I have a number of friends that have served in the Vietnam or “American” War. Some have made inquiries or requests that I visit places where they served during the conflict. With a limited amount of time, I attempted to honor all their requests, but the truth of the matter is that in the month I was bicycling in Vietnam, the reminders of the “War” only surfaced in several locations. A majority of the Vietnamese population is under the age of 30! Average life expectancy is 66 years old….. For most Vietnamese, the “American War” is not in their memory.
While not a complete “war tour”, I was able to see some of the history from this time period. This section is dedicated to my friend Paul Ebaugh III who served in Vietnam in 1968-69, and passed away on January 19th, 2016.
When we arrived at the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) we arranged for a tour of the Vinh Moc Tunnels…. These tunnels housed from 300-500 people over a period of years! They had a hospital, school, nursery, family areas, a water well and entertainment spaces… ALL UNDERGROUND! There were 3 levels, with the deepest being 35 meters below ground (100 feet!) All of these tunnels were carved out of clay, which was sticky and slightly damp and VERY DARK! (the tunnels were lit during this period with oil lamps)
This was how the Vietnamese used the bicycle during the war and still use it Today!
The DMZ or Demilitarized Zone was the next thing on our list! Our interpreter Mr. Hoa used his first hand knowledge of the area to show us around. He was a teenager when the first U.S. Marines came to Vietnam, and was conscripted into the South Vietnamese Army before the end of the war. Most of our DMZ Tour was along highway number 9. The string of bases is shown below:
Pedaling Pioneer 