U.S. Navy vessel to dock in Vietnam

[CAS3]

HONOLULU — The first U.S. Navy vessel to dock in Vietnam in almost 30 years is due to arrive there on a landmark port call in November,according to a military source and a former U.S. ambassador.
The military contact is the first since the United States pulled out
of Vietnam in 1975, withdrawing from a war that cost the United States more than 58,000 lives and left an estimated 1.3 million to 3 million North and South Vietnamese dead. There are an estimated 1,200 American POW/MIAs still unaccounted for.
A military official said Friday the ship would dock for five days in
what was largely a symbolic gesture reflecting the deepening bilateral relationship between the United States and the communist republic.
A spokesman for the Navy's Pacific Command declined to comment, citing security reasons.
Bilateral ties between the United States and Vietnam have been
improvingslowly since the former foes resumed diplomatic relations in 1995. A bilateral trade agreement was signed in 2000, and a deal to resume commercial flights between the two countries was signed on Thursday.
"The military-to-military aspect is in a developmental stage," said
former Ambassador Charles B. Salmon Jr., currently a foreign policy adviser at the Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, a Pentagon-funded think tank.
Vietnamese Defense Minister Pham Van Tra is due to visit the United States later this year, Mr. Salmon and the military source both said. It will be the first visit by a Vietnamese defense minister since the end of
the Vietnam War. Mr. Tra's visit takes place after Vietnamese Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien's recent trip to the United States.
Mr. Salmon said that despite the growing relationship the issues of POW/MIAs and human rights violations in Vietnam were still of significant concern for many Americans.
The communist government, which tightly controls religion, has clashed and arrested dissident Buddhist monks and refused to recognize Pope John Paul II's appointment of Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Pham Minh Man as Ho ChiMinh City's new cardinal.




Copyright © 2003 News World Communications, Inc. All rights reserved.

[Sparrowhawk]

It might be worth re-reading.....

http://www.leatherneck.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10263&highlight=shadow

[thedrifter]

Three decades after Vietnam War, visit by American ship signals new military ties


By Tini Tran
ASSOCIATED PRESS
9:22 a.m. November 18, 2003

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – The USS Vandergrift's journey this week up the Saigon River will be a historic one – the last time an American ship was in Vietnamese waters was during the war.

Wednesday's arrival of the U.S. Navy frigate into Saigon Port underscores the huge strides made by Vietnam and Washington in the three decades since U.S. forces withdrew from a conflict that killed 3 million Vietnamese and 58,000 Americans.

Bilateral ties between the former wartime foes have been steadily expanding since diplomatic relations were established in 1995. Trade has boomed with the passage of a landmark agreement in 2001.

But the only real progress in the area of military ties was the joint search for Americans listed as missing in action during the war.

That is changing, as reflected by last week's historic meeting between Vietnamese Defense Minister Pham Van Tra and Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, the first time a senior Vietnamese military official has visited Washington.

The USS Vandergrift's four-day port call this week is the most visible sign yet of both nations' efforts to move into a new era of cooperation.

"In the past, the presence of U.S. Navy ships reflected aggression against Vietnamese. This time, it's a sign of friendship and improving relations. That's a significant change," said Vietnamese historian and legislator Duong Trung Quoc.

U.S. experts agree that the importance of Tra's meeting and the subsequent ship visit cannot be underestimated.

"In terms of strengthening relations, having as a guest a minister of defense of a former enemy signifies that we've come a huge way," said Vietnam War veteran James Reckner, director of the Lubbock, Texas-based Vietnam Center.

"The idea that an American Navy ship will be calling in what used to be Saigon is stunning. Seeing American sailors on liberty in Saigon will be eye-opening."

American soldiers once were a constant sight here during the height of the war, but U.S. forces pulled out in 1973 after the Paris Peace Agreement was reached. Two years later came the fall of Saigon, the capital of U.S.-backed South Vietnam, to Communist forces. It was renamed Ho Chi Minh City.

Much has changed since the end of the Vietnam War, as the United States reaches out for global allies in its war against terrorism.

In that area, the United States and Vietnam can find common ground, analysts say. An equally important element driving the new relationship is the desire to rein in China's influence in the region.

"The Vietnamese have told the Americans in private that their presence in the region is a stabilizing one, but they've never said that in public because it amounts to going against China," said Nayan Chanda, editor of YaleGlobal Online and an Asian affairs expert.

"By allowing a U.S. frigate to come to Saigon, they are giving the same message."

However, both nations tread cautiously around the region's heavyweight. Hanoi, in particular, remains very sensitive about its relationship with China.

Tra's visit, reciprocating one made in 2000 by then-Defense Secretary William Cohen, came two weeks after China's defense minister visited Washington.

The new steps also herald Vietnam's burgeoning confidence in pursuing its own military agenda, analysts say.

"Nothing in this military courtship will occur very quickly. But the Vietnamese are strategic thinkers. They're not considering tomorrow. They're positioning themselves for the next five to 10 years," said Carlyle Thayer, a Vietnam expert at the Australian Defense Force Academy.

For both countries, these initial steps are necessary to overcome the lingering suspicion and hostilities that still remain, Quoc said.

"There is a legacy of war between Vietnam and the U.S.," he said. "Even though the two sides have been determined to put aside the past, in practice it won't be so simple."


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20031118-0922-vietnam-us-militaryties.html


Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[Fred Pfeiffer]

It struck me as ironic that the ship visiting Vietnam is the USS Vandergrift. I vividly remember that the Marine Corps base at Khe Sanh was supported from Fire Support Base Vandergrift in 1967 and 68.

And of course Major General Alexander Vandergrift commanded the 1st Marine Division at Guadalcanal and was later the 18th Commandant of the Marine Corps and the first full General in the Marine Corps. Quite a history around that name.

I wonder if the Vietnamese or for that matter the US press and public picked up on the significance.

It seems that the Corps can always be counted on to be in the thick of things, in one way or another.

Semper Fi,
Fred

[Sparrowhawk]

Americans in
Ho Chi Minh symbolize revival of relations

http://a799.g.akamai.net/3/799/388/5814cf7450cc18/www.msnbc.com/news/2073992.jpg



A sailor on the USS Vandegrift, a perry class guided missle frigate, throws a line to a Vietnamese dockworker in Ho Chi Minh City on Wednesday.




HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Nov. 19 — The streets of what was once Saigon were again teeming with American sailors on Wednesday following the arrival of the first U.S. Navy ship since the Vietnam War. The crew of the USS Vandegrift — many of them sons and daughters of Vietnam veterans — made a historic port call in Ho Chi Minh City during a symbolic visit aimed at boosting bilateral relations between the former foes.


“MY FATHER actually fought in the Vietnam War,” said Ensign Esther “Mary” Alcantara, 23, of Northridge, Calif., one of about 200 sailors aboard the frigate. “This trip was actually very symbolic to me, and I know to the Navy as well.”
The missile frigate, based in Yokosuka, Japan and part of the 7th Fleet, cruised up the Saigon River with American and Vietnamese flags flapping before docking on Wednesday. A chain of white-uniformed sailors stood along the ship’s railings as it came in, some holding video cameras and binoculars.
“I think one of the messages here today is that the ... U.S. and Vietnam are showing the world that former foes can become friends,” said U.S. Ambassador Raymond Burghardt, who was on hand for the welcoming ceremony at Saigon Port. American commanders later attended a ceremony honoring Vietnamese communist leader Ho Chi Minh.
Burghardt added that the United States is not pushing to re-establish a military presence in Vietnam but wants access to friendly nations’ ports instead.
The four-day port call follows a meeting last week by Defense Minister Pham Van Tra and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld — the first time a senior Vietnamese military official has visited Washington.
Bilateral ties have been steadily expanding since diplomatic relations were established in 1995. Trade has risen to more than $3 billion annually with the passage of a landmark agreement in 2001, and Vietnam recently said it sends more goods to the United States than anywhere else.

SENSITIVE ISSUES
However, the two countries have only begun working on the more sensitive area of military cooperation. As the U.S. and Vietnam find common ground on issues of counterterrorism and regional stability, future military ties will likely include more high-level exchanges as well as more ship visits.
As a first step, the frigate’s arrival in Saigon Port is an important gesture, said Duong Trung Quoc, a Vietnamese historian and legislator.


http://a799.g.akamai.net/3/799/388/feee0cf8700d97/www.msnbc.com/news/2073993.jpg

Sailors from the USS Vandegrift ride through the streets of Ho Chi Minh City on cyclos Wednesday.


“This is the first time in Vietnam history that a U.S. warship has come to Vietnam with a peaceful flag and friendly spirit,” Quoc said. “It is the result of the normalization and development process of the ties between the two countries.”
Many Vietnamese say the port call is welcome, demonstrating that old wounds have finally healed following the conflict that killed 58,000 Americans and 3 million Vietnamese.
“Since Vietnam is now at peace, it’s normal for an American Navy ship to be in Vietnam,” said Dang Van Hai, 49, a former South Vietnamese soldier who now drives a motorbike taxi.
“I’ve seen many American veterans who came back. Most of (today’s sailors) were not involved in the war and they’re visiting many countries and Vietnam is one of their destinations, so I think it’s good for them to come back here,” he said.



On Wednesday, the sailors, decked out in their white Navy uniforms, were hard to miss as they began three and a half days of shore leave. Motorbikes and traffic swirled around them in this southern city that once held a constant American presence during the Vietnam War. Saigon, the capital of U.S.-backed South Vietnam, fell to communist forces in 1975 and was then renamed Ho Chi Minh City.
Cmdr. Richard Rogers said there was so much excitement leading up to the visit that many crew members were up before reveille.
“The river transit today was fantastic,” Rogers said. “I think my crew genuinely enjoyed coming up the river and seeing the sights.”
Strolling through the city, Alcantara said she planned to check out the city’s war museum, taste the local cuisine and possibly squeeze through the tunnels built by communist guerrillas during the war.
Her first souvenir purchase was a favorite among American tourists — helicopters made from aluminum soda and beer cans.
“It means a lot to me to be back here and know that we’re establishing a positive relationship with Vietnam again,” she said, adding that her father was excited for her to visit the country where he was once drafted to fight.
Wartime Saigon was also a city synonymous with a vibrant night life, with drinking and carousing U.S. soldiers and other foreigners frequenting bars downtown and near the port. Navy officials have said sailors on this visit must be back on the ship or in their hotel rooms by midnight.
“I think they will behave themselves,” said John Smallman, a Navy special agent who handles criminal and security issues and keeps a watchful eye on sailors in foreign ports. “But we don’t want them to be so careful that nobody has any fun.”
After stepping off the ship, Lt. j.g. Don Shrader, 31, of San Diego, said Vietnam ranks as one of the top places he’s visited in his 13 years as a sailor.
“We didn’t really think it would become a reality — and here I am now,” he said.

© 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

[thedrifter]

Navy ship leaves Ho Chi Minh City after first U.S. port call since end of Vietnam War




By Tini Tran
ASSOCIATED PRESS
10:23 a.m. November 22, 2003

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam – The USS Vandegrift weighed anchor Saturday and departed Ho Chi Minh City, ending the first port call by an American Navy ship to the communist country since the Vietnam War ended in 1975.

The frigate's four-day visit came as the United States and Vietnam seek to expand cooperation beyond diplomatic and trade relations.

Visiting crew members helped improve cultural understanding as part of a reconciliation process between the countries, said the ship's captain, Cmdr. Richard Rogers.

"It's gone a long way in establishing better relations," Cmdr. Richard Rogers. "While we can't forget what happened in the past, what we're looking forward to is the future."

Vietnam and the United States established diplomatic relations in 1995 and bilateral ties have evolved, but military issues remain sensitive.

On Nov. 10, Vietnam's Defense Minister Pham Van Tra met with Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld in Washington, becoming the first senior military official of Hanoi's government to visit the United States.

Both sides have said they are eager to work together to fight terrorism and promote regional stability. Lt. Col. Steve Ball, the U.S. Embassy's military attache in Hanoi, said he expects an increase in future military cooperation, possibly including annual port calls.

The ship's crew of 200, based in Yokosuka, Japan, received four days of shore leave and swarmed the streets of Ho Chi Minh City, evoking memories of the war years when the city was still called Saigon and American military personnel were everywhere.

In their white uniforms, the sailors and officers drew curious stares and friendly greetings as they shopped for souvenirs, visited war museums and filled the bars.

"When you think of Vietnam, you see the old war movies," said Christopher Burns, a 22-year-old signalman on the ship from Luray, Va. "This is nothing like that. It's very cultural. I loved it. It's by far the best port visit I've ever had.

Wearing a sweater emblazoned with the stars and stripes, Marianne Woodside of Portland, Ore., joined dozens of Americans and Vietnamese to watch the Vandegrift leave port.

"It's real historic to have the U.S. in Vietnam after so many years. It's great to see our two countries becoming friends," Woodside said.

In a farewell ceremony, Rogers saluted a line of Vietnamese military officials before striding up the red-carpeted ramp to the guided missile frigate.

"This visit brings a new image of the relationship between Vietnam and the U.S.," Vietnamese Lt. Col. Phan Liem said at the pier. "This is a symbol of our new friendly relations."

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20031122-1023-vietnam-shipvisit.html

Sempers,

Roger
:marine:

[thedrifter]

USS Vandegrift's visit to Ho Chi Minh City opens a door after 30 years

By Nancy Montgomery, Stars and Stripes
Stripes Sunday magazine, December 21, 2003



YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Singapore was fun. Bahrain was interesting. China was great. But of all the exotic ports the sailors of the USS Vandegrift have visited — in 12 different countries since March — none made as much history as their trip to Ho Chi Minh City.

The guided missile frigate last month became the first U.S. warship to steam up the Saigon River and into port in the former South Vietnamese capital since the Vietnam War ended 30 years ago. And everybody aboard knew the world was watching.

“The first day we pulled in, we had The Associated Press, CNN, Reuters — they all came on board,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher Stenger. Pretty soon, the St. Paul, Minn., native found himself walking around the city with a Reuters reporter and cameraman, who watched him look at the famous liberty hotels from the Vietnam War and the statue of Ho Chi Minh reading to a child.

“They tried to ask questions pertaining to the war, but we don’t answer those,” Stenger said. “But I was surprised. The locals were very friendly. I saw no resentment whatsoever.”

The ship’s crew of 210 had been briefed on the importance of discretion, politeness and propriety on the visit, which had been in the planning for some months and signaled a continued attempt between Vietnam and the United States to normalize relations, a process that started in 1995.

“Yes, we’re war fighters. But we’re also ambassadors,” said Cmdr. Richard Rogers, 40, the Vandegrift’s captain.

Chief among the sailors’ instructions: “Don’t talk about politics,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Walter Howard.

Followed by, “Be responsible. Control ourselves, so there would be no incidents,” said Seaman Ruben Becerra.

During the four-day, incident-free visit, Rogers, his officers and crew held news conferences, took tours, dined with the Vietnamese Navy, lost at volleyball, dug foundations, got stuck in the infamous tunnel system used by Vietnamese fighters, and played host at an on-board reception that feted hundreds.

The deck filled with diplomats and defense attaches, local dignitaries, military officers, and especially, Rogers said, business leaders. They all apparently had such a fine time, as the music played, drinks were poured and chili rellenos passed around, that they stayed far longer than scheduled. “The energy in the crowd that night was probably something I’ll never experience again,” Rogers said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime event.”

It also was Rogers’ job to lay a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh monument, built for the communist leader who had withstood the United States in a war that killed 58,000 Americans and an estimated 3 million Vietnamese. His father-in-law had served in the war, Rogers said. Still, laying the wreath was “not that odd.”

“The thing was,” Rogers said, “to look forward.”

Those aboard said the trip provided many unique experiences. Ensign Nick Nordvall, the conning officer, steered the Vandegrift for half of the four-hour journey up the busy river. Under a blazing sun, Nordvall ignored the passing scene on shore, the mango trees and groups of thatched houses, the emerging factories. He had to keep his eye on tankers, cargo vessels and little sampans while keeping in mind he had just four meters of water, about 13 feet, between ship bottom and riverbed.

“It’s the closest driving I’ve ever done,” said Nordvall, 23. “It was so hot, and you needed to be so focused.”

Just as hot — but less mentally taxing — were the three community-relations projects that had been arranged, and for which a quarter of the ship’s sailors volunteered. They dug a foundation, painted a school and brought toys to an orphanage.

Stenger, 31, joined the group digging a foundation for a school addition. He traveled two hours into the countryside in a diplomatic motorcade. When they stopped in the village, 100 or so local people, who had gathered to await them, began to applaud. Then, after a welcome ceremony, some 253 sailors started digging. “It was really hot out. It was thick clay,” Stenger said. “But everyone was having a good time.”

He said the group worked for five hours. “They rewarded us with a very nice lunch,” he said, “very elaborate for out in the middle of nowhere. Then we dug a little bit more.”

Petty Officer 3rd Class John Lawson, 21, volunteered too, but was told all the slots were taken. That left him to his liberty to roam around the bustling city, eating “wonderful” food, talking with the many people on the street and shopping. He bought a $50 lacquer wall hanging depicting a fishing village for his mother and, for himself, a $300 embroidered rendering of a silver fir forest with a temple in the background.

“It was a great time,” Lawson said. “We were excited, and when it was explained to us, the effects our visit would have, it was a pride thing.”

Becerra said he was surprised at the many Vietnamese people who spoke English, and at how friendly they were. It reminded him a little of China, he said, where “the people offered to take you out to lunch because they wanted to practice their English.”

Becerra was one of many sailors who enjoyed the night life as well. Some went to the “Apocalypse Now” bar, a tourist hangout named for the film about the war’s brutality and man’s heart of darkness.

But Becerra preferred the Spaceship nightclub. While he was there, he said, he made his own little diplomatic coup. He had a few pins the sailors were to wear on their breast pockets, courtesy of the U.S. Embassy, of the Vietnamese and U.S. flags together. He gave one to his waitress and one to the bartender.

“I drank free champagne that night,” he said.

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=126&article=19454


Sempers,

Roger
:marine: