining the troops
<p><em><strong>Over60 community writer John Strange toured South Vietnam in 1965 with Australian entertainment group “The Beaumarks”. Here, he shares a few tales of his time entertaining the Australian troops.</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">The Rex to Dang Dung</span></p>
<p>I was a 20 year old when I first went to Vietnam in 1965 and was pretty much a stereotype of a young bloke at that age. Wide eyed at the wonders of the world and full of adventure and bravado.</p>
<p>The first gig we had was working on the roof of the Rex Hotel BOQ for the Yanks in downtown Saigon. We had been housed in a villa at Dang Dung (the street name district 1) with another Australian band, The Rajahs. It was about three or four miles from the Rex in Saigon's suburbs.</p>
<p>We would usually get to the gig under our own steam depending on what we had been up to during the day but getting home was a different matter. A curfew at midnight meant everyone had to be off the streets so it was essential we all got home after the gig. Maybe a quick “Bud” and then downstairs to the street to round up three motorized cyclos.</p>
<p>Motorized cyclos in those days had a well-worn seat similar to a two-seater lounge chair with a two-stroke motor scooter behind and a driver perched on top. Sitting in the seat out front, always felt dangerous as it seemed you were being propelled through the traffic out in the open with no protection, taking your life into your own hands. And you were!</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="333" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816572/cyclo_500x333.jpg" alt="Cyclo"/></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>A cyclo in Vietnam. Image credit: John Strange</em></p>
<p>At this point in time, inflation had not hit Vietnam and the normal cost of a motorized cyclo ride between the Rex and Dang Dung was the equivalent of about 20 to 30 cents.</p>
<p>We would round up three cyclos and offer the first one to reach Dang Dung the equivalent of $5, and the others would be paid nothing. This would normally take quite a bit of broken English, some French, some Vietnamese and a lot of sign language to get the message across, but the thought of a $5 fare at the end of the night usually had the desired effect. A bloody good quick ride home was assured for us all.</p>
<p>We would hop aboard with two in each cyclo and take off. The ride never ceased to be exhilarating to say the least and possibly the best ride I've ever had in anything at any cost. You had to hang on for grim death for fear of hitting something or falling out as the driver swerved in and out of any traffic, pushbikes, pedestrians, motor bikes, horse drawn carts, cars, taxis, other cyclos or anything else that was on the street and in the way. White knuckles and wind swept hair were the norm and quite often a scream, a yell to the other participants or a whoopee of sheer terror or excitement would add to the overall effect.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><img width="500" height="338" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816571/dang-dung-john-1965-saigon_500x338.jpg" alt="Dang Dung John 1965 Saigon"/><br /></em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Dang Dung John in Saigon, 1965. Image credit: John Strange</em></p>
<p>We usually arrived at the villa with almost a dead heat and all would just about fall out of the cycloes laughing at the release of making it home alive. Most times the drivers were well rewarded for the ride of a lifetime and everyone ended the trip very happy.</p>
<p>In 1965, the war was not the only dangerous thing in Saigon! </p>
<p align="center"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vietnam Christmas - 1965</span></p>
<p>In this day and age I feel I could be addicted to Vietnam. I log onto Vietnam sites of a day and I’m always looking for new sites or checking updates. I read books and keep my eye out for things pertaining to the war, and love conversing with Vets and other entertainers who were there, and understand. People who were involved <em>just know</em> and there is an understanding and kinship. It seems like I’m thinking about Vietnam, and my time there, constantly.</p>
<p>It may have been triggered off by my first Christmas there and my first Christmas away from my family and home, and the feeling it gave to be able to give back to the people that were there for all of us.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><img width="500" height="695" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816570/christmas-day-menu-2_500x695.jpg" alt="Christmas Day Menu 2"/><br /></em></p>
<p><em>Christmas Day Menu. Image credit: John Strange</em></p>
<p>We were the first official Australian entertainers to go to Vietnam to entertain our armed forces and were sponsored by the RSL (Returned Soldiers League). I travelled as a young bloke of 20, and was overwhelmed by the adventure, the excitement and the experience of not only entertaining our own troops, but performing for Americans as well. It never occurred to me that my parents were horrified at the thought of their son going into a war zone or that I would be in any danger.</p>
<p>I had my 21st birthday in Saigon and I had a great time. We worked a club on the eve of my birthday and invited a whole bunch of people home to the villa where we stayed downtown, in one of the suburbs. We had a great party, champagne and the works. No official stuff, just a good slap-up party. Slept most of the next day then got up, and did it all again. So, in reality, I had two 21st birthdays, and for me, they were really great and a lot of fun.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="350" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816569/christmas-lunch-menu-bien-hoa-1965_500x350.jpg" alt="Christmas Lunch Menu Bien Hoa 1965"/></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Christmas Lunch Menu at Bien Hoa, 1965. Image credit: John Strange</em></p>
<p>It wasn’t until quite sometime later in my life that it dawned on me that I had robbed my parents of my 21st. I know now, as a parent, that one of my life’s goals is to be with my daughter on her 21st birthday. I wonder what my parents were thinking on December 11, 1965 while I was in Saigon having a great time. It’s something that I can never give back to them.</p>
<p>I woke up on the morning of Christmas Day, 1965, and I felt pretty terrible. It was my first Christmas away from my parents and home, and I felt very very melancholy.</p>
<p>“What in the bloody hell am I doing here?” was on my mind. It was the little boy coming out in me and it didn’t feel too good. It was the first realisation I had of what I had taken on and what I was doing, and at that point in time, it left me in the doldrums.</p>
<p>There were three shows organized for that day: two at Bien Hoa and one at Vung Tau. Three shows in a day is normally a tough call, but this day looked like being the toughest and I felt unsure.</p>
<p>As I showered, shaved and had some breakfast, things were pretty quite in the villa and maybe the other guys had similar thoughts and feelings. I had all my things ready to go when the Aussie military blokes arrived (Pick-Up as we called it) to escort us to Bien Hoa.</p>
<p>The first Aussie bloke I bumped into as he came into the house, immediately shook my hand and thanked me. I was taken aback when he said, “Thanks for giving up your Christmas to be here with us.” That continued all day. All these guys coming up and thanking me and shaking my hand.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img width="500" height="318" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7816568/lynn-fletcher_500x318.jpg" alt="Lynn Fletcher"/></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Our band “The Beaumarks” backing Lynn Fletcher at Bien Hoa Christmas Day. Image credit: John Strange</em></p>
<p>We had three great shows with Don Lane, Lucky Starr, Lynn Fletcher and a bunch of others. Everything went great especially when we joined the officers and served the enlisted men Christmas lunch. We learnt that it is an Australian military Christmas tradition and we had a great time joining in.</p>
<p>It turned out to be a fantastic day and the best Christmas I’ve ever had. From being down in the dumps first thing in the morning, to being on top of the world for the rest of the day, was just great.</p>
