Statue Honors Canines in Combat
Four breeds—Doberman pinscher, German shepherd, Belgian Mali- nois and Labrador retriever—flank a soldier in the nation’s first monument honoring dogs in military service, dedicated in October 2013. The nine-foot bronze statue was erected at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, where dogs have been trained for military uses as sentries, scouts and trackers since 1958. The drive to establish the monument began with John Burnam, who had spent 10 months working with a scout dog—a German shepherd named Clipper—in Vietnam. More than 400 of the dogs used in the war were euthanized in Vietnam when the war ended. Burnam has now spent decades working to honor the dogs’ faithful service—what Burnam called “radar on four paws.” “Serving with these hero dogs is how I learned of their incredible lifesaving capabilities during combat situations,” said Burnam. “The dogs’ sight, hearing and sense of smell were far superior to that of any human soldier I had ever observed on the battlefield.” A final element to the monument is the addition of a bronze dog water fountain.
U.S. and Vietnam Sign Agreement on Clearing Land Mines
Only an estimated 20 percent of the unexploded bombs in Vietnam have been removed. On Dec. 16, 2013, representatives from the United States and Vietnam signed an agreement regarding locating and removing this deadly legacy of the war, as reported by Thanh Nien Daily. The agreement commits $4.5 million from the United States—in addition to $65 million already supplied over the years. The goal is to map the country, identify remaining ordnance and establish a center overseeing the collection of data and the records of victims. Another $500,000 was given to Clear Path International, a group dedicated to aiding people maimed by land mines.
Kerry Returns to Vietnam
In December 2013, Secretary of State John Kerry met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in Hanoi to discuss maritime security, territorial disputes, trade agreements and human rights. He also spent time traveling the Mekong Delta, talking about the threat of climate change and the importance of establishing fair access to the river’s water for all six nations that share it. In his public remarks regarding his meeting, Kerry noted that the United States is the leading trade partner of Vietnam and the seventh largest investor in Vietnam. Not only has trade between the countries increased 50-fold since relations were normalized in 1995 but more than 16,000 Vietnamese are studying in the United States. This was Kerry’s 14th trip back to Vietnam; he traveled frequently to Vietnam in the 1990s to reopen normal diplomatic relations. His most recent previous visit was in 2000.
Vet’s Artwork Focuses on Vietnam
Kevin Bowen, a Vietnam veteran turned writer, professor and painter, recently displayed 34 portraits in a Hanoi exhibition. Bowen’s fascination with the country never subsided, and since his Air Force service in 1969, he has returned to Vietnam each year, working on building and sustaining a better understanding between the nations and their peoples. His oil paintings depict Vietnamese artists—poets, painters and writers—that he has come to know and respect. For 27 years, Bowen directed the William Joiner Center for the Study of War and Social Consequences at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, which helped promote improving the American connection with Vietnam.
‘The Things WE Carried’ Exhibited
Readers in Wilmington, N.C., have chosen Tim O’Brien’s suite of stories about the Vietnam War, The Things They Carried, for “The Big Read,” a national community-based program designed to celebrate the power of storytelling and encourage reading for pleasure and enlightenment. To help bring the story of war to life and encourage participation by a diverse audience, the Office of the Dean of Students at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington, put together an exhibit of items that students, faculty and staff carried with them while serving in the armed forces. The exhibit, which includes a display of photographs, is called “The Things WE Carried: UNCW Community, Deployed.” Also, in mid-January the author O’Brien joined the Wilmington community to read and discuss his book and the process of transforming his own experience of serving in Vietnam into literature.
‘Condom Fashion Mix’ vs. HIV
Dresses made of condoms and wrappers are promoting public discussion about HIV prevention in Ho Chi Minh City. Fashion student Nguyen Minh Tuan began developing the project as part of his university work, and seven dresses incorporating 25,000 condoms debuted at a ceremony on Nov. 28, 2013. Timing the event to coincide with World AIDS Day on December 1, Tuan wanted the public to see and feel the condoms to overcome ambivalence about using them.
Sustainable Coffee Beans Soar
Coffee beans certified to be grown in a sustainable fashion now make up 44 percent of total production of coffee beans in Vietnam, up from 20 percent a year earlier, according to Bloomberg news. If the trend continues at the same rate, more than 80 percent of Vietnam’s coffee will be grown on a sustainable basis by 2020.
Brother Vets Create War Museum
Two brothers who served in Vietnam have created a small museum in donated space in a storefront in Minneota, Minn., according to KSTP.com. Charles and Royal Hettling wanted not only to commemorate local men who were killed while serving but also to honor the experience of both cultures that endured the war. They display photos, engravings and artifacts, many collected by Charles, who has returned frequently to Vietnam. “It’s about the impressions of two people serving at different times—one at the beginning, and the other at the end—and how the war affected them,” said Royal Hettling. For more information about the Vietnam Memorial and History Center, look for the link on the town’s website: www.minneota.com.
Low-Cost Prosthetics for Amputees
A project to create and distribute low- cost leg prosthetics to Vietnamese amputees is well under way, thanks to a Macon, Ga.-based Mercer University professor of biomedical engineering and his students. As reported by the Associated Press, Dr. Ha Van Vo, who emigrated from Vietnam in 1990, works with his students and partner groups in the Mercer on Mission program, which has volunteer projects throughout Asia. Their first trip to Vietnam was in 2009, and they have already fitted prosthetics for about 775 amputees, many who were maimed by land mines. The prosthetics are made of plastic—not the more costly carbon fiber—and do not require custom fitting.
Originally published in the April 2014 issue of Vietnam. To subscribe, click here.