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Post by Legion Etrangere on Jul 18, 2009 17:15:56 GMT -5
We invite all French Indo-china War and Vietnam War reenactors and MVPA members or unaffiliated reenactors and vehicle ownders to this upcoming event scheduled to take place in Houston, Texas in October. There is no fee, food and drinks provided free of charge. 2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion
October 9, 10, 11, 2009
Houston, Texas Sponsor by the Veterans of Foreign Wars [ VFW ] Post 8905,
Young Vietnamese Professionals of Houston Texas
and the Allied Forces Cold War Association
Updated August 22, 2009 Schedule of Events Saturday, 10 Oct 09
VFW Post 8905, 21902 Northwest Fwy
Cypress, TX 77429
(281) 807-0370 0800 Free breakfast to participants 0815 French Indo-china War and Vietnam War uniform, weapons and equipment displays. Meeting with ARVN and VW vets. 0900 Posting of the Colors / National Anthems [ US and RVN ]. 1000 Speakers [ Gen. Tan Si Trang - Retired ARVN General; Mayor Bill White, Sen. Dan Patrick [ R-TX ]. 1100 Free lunch to participants 1200 Martial Arts Demonstration and Vietnamese Dragon Dance 1600 Displays end - pack up. Head for dinner. 1730 French Indo-china War reenactors - Dinner at Vietnamese restaurant across from Hong Kong City Mall. Uniforms allowed and encouraged. 2000 VW Veterans Dinner at Ocean Palace Restaurant [ Hong Kong City Mall ] - BAT21 present. 2100 Dance. Sunday, 11 Oct 09
Honk Kong City Mall
11201 Bellaire Blvd
Houston, Texas 77072 0600 French military personnel breakfast at location TBD. 0730 Set up French Indo-china War uniform, equipment and weapons display. 0800 Vietnam War / MVPA reenactors arrive - set up display. 0900 Church Service. 1300 Parade. FICW, VW reenactors and MVPA owners take part in "patrol" down Bellaire Blvd during parade. 1330 Greetings and Memorial Service - Vietnam War Statue: 1400 FICW, VW reenactors and MVPA arrive back at Hong Kong City Mall. FICW and VW display; talk with veterans; pics. 1530 Honoring of all Vietnam War U.S. and ARVN veterans at Vietnam War statue, 11360 Bellaire Blvd; ceremony; TAPS. 1600 Tear-down reenactors display. Depart AO. 1730 Honoring of all Vietnamese-American soldiers [ Vietnam War Statue, 11362 Bellaire Blvd. ] 1800 Speakers at Vietnam War Statue. 1930 Outdoor entertainment and Vietnam War Veterans Dinner under the large tent. Everyone welcome. ---- All FICW and Vietnam War reenactors, MVPA vehicle owners and reenactors are invited. To participate, please contact POC below: ---- Mick Stewart
Planning Committee Co-Chair
2nd Annual Vietnam War Reunion
Home 713.683.0399
Email: PM me here on this board.
Impressions allowed: French infantry, French Union, Coloniale Para, Legion infantry, Legion para, etc. Vietnam War impressions allowed are infantry, para, Special Forces, ARVN impressions needed. Sorry no Vietminh or Viet Cong impressions. Thank you for your understanding. Come and be part of the largest Vietnam War Veterans event in the Southwest U.S. |
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Aug 9, 2009 12:47:41 GMT -5
*** Planning Committee Update ***
8-7-2009To maintain proper authenticity, safety and coordination for the upcoming 2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion 9-11 October 2009 in Houston, Texas the Reenacting Planning Committee has now made this an invitation only event. Reenactors and MVPA vehicle owners who wish to take part must contact the Committee Chairmen, register, and have their impression passed for participation. Reenacting Planning Committee Co-chairs VFW Post 8905 Coordinating Chairman: Ed GarciaEdGarcia1968@yahoo.comFrench Indochina War 1946-54 POC: Mick Stewartalliedcoldwarveterans@yahoo.comVietnam War 1955-75 POC: Jacob Nishimuraasianpridejnish@aol.comWe will not allow "walk ons", last minute arrivals or "friends of reenactors" to participate in military uniform unless they have pre-registered for this event and had their impression passed for inspection. *** Dress, drill and deportment will be adjudicated at this event ***. To find out more about this event, please access the event URLs at the top of this thread or contact the POC Committee Chairmen for any questions you may have. Event information [ located above this post ] will be updated shortly with times, location and event participation. Respectfully, 2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reenactor's Planning Committee |
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Aug 25, 2009 10:54:52 GMT -5
*** UPDATE***We have been invited to take part in Saigon TV (tvvan) in Houston, Texas with several Vietnamese organizations prepping for the 2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion. The tv spot will air this Thursday at 12noon: www.geocities.com/viethouston2002/Radio Saigon will run a short spot for us, then we will tape a 45 minute segment about our upcoming event; MAJ vande Grift will talk about his service in the war and the necessity for Americans and Vietnamese to come together at this event as comrades-in-arms to honor those who did not make it back. The Allied Forces Cold War Association (the sponsor for 3e BCCP) has been asked to take a major role in this spot, for which we are delighted. More information as we get closer. Our thanks once more to the Young Vietnamese Professionals, AMERASIANS USA, ARVN Veterans and others who have asked us to participate.
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Sept 9, 2009 10:36:30 GMT -5
*** UPDATE ***
2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion
Saturday October 10 - Sunday October 11 2009
Hong Kong City Mall
Houston, Texas We are now one month away from the 2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion, October 10-11, 2009 in Houston, Texas. All WWII, Korean War, French Indochina War and Vietnam War reenactors, MVPA members and non-associated organization collectors and members are invited to participate! Bring your family members, relatives and schools --- bring your students! There will be martial arts, cultural arts, musical venues and dozens of culinary stands featuring cuisine from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Taiwan, China, Japan, Korea and other nations! We recently conducted three radio and television spots for the event in conjunction with the Young Vietnamese Professionals Association (YVAP) which were directed almost exclusively to the nearly 160,000+ Vietnamese in Houston! (Our last figures we posted on 100,000 Vietnamese in Houston was off by a mile!) And we have begun receiving feelers from local media as well. The U.S. Army will be present with the arrival of a Blackhawk helicopter landing in Hong Kong City Mall (where Sunday's event will be held) with a U.S. Navy F-16 flyover at 2pm during the Honoring Event for U.S. and Viet War veterans at the Vietnam War monument! YVAP, and Vietnamese community leaders expect a turnout on Sunday, October 11, 2009 (provided we have good weather) at nearly 12,000 - 15,000 people, certainly one of the largest gatherings outside of political rallies, church events, etc. Come out and have fun! Come out and pay your respects to both American and Vietnamese veterans who served in the fight against global Communism! If you are interested in participating, please contact 3e BCCP Historical Reenactment Unit: 3e BCCP www.alliedcoldwarvets.com/3e_BCCP |
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Sept 28, 2009 11:18:19 GMT -5
2nd Annual Vietnam Veterans Reunion
Training Event Update
Sunday 27 Oct 09
VFW Post 8905
Cypress TX We conducted a three-hour training session on Sunday with the two newest members of our unit - Peter and Charlie Nguyen - who will be joining us on both Sat and Sun for the event in October. MAJ J. R. van de Grift (USA) served as training officer for the event, gave a class on the German MG34 MG, French MAS36 turnbolt rifle, a brief history of the Dien Bien Phu battle and the GCMA partisans 1949-54. Van then spent the majority of the time teaching all of us basic hand signals, basic patrol tactics, movement to the objective, voice commands (English, French and Viet), as well as proper ways in which to carry the MG, rifle and SMG on patrol - and such basics as going down on one knee and assuming coverage of a specific area - all basic patrol tactics for our two newest members who have never so much as touched a weapon. (We were amazed at how quick they picked up the information - and I must admit this was a superb refresher course for me!) Our objective is to look professional on both Saturday and Sunday on the patrol down Bellaire Blvd; as both Viet and U.S. Vietnam War veterans are watching from the sidewalks as we move past. "You will not be marching or walking in this parade. You will be patrolling!" was Van's basic foundation talk for the training session. We have another session coming up this coming Sunday, 4 Oct 09 with several more Viets, swelling our ranks to 12. Much is left to do, outfitting, more training, weapons safety, weapons handling, etc. -Mick |
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Oct 12, 2009 10:08:20 GMT -5
Gentlemen:
I am sitting here at the computer having coffee (nursing my sore feet) and about to work on the AAR. [ By the way, I unlocked this thread so feel free to comment ].
The only word to describe this past event is: INCREDIBLE. If you were not there, you missed probably one of the best living history events in the U.S. Between 15,000 - 20,000 Vietnamese came out on the streets and watched (and cheered) during Sunday's parade; our weapons display on Saturday at VFW 8905 was a success. On Sunday, we were was *swamped* with a sea of humanity in the parking lot of Hong Kong city Mall.
Our thanks to Jacob Nishimura and 5th SF Group (AIRBORNE). Jacob - the event would not have been a success without your group. Our thanks to Derrick, Larry, Shawn and the other 15 members who came (some as far away as Maryland) to attend this event. Jacob and I had been working on this event for some time and were gratified to see that everyone enjoyed themselves. 5 SF Group provided an INCREDIBLE display both days. The dress, drill and deportment of this unit showed that there are superb, dedicated, professional GI reenactment units who take their impressions seriously. Vietnam War veterans were continually commenting on our professional they were.
We will say it once again: if you missed this event, you missed something truly special.
Also to Maj. Bob van de Grift (former commander, Camp A-104 - Ha Thahn, I Corps, Det. B-11) who led the French element down the street. Van trained us three weeks prior to the event in patrol tactics and gave all commands on Sat and Sun en francaise. It was surreal to receive instruction from "someone who was there".
Thanks to our "speiss" for kicking butt on both days: John Dockall (1er BEP) and Joe Stobaugh (3e BCCP) . John drove in from Austin, helped outfit Van with gear; Joe drove in from Dallas and did a super job, learning patrolling, uniformity and various odds and sods. Dockall's peresistance, teamwork and professionalism showed he truly is our Sergeant-chef. This was John's first time to skipper a unit as NCO and he did an awesome job.
A big 'cam ong' to our three Viets who joined us not only on Sat and Sun but who came out for patrol training with Van several weeks before:
-Charlie Nguyen (3e BCCP)
-Peter Nguyen (3e BCCP)
-Vien Pham (GCMA)
Charlie and Peter juggled school work, tests and committments to the parade organizers (Dr. and Mrs. Alvin Nguyen, Co-chairs) to come out with us both days, take part in the display, training and final event on Sunday. Peter served on point both days and did a superb job with our M-1 Thompson. Vien is a former E-5 who served in Iraq. Vien carried the MG on Sunday and did a great job. [ We also discovered that he has an incredible grasp of names for the many pretty girls we passed on Sunday during the parade!!!]
Vien is too busy with Master's course work at UH to join us ... but we are honored to have Charlie and Peter join our unit. On Sunday they asked to become members of 3e BCCP. In honor of their participation we allowed them to keep their beret noir [ black berets ] as a symbol of their participation. 3e BCCP only allows the awarding of the beret noir until one has passed the Airborne Ground School. Charlie and Peter's enthusiasm, teachability and professionalism showed they earned that beret. They will be the founding, charter members for 3e BCCP's 4e indochinoise compagnie.
We are working on the AAR now and will have it up, as well as video (Joe Stobaugh) and pics. We will also receive a video DVD from the Military Channel, TV / Radio Saigon, TV-Van (Dr. Michael viola-Vu) and Channel 11 News who covered the parade. There were so many video cameras whirring at the time we dont know where to start.
I would like to state personally that after 27 years in historical reenacting, I have never attended such an event as this. I was blown away ... and like Jacob, I was nearly in tears at the end of the parade. The patriotic Viets that came out who grabbed our hands, thanking us, cheered us [ and those who spoke to us en francaise ] ... we are humbled. What could this reenactor say to men who fought for nearly 15 years against Communist insurgents, than survived 13 years in a communist torture camp? [ We were swamped with "survivors" who came up to us after the parade - men and women who were in "reeducation camps". They quickly told us that the term "reeducation" was wrong. It was torture camps. We were shown rope marks, burns, *no fingernails*, marks on the neck, back and arms where ARVN veterans, teachers and intelligentsia had been tortured by the Viet coms. You can only listen to their stories and then shake their hands... ]
We met French Vietnamese, Viet veterans who served with the French and one Viet who was attached to 3e REI *before* the RC4 battles! He came up to our weapons display and spoke French to his son who interpreted for us. We met hundreds and hundreds of South Viet ARVN veterans who said this was the welcome they never received. I was constantly shaking hands, doing my best to say thank you to *every* veteran who came up to us and thanked us for coming out.
Saturday night we were invited by the ARVN Veterans Association Banquet at Thu Diem restaurant. John, you will have write us up an AAR on that!!!! We met ARVN Airborne, Air Force, Navy, and LLDB vets including a Colonel who flew with Marshal Ky onto the BLUERIDGE. We also met with one survivor or 5e Viet Para's (I beleive that was COL Lieu) who was sitting at a table next us). He was entraining for Dien Bien Phu before they were turned back.
In any event, we will post our photos and videos in the coming days and weeks.
But I will always take something back with me. As we reached Bellaire Blvd and Boone Road intersection, near the Vietnam War monument, the people who nearly 10 deep on both sides of the road. Maj van de Grift was giving all commands en francaise.
As we neared "the funnell" [ the people pouring onto the street ] they shook our hands, cheered, clapped ... and as we moved through this throng, a cluster of about 30 Viets on the R side of the road screamed out "vive la Parachutiste!" They saw the cheiche, they heard our French commands. They saw the MAS 36's. They knew us only as "La Legion" or "parachutiste francaise". Later ... during the weapons display a good dozen, very old, feeble Vietnamese would walk up to our table, touch the MAS36 and say, "yes, yes, I used that" in broken English or "manufacture armes st. etienne. repitition! repitition!" and then grab our arms and say thank you.
Mick
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Post by cookie on Oct 12, 2009 14:37:23 GMT -5
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." ~Margaret Meade
I sincerely wish I had been there. Very well done Gentlemen.
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Oct 13, 2009 8:44:25 GMT -5
Cookie, thanks.
It was a team effort from everyone who attended. The Vietnamese community took us in, provided the venue and support and with everyone working from the same hymn book we made this event a success.
Mick
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fmf
Entraînement
Posts: 38
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Post by fmf on Oct 13, 2009 15:52:17 GMT -5
Do You have any Pics
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Oct 13, 2009 18:21:41 GMT -5
Photos and video coming soon...
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Post by Legion Etrangere on Dec 8, 2009 20:12:07 GMT -5
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