Vietnam Veteran News with Mack Payne

In this episode of the podcast Vietnam Veteran News tribute will be paid to the memory of a wonderfully amazing lady by the name of Anne Morrissy Merick. She recently passed away in Naples, Florida and was notable as being ABC's first female television field producer, and one of the few female network producers covering the Vietnam War. Her story was featured in a piece in The Washington Post titled: Anne Morrissy Merick, a trailblazing Vietnam War journalist, dies at 83 that was submitted by Samantha Schmidt.

Anne Morrissy Merick broke more glass ceilings than Hillary Clinton could ever even think about breaking. While in college at Cornell University in 1954, Merick rose to the position of sports editor of the college newspaper. She was the first female in school history to hold that job. That and other experiences prepared her for the obstacles she would face when she was sent to cover the Vietnam War in 1967 as ABCs first female television field producer.

Her biggest challenge arose when U.S. commander in Vietnam General. William C. Westmoreland was “horrified” to find a young woman in the field with his troops. the general immediately issued an order that became known as the “Westmoreland Edict” which banned female reporters from accompanying troops to front lines. Incensed, Merick decided to take action.

Along with Ann Bryan Mariano of the Overseas Weekly, She journeyed to the  Pentagon with the intention of meeting Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara to overturn this ban. They were brushed off from meeting with McNamara himself and were offered the consolation prize of appealing to McNamara’s deputy assistant, Phil Goulding. Goulding listened and gave only vague responses in a condescending manner according to Merick in her book “War Torn: Stories of War From the Women Reporters Who Covered Vietnam.”

But that wasn't good enough for Merick. Following the advice of Alexander the Great, "There is nothing impossible to him who will try," she invited Goulding out for a drink after the meeting and listened to him talk about his six children for hours. Merick wrote “When he said good night, he added that Westmoreland’s edict would be lifted and we could go back out in the field.”  This was accomplished with no "hanky-panky" on the part of the women according to Merick.

Anne Morrissy Merick went on to serve as an ABC producer in Vietnam for seven years.

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Sam Johnson of Selma, Alabama and a Vietnam Veteran will be featured in this episode of this podcast - Vietnam Veteran News. His story was recently was covered in story in The Montgomery Advertiser titled: For Selma veteran, Vietnam wounds remain. It was submitted by Alvin Benn in a special to the advertiser.

Sam is another one of those magnificent representatives of the Great Vietnam Veteran Generation. He served with the 1st Marine Division in Vietnam in 1967. Sam's fire team was participating in Operation Union in the Que Son Valley when he stepped on a land mine. The explosion lifted him several feet in the air and left him with serious injuries that would have killed most men but not Sam. His best friend in his unit, Pvt. Jerry Henry, rushed to his aid and administered aid that helped save his life.

It took sixteen months for his wounds to heal enough for him to return home to Marion Junction in Dallas County, Alabama. His family of six brothers and seven sisters were glad to see him home. As Sam's physical wounds healed he found it hard to forget his memories of war. He’d wake up in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, reliving moments that continued to haunt him long after he had returned to civilian life. He said: “I’d yell out instructions to my team, telling them to take cover and to be careful. I’d find myself in the jungle or rice paddies. We’d be in firefights.” It took years for those nightmares to subside, but, every now and then, one would force its way into his psyche.

Sam got over his war time injuries and went on to complete a career with International Paper as a human resource manager. Today he lives in Selma with his wife Thomasene. He is proud of his family and especially his son Michael who defensive end with the Cincinnati Bengals. Michael sponsors programs aimed at helping youngsters plan for their futures.

Sam Johnson we salute you for your service to your country and your community.

In this podcast episode of Vietnam Veteran News we are going to take look at something every Vietnam Veteran hates and that is war. We all had enough of it back in the day and we do not relish the thought of doing it again especially if that war involves the destruction of America cities and population.

The drums of war are rolling again. This time it is in North Korea. Kim Jong-un, the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is doing and saying some things that indicate he is willing and rapidly preparing to attack the US mainland with nuclear tipped ICBMs.

Here we sit in the US fat, dumb and happy wondering why would someone want to do such a terrible thing to us. A quick review of history with North Korea since 1950 will help one discover the reason why. There is an excellent and eye opening blog post in the website theintercept.com title: Why Do North Koreans Hate Us? One Reason — They Remember the Korean War that was submitted by Mehdi Hasan. It fills in a few of the blanks in the US relationship with the little hermit country on the Korean peninsula .

In 1950 North Korea loosed a "Pearl Harbor" attack on its southern Neighbor South Korea. The North poured across the 38th parallel and took the whole country except for the Pusan perimeter. In the face of a rising tide of world Communism we could not let that stand so with the approval of the UN the US led a military coalition that after three years of hard fighting restored status quo along the 38th parallel. The war was brought to a halt with armistice agreement, not a peace treaty. So technically we are still at war.

In the process of restoring the status quo, the US led coalition dropped on the Korean peninsula more bombs, 662557 tons, than during the entire Pacific campaign against the Japanese during World War II? They also participated in several unpleasant like the No Gun Ri massacre and the Bodo League massacre.

Inside North Korea, according to leading Korea scholar Kathryn Weathersby, “it is still the 1950s … and the conflict with South Korea and the United States is still going on. People in the North feel backed into a corner and threatened.”

Despite how the North Koreans feel about the terrible consequences they experiences as  a result of a war they initiated, they are not justified in their desire to do damage to this country. If they are not careful they may experience even more dire consequences than they endured 70 years ago.

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John Hosier is a special Vietnam Veteran American hero. In this episode of the podcast, Vietnam Veteran News, you will hear in John's own words why he rates that title. His "Through the Eyes" traveling museum recently made a stop at the Florida Vietnam and all Veterans Annual Reunion located in Melbourne, Florida. I, your podcast host, had the opportunity to not only visit this tremendous collection of pictures and equipment from the Vietnam War, but I had the pleasure of having a conversation with John which is included in this podcast.

John first earned hero status with the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam during the fierce battles at Dak To in October of 1967. He was wounded in combat and that led to something that led him on a unique path of service to his country and fellow Vietnam Veterans.

After he was patched up from his wounds he was sent back to his unit with a profile that precluded his return to his squad as a 11B rifleman. After a short stint in his company orderly room he was assigned to be a combat photographer. He took thousands of images that painted a clear picture of life in combat in Vietnam. After the war he came home with his large collection of pictures.

Along with a large cache of combat photos, John brought home a case of raging PTSD. It was tough on him and his family because at that time nobody seems to know the condition even existed. John tried many things to combat the condition. One day he decided to create a display that included his pictures and items he had collected from the war. The purpose of the display is to show others the real picture of the war and help other Vietnam Veterans cope with their demons and in the process help him cope with the memories.

John named his exhibit "Through the Eyes" traveling museum. He travels around the country 25 to 30 times a year setting up his museum. Currently it consist of five tents filled to the brim with exhibits. Here is the special hero part. It cost $1500 per event to move and set up his museum and he does this out his own pocket and donations from museum visitors. In the last two years he has suffered a heart attack and diabetes and he has last the sight of one eye, yet he continues to travel the country setting up his museum to serve his fellow Vietnam Veterans and the country.

You are highly encouraged to see his museum whenever it comes to a location near you.

 Please help John carry on his mission with a generous donation. You can send him a check to:

or send a donation by credit card or Paypal.

Charlie Haughey served in Vietnam with the 25th Infantry Division during 1968 and 69 as a rifleman. In addition to handling an M-16 he served as a combat photographer for his unit and took thousands of black-and-white and color photos of the 25th Infantry Division, capturing the gritty conditions that soldiers faced, as well as the human drama of the Vietnam War as it escalated.

What happened to most of this pictures was covered in story found in The Oregonian titled: Portland photographer unveils 40 never-seen images from Vietnam War that was submitted by Grant Butler. Only a few of Haughey's pictures were published in military publications. Most of his images were stashed away in a box and that's where they stayed there for nearly five decades. He said "I came home and put them away, and never really looked at them again."

Haughey returned to his home in Michigan and worked for almost 40 years as a cabinet maker before retiring to Portland in 2009. In 2012, conversations with a Portland photographer about his picture collection, he decided it was time to do something with them. In 2013 he put on a display of 28 of his war photos at Southeast Portland's ADX Gallery called "A Weather Walked In." More than 1,000 people viewed the exhibit.

Haughey will be conducting another exhibit called "A Weather Walked In 2017" that will run from May 19 through June 5; hours: Noon-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays at 1015 S.E. Stark St in Portland. At this exhibit he will be announcing the official release of a coffee table book featuring 117 of Haughey's war photos. The cost of the book will be $55 with a portion of the book's proceeds going to the Returning Veterans Project, which helps Oregon and Southwest Washington veterans find health care services.

CLICK HERE for more information about Charlie Haughey and his book.

CLICK HERE to buy a copy of Charlie's A Weather Walked In book.

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In this episode of the podcast Vietnam Veteran News, a big event will be highlighted. It is The Florida Vietnam and All Veterans Annual Reunion taking place from May 4th through May 7th of 2017. The location for the event will be Wickham Park, 2500 Parkway Dr. Melbourne FL. Event organizers headed up by Richard “Doc” Russo say it is the largest event of its kind in America. More than 80,000 visitors attend each year. It has been going on for thirty years. Featured there will be live music, food and drinks, military vendors, military displays, POW/MIA ceremonies, the Last Patrol and the Moving Wall Tribute.

One of the military displays there will be John Hosier's impressive Through the Eyes Traveling Museum. I speak with confidence when I refer to his museum as impressive because he was one of the veterans I interviewed for my book Conversations with Vietnam Heroes. In the interview John described the incredible events in his life that led up to the creation of his outstanding museum.

John served in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade beginning in October of 1967. He was wounded at the Battle of Dak To. His wounds were not bad enough for him to be sent home. After a short stay in the hospital he was returned to his unit with a profile that prevented him from going back into the field with his squad. Much to his displeasure he was assigned to duties as a "gofer" in the company orderly room. He did not get along with the company first sergeant and much preferred to be back in the field with his buddies.

To get him out of the orderly room the first sergeant made him a combat photographer after the regular one was killed. That led him down the adventurous path of taking pictures of army life in Vietnam and eventually to the Through the Eyes Traveling Museum. Visit John at The Florida Vietnam and All Veterans Annual Reunion and he will tell you the rest of his story.

CLICK HERE for more information about The Florida Vietnam and All Veterans Annual Reunion

John Hosier's Through the Eyes Traveling Museum

In the episode there is big news for Vietnam helicopter pilots. Back in episode 713 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast the possibility of a monument for Vietnam helicopter pilots was covered. The efforts of Representative Mark Amodei of Nevada were discussed. He was spearheading an effort to get Congressional approval for a monument honoring Vietnam helicopter pilots.

After a three year effort it has finally happened. Congress has given its approval for the monument. That momentous event was featured in a story from The Military Times titled: Monument honoring Vietnam helicopter crews approved for Arlington Cemetery that was submitted by: Charlsy Panzino. Panzino reported that the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Monument Act was passed in March. Sens. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, introduced the bipartisan legislation. Companion legislation was introduced on the House side by Rep. Mark Amodei, R-Nev.

Proposals for the monument were first made back in April 2014 by retired Air Force Lt. Col. Bob Hesselbein, who flew AH-1 Cobra gunships in Vietnam. He is the legacy committee chairman of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. The initial request by the pilots association was turned down by then Army Secretary John McHugh. He cited this as the basis for his decision to turn down the request: “The prime directive for the cemetery is to do everything it can not to initiate an action that would displace an otherwise-eligible veteran.”

Not being the sort to back down from a challenge, the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association members decided to make the monument happen despite the McHugh refusal. They got busy seeking action from Congress and they started a nationwide publicity campaign to garner support from the community. That effort resulted in passage of the Vietnam Helicopter Crew Monument Act by Congress.

This was a tremendous accomplishment by the VHPA. They should be commended and supported. They are funding the entire cost of the monument.

To make a donation to the VHPA for the monument:

CLICK HERE

In this episode a USMC Vietnam Veteran, Cal Lamotte of Clare, Michigan, who has a special way of honoring all veterans will be highlighted. Also mentioned in this episode will be Dave and CJ Dunklee who are helping veterans overcome PTSD with guitars out in Missouri. Cal Lamotte was featured in a story from The Clare County Review titled: Painter Cal’s Harley dedicated to veterans submitted by Pat Maurer.

The story tells that Cal started a Detroit painting business in 1967 after he finished his hitch with the Marines in Vietnam. Cal said: “My father was a painter and it’s what I wanted to do.” Twenty years ago he moved his business to Clare. Especially after his service with the Marines, Cal always had a desire to honor veterans.

He loved riding his Harley Sportster and would frequently participate in memorial rides in honor of veterans. Two years ago he decided to combine he riding and desire to honor veterans by styling his Harley to honor veterans. It took two years and the help of Cycle Works in Clare and the expertise of tattoo artist Joe Pawlowski of Devildog Ink to produce a work of art that attracts a lot of attention. Cal says: “Everywhere I go people stop to look and take pictures.” These days Cal honors veterans every time he rides his Harley.

Need a painter in central Michigan? Call Cal at (989) 258-9638

Cycle Works is located at 411 W 5th St in Clare. Call them at (989) 424-6425

Dave and CJ Dunklee are healing PTSD sufferers with guitars in Missouri. Help them help others by contributing to their Healing Box Project. New guitars cost $270 each. So far they have provided 90 guitars to veterans who are suffering and the results have all been positive.

Any donation would be welcomed but it would be very nice if they received enough to buy a new guitar.

CLICK HERE for the Healing Box Project website and discover more about this wonderful program that helps cure PTSD.

On April 26, 2017 Ken Burns along with Lynn Novick introduced their new documentary "The Vietnam War" in Houston Texas. The event was covered in story from The Houston Chronicle titled: Ken Burns brings 'Vietnam' to Houston that was submitted by Andrew Dansby.

Filmmakers Ken Burns and Lynn Novick have worked on the Vietnam War documentary project for six years poring over hours of film footage and historical accounts. They conducted in excess of 100 interviews with a wide range of connections with the war plus they listened to a great deal of tapes by Presidents Johnson and Nixon talking about the war.

The goal of the documentary makers was to "offer a more panoramic view of the conflict, with commentary from combatants and civilians from both North and South Vietnam, as well as American soldiers and war protesters back home." The 18-hour documentary will be shown at a to be determined date and time in November.

Burns style of using archival footage and photographs in his documentary films will prove effective in dealing with Vietnam, the first televised war. He started making documentary shows straight out of Hampshire College, in Amherst, Massachusetts. His most widely known documentaries are The Civil War (1990), Baseball (1994), Jazz (2001), The War (2007), The National Parks: America's Best Idea (2009), Prohibition (2011), The Central Park Five (2012), and The Roosevelts (2014).

Burns is a longtime supporter of the Democratic Party, with almost $40,000 in political donations.  He endorsed Barack Obama for the U.S. presidency in December 2007 and he compared Obama to Abraham Lincoln. Had he been a little older (he was born on July 29, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York) he may have been marching in the anti-war parades.

Vietnam Veterans are encouraged to watch the 18 hour documentary "The Vietnam War" and draw your own conclusions.

Many times on this podcast the virtues of the Australians are extolled to the max. They were loyal and effective allies with us in the Vietnam War for which they paid a high price. 60,000 Australians served in Vietnam resulting in 521 deaths and 3,000 wounded, a high toll for a country of their population size.

In this episode the Australian kudos continue with two stories that back up the idea Australia and their citizens are outstanding. The stories are from The Wollondilly Advertiser titled: Picton High School honors the only Wollondilly soldier killed in the Vietnam War during their Anzac service submitted Ashleigh Tullis and WPRI of Providence, Rhode Island titled: Dog tags come home to Warwick thanks to stranger from down under submitted by Walt Buteau.

The first story is about how the small community of Picton in Wollondilly County, NSW, Australia honored the only person from the county who died in Vietnam. Ian Thomson from the Thirlmere community was only 22 years old when he was killed in action on October 19, 1968. He was a member of the 3rd Royal Australian Regiment (3RAR) and had only twelve days away from the end of his tour in country when he died.

On Thursday, April 27, 2017, Picton High School students honored Thomson's memory during their Anzac service. Thomson’s family attended the ceremony. A teacher at Picton High School, Suzy Brandstater, said the school wanted to dedicate their Anzac ceremony to Ian Thomson. She said: “We want the students to understand the meaning behind why our local cadet unit guards the shrine to the fallen soldier and we want them to understand the sacrifice of Australian soldiers.”

The story from WPRI of Providence, Rhode Island tells about a tremendous act of kindness on the part of an unnamed Australian. He returned a missing dog tag to the family of the now deceased Vietnam Veteran, Kevin Belanger.

Both these stories attest to the notion Australia and its people are exceptionally outstanding.