written by Todd DePastino Before the arrival of the French, Vietnam was a feudal land made up of villages of subsistence farmers. The French began to dismantle this feudal system in the early 20th century, and the upheaval they wrought eventually exploded in Revolution. Feudalism is a strange way of life for modern Americans
written by Todd DePastino Last month, in preparation for our 2023 VBC Vietnam Trip, we launched a series of talks and conversations around the history of that fascinating country. In my prior life before the Veterans Breakfast Club, I taught college courses on the history of Vietnam in war and peace. That experience informs
Robert J. Dvorchak has been awarded the 2023 silver medal for writing in the history category of the annual competition held by the Military Writers Society of America, a national organization of writers, poets and authors who share the common bond of military service. His book, The Golden Brigade: The 82nd Airborne in Vietnam
written by George Dvorznak Memory can be tricky. Sometimes, past experiences lay dormant, out of reach, only to come forth in a rush of vivid recall. Sights, sounds, even smells burst into consciousness like a shell out of nowhere exploding overhead. Something similar, I think, is what George Dvorznak has been experiencing lately since
Reviewed by Donn Nemchick VBC veteran Jerry Augustine published a harrowing account, with photos, of his service in 1966-1967 with B Company, 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, 196th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam. We'll be traveling with Jerry between November 27-December 11, 2023, as part of our two-week VBC Vietnam tour. Thank you to
written by Todd DePastino (LOC) "McNamara's Line" was an ambitious attempt to prevent North Vietnamese infiltration into South Vietnam and Laos across the DMZ, which sat roughly along the 17th Parallel. Several military leaders endorsed the idea of defensive line across the DMZ almost from the time the border was created by
