Left Behind: The Children of War Part IV- The Lucky Ones

First Installment (link)


The Ones Who Found Homes

There are many layers to every issue, in our view, to do with the American War, the Vietnam War. The story of Amerasians and other orphans is no different. There were tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of babies and toddlers -- who were abandoned in the final days of the war. Some made it to orphanages, some were "promised" to anxious adoptive parents from around the globe and found lives of peace and plenty. These are their stories

They were the lucky ones.

But that, of course, is a matter of perspective. The tens of thousands of other babies who made it to the States outside of official adoptions, weren't so lucky. Grown now, mostly in their late thirties and into their forties- they are citizens of their adoptive countries in every way except one: they have been denied citizenship.  All these years later they are still registered as Permanent Resident Aliens The process is very expensive and they are not allowed to apply for 15 years if they don't speak English fluently! They can take the test at 5 years if they are fluent.
Still further degradation to an already immeasurably difficult life.

The Operation Babylift enterprise was put together under then-President Gerald R. Ford. Figures vary but officially, 2,000 children were airlifted out of Vietnam in the waning days of the American war- in Spring of 1975. Some were airlifted to the US while others found homes elsewhere.

"Babylift Babies", as they've often been called, were mostly kids who were brought from orphanages associated with religious and charitable organizations.

These are their stories. Now, as adults making their way as citizens of their adoptive nations, they are making their mark. Some are retracing the steps that brought them out of Vietnam. 

In a recent correspondence, our friend Ralf Lofstad who is currently in Saigon to gather with fellow OBL babies to remember their beginnings (in the largest ever effort of its kind-  Operation Babylift). Ralf reports that, after years of wonder and searching for his biological parents, he is at peace with his life and grateful for the love and encouragement of those he considers to be his true parents- the Lofstads of Norway. Here is his story:

From Norway- Ralf Lofstad- in his own words a

Ralf meets his adoptive parents

The Boy Nobody Wanted

From Australia- Cath Turner-in her own words b

The Story of Catherine Turner:  A Vietnamese Babylift Adoptee

Cath Turner as an infant

In our research, we came upon a woman who shared her journey with us with grace and honesty via email correspondence and a deeply moving documentary film. Catherine Turner, or Cath, as she is known opens her heart:

"Thanks for your email.  I read your website with great interest.

I certainly have mixed emotions about my adoption and being part of Operation Babylift.  I can say without a doubt that it has affected every single part of my life.  It has made me who I am, it has influenced every decision I’ve made and shaped my thoughts, attitudes and outlook on life.  I wouldn’t use the word ‘bitter’, but there have certainly been negative effects of being raised in Australia during that time.  I have struggled throughout my life with these and, at nearly 40-years-old, am only just starting to understand them fully."- Catherine Turner b 

Turner shares the process of her journey to find her biological mother and her own identity.

Courage, curiosity, and perseverance helped to answer many personal questions. Perhaps Turner's quest will encourage others to reach out. The film garnered numerous nods at film festivals including placing in the finals for the Gracie Awards and Amnesty International. The Australian journalist will be participating in a forum to be held at The Presidio in San Francisco this month to commemorate Operation Babylift. Here is her story:

VIDEO

So Close So Far Away

The Journey of Catherine Turner

a With permission from the author- Ralf Lofstad. English translation by: Liv Vilde Adams. We are eternally grateful for the contributions shared with us by these two fine people.
b We were so fortunate to come across Cath Turner, an award-winning Autralian journalist  currently living in Sydney working as a Senior Network Reporter for Channel 7. We thank Cath and honor the generous offering of her story, her journey.

Kiwis Reluctant for Full Engagement Part III 1/2

NEW ZEALAND, EXHAUSTED FROM THE MALAYSIA EMERGENCY

Between 1964 and 1972, roughly 3,500 military personnel had been committed to the American War in Vietnam by the New Zealand leadership.  Once their strongest, and geographically closest ally, Australia had fully engaged, Wellfleet (the capitol of NZ) came under mounting pressure to contribute manpower and heavy weapons.

The first New Zealand combat unit consisted of a four gun artillery battery which shipped out to Vietnam on May 24, 1965. This along with 120 men. However, prior to that, in 1962 a civilian surgical team was sent by New Zealand. This team would operate at Qui Nhon in Binh Dinh province during the entire presence of that nation's involvement.  Eventually, in 1964 a non-combat group of Army engineers was sent. Their mission was in the way of reconstruction projects of roads and bridge-building. Once their work was completed they mustered out, a year later.

There was no stomach in the nation for a full and robust involvement in the American War in Vietnam by the government or by the public. 

"In our national interest? The potential adverse effect on the ANZUS* alliance of not supporting the United States (and Australia) in Vietnam was of paramount importance, but the decision to participate was in in with New Zealand's own national interests in countering Communism in South-east Asia and of sustaining a strategy of forward defence. A failure to make a token contribution to the Allied effort in Vietnam would have brought into question the basic assumption underlying New Zealand's post-war national security policies."a

The escalation of the war and continued pressure on New Zealand yielded further invovlement when -although minimal in relation to its allies-  Kiwis would finally send  two companies to Vietnam. The first company to be deployed was V Company which was deployed from West Malaysia in April 1967. This infantry battalion would later be followed by W Company in December of the same year.  Initially these companies would fall under the command of 2RAR but eventually would be integrated to form 2RAR/NZ(ANZAC) Battalion. Some NZ personnel would take positions of command. Each subsequent group, when relieved by the next, would take on the same character and protocol with New Zealand fully integrated into Australian battalions until both countries pulled out in 1972.

Banners representing W and V Companies of New Zealand and their eventual integration into the Aussie Battalions.

Soldiers from New Zealand fought with extraordinary courage and valor alongside their Aussie mates. 37 would be killed and 187 wounded. We remember them all with respect and sadness for their losses.

Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

ATTRIBUTIONS: a- "The impact of ANZUS - NZ and the Vietnam War", URL: http://www.nzhistory.net/war/Vietnam-war/anzus, (Ministry for Culture and Heritage), updated 20-December-2012

*ANZUS: This is the Australia, New Zealand, US treaty which was signed in September 1951 joining the three nations together in their mutual agreement of combined forces against any hostile actions occurring in the Pacific Ocean area and, nowadays, to any attacks.

-next up...medical support from australia, new zealand, spain, and the philippines.

Remembering Vietnam Veterans From Australia, New Zealand, and Canada

TO THOSE WHO WENT

**Read through series by clicking on NEWER POST at bottom of pages**

In July and August 1962, at the request of then-US Secretary of State, Dean Rusk- Australia sent 30 military advisers to Vietnam. Because of the experience the Aussies had with jungle warfare and counter-insurgencies in Malaysia and Borneo the Americans regarded their input as invaluable.

"Australia's initial commitment to supporting the American stance in Vietnam consisted of the deployment of a team of military advisers. On 26th July, 1962, the Minister for Defence announced Australia's intention to send 30 instructors to the Republic of South Vietnam, 4 going to the Military Aid Council Vietnam (MACV) Headquarters in Saigon, 22 to regional locations in the Hue area and 4 to Duc My.(1) This team would be headed by Colonel F.P. Serong, previously Commanding Officer at the Jungle Training Center, Canungra, Queensland and would fall under the command of the Australian Army Forces, Far Eastern Landing Forces Headquarters in Singapore.(2) The Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV) arrived in the Republic of Viet Nam in August, 1962." Quoted from "Australia's Military Involvement in the Vietnam War by Brian Ross  (additional citations below)*

Personnel and aircraft of the Royal Australian Air Force

Deplaning August 1964

Republic of Viet Nam

The Americans and Australians, with their varying types of experiences, possessed very different tactics and fighting styles.

"Whilst American instructors expounded the virtues of the rapid deployment of large numbers of troops, massive fire power, and decisive battles, Australians concentrated on individual marksmanship, the independence of platoons from battalion HQs, small scale patrols and ambushes. These differences frequently brought Australian advisers into conflict with their American superiors. The Australian policy of "economy of effort" was directly opposed to the American idea of "concentration of force".(6)

In addition to ground forces, eventually there would be medical personnel, air force personnel, infantrymen, tankers, and naval forces hailing from Australia and New Zealand. These combined forces were known as ANZACs (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps). This would be the first war which involved New Zealand that did not include forces from Great Britain.

And, although the Canadian Government was not involved politically or militarily, many Canadians joined or allowed themselves to be drafted into the US Military- mainly in the Marine Corps and the US Army.

We will focus our spotlight on each of these nations and their involvement with the war in Vietnam and that includes any and all medical personnel whether military or civilian. We will first begin with the largest contingent to serve in Vietnam, and that would be the folks from Australia whose Army is known as "Diggers". The soldiers from New Zealand, nicknamed "Kiwi" because of the presence of images of their national bird on emblems. The origin of the nickname "Digger" has been widely debated. Knowing that our friends from Oz love a good argument, we will stand by to see their comments!




Attributions: (1) p.8, Australia's Military Commitment to Vietnam, Paper tabled in accordance with the Prime Minister's Statement in the House of Representatives on 13 May 1975. (2) p.1, Horner, D.M., Australian Higher Command in the Vietnam War, Canberra Papers on Strategy and Defence No.10, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National Univsersity, 1986. (6) pp.56-58, McNeill, I. "Australian Army Advisers: Perceptions of Enemies and Allies".

Lipstick on a Pig?

GLORIFYING THE AMERICAN WAR IN VIETNAM

It should come as no surprise to any one of us over the age of 40 that the US Government would suddenly decide- 50 YEARS later that it was a good time to begin talking about the Vietnam war, those who served, those who died, those who volunteered. As if we had all lapsed into premature dementia and forgotten. The truth is that we have not forgotten! 

A tremendous push is on to gussy up a war that divided a nation for over ten years, that caused the deaths of (at least) 58,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese. Three million Americans served. Eventually millions of us would protest against the war including many, many of those who returned and created Vietnam Veterans Against the War http://www.vvaw.org  The collective amnesia suffered by us all has now morphed, thanks to the current Administration into a sinister campaign to finally address the American War in Vietnam. But not in truth, rather, in some fantasy land that people inhabit. The land of intentional forgetfulness. Well folks, we cannot and will not abide by it. And apparently, we're not alone- thank goodness! Please take a minute to read the following article from OP-ED NEWS by author David Swanson.

From OpEd News- David Swanson (link)

Too many have died, far too many have suffered and are still suffering themselves from wounds and exposure to defoliants and other toxic substances dumped on American military, civilian volunteers and Vietnamese civilians. The offspring of Americans* and Vietnamese exposed to toxins are suffering from catastrophic birth defects such as cancers, scoliosis, respiratory diseases, blindness, deformities and a multitude of other conditions. We just can't walk away from this. As a generation that was lied to, used and mistreated, thrown against one another- we can no longer go along with the myths.

The truth is- the US was "involved" in events in Indochina well before 1961. Records exist showing Americans engaged since shortly after WW II during what was known as the First Indochina War involving the French.
Beginning of American Involvement in Indochina (link)

They Also Served

*It is important for us to note that Americans and Vietnamese were not the only people involved in this conflict...there were 3,000 Australians who served (500 KIA), soldiers from New Zealand, South Korea and a medical team from Spain. During November 2013 we will take a closer look at these people and share their stories. They are not dissimilar to "ours". Many Australian veterans and their children have been afflicted by the exposure of soldiers to defoliants and herbicides.