Post by Legion Etrangere on Jul 14, 2009 23:11:28 GMT -5
Over the past two years, we have slowly built ties within the Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian and Chinese communities in Houston, Texas. These ties were slowly created over many a steaming bowl of pho and sticky rice while talking with ARVN veterans, Vietnam War veterans and some Viet officers who served under French command.
Recently, we were honored to have been invited by the ARVN Veterans Association to take part in their annual Remembrance Day Ceremony in June 2009 at the Vietnam War statue in Houston, Texas. It was an incredible experience to meet Vietnamese veterans, watch the Republic of Vietnam flag paraded and hear [ for the first time for this reenactor ] the actual national anthem of RVN.
With an emphasis on teamwork and comradery and the chance to honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnamese soldiers who have bravely served ... we are proud to announce the formation of 13e DBLE.
This unit's primary mission will be to recruit Vietnamese-American reenactors into our group. We hope to accomplish several objectives:
First, we will recruit locally within the heavily-populated asian community in our city, more commonly known as "chinatown." The asian community is densely populated with nearly 100,000+ Viet, Cambodian, Laotian, Chinese and tribal groups, mostly centered around an area known as "Little Saigon." Each major US or Canadian city has a vibrant "Little Saigon:"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Saigon
Second, we will take part in local events in the Houston-Austin area, specifically weapons, uniform and equipment displays, talks to ex-pat Vietnamese [ and tribal ] communities, ARVN and Vietnamese Community charity events and living history encampments within the current and growing Vietnam War reenacting scene, primarily for "timeline" events.
Our primary objective, as listed in our mission statement, is to:
"...honor the service and sacrifice of the Vietnamese soldier as well as his compatriots he served with; French, French Union and Foreign Legion troops. Of the 92,000 casualties in the French Indo-china War, Vietnamese troops accounted for a large percentage of those killed, wounded and missing. We will honor those who died fighting Communist aggression and for a free Vietnam."
Other than the 442 Regimental Combat Team reenatment unit in California - the valorious Japanese-American unit from WWII - we know of no other caucasion / asian reenactment combination in the country. The uniqueness and strength of our unit will be the military combination of American and Vietnamese cultures in one reenacting unit.
We'll keep everyone apprised of our progress. ;D
Recently, we were honored to have been invited by the ARVN Veterans Association to take part in their annual Remembrance Day Ceremony in June 2009 at the Vietnam War statue in Houston, Texas. It was an incredible experience to meet Vietnamese veterans, watch the Republic of Vietnam flag paraded and hear [ for the first time for this reenactor ] the actual national anthem of RVN.
With an emphasis on teamwork and comradery and the chance to honor the service and sacrifice of Vietnamese soldiers who have bravely served ... we are proud to announce the formation of 13e DBLE.
This unit's primary mission will be to recruit Vietnamese-American reenactors into our group. We hope to accomplish several objectives:
First, we will recruit locally within the heavily-populated asian community in our city, more commonly known as "chinatown." The asian community is densely populated with nearly 100,000+ Viet, Cambodian, Laotian, Chinese and tribal groups, mostly centered around an area known as "Little Saigon." Each major US or Canadian city has a vibrant "Little Saigon:"
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Saigon
Second, we will take part in local events in the Houston-Austin area, specifically weapons, uniform and equipment displays, talks to ex-pat Vietnamese [ and tribal ] communities, ARVN and Vietnamese Community charity events and living history encampments within the current and growing Vietnam War reenacting scene, primarily for "timeline" events.
Our primary objective, as listed in our mission statement, is to:
"...honor the service and sacrifice of the Vietnamese soldier as well as his compatriots he served with; French, French Union and Foreign Legion troops. Of the 92,000 casualties in the French Indo-china War, Vietnamese troops accounted for a large percentage of those killed, wounded and missing. We will honor those who died fighting Communist aggression and for a free Vietnam."
Other than the 442 Regimental Combat Team reenatment unit in California - the valorious Japanese-American unit from WWII - we know of no other caucasion / asian reenactment combination in the country. The uniqueness and strength of our unit will be the military combination of American and Vietnamese cultures in one reenacting unit.
We'll keep everyone apprised of our progress. ;D
