Vietnam As An Asian-American
Profilers: Jaelin Baylon, Tyler Sacks, Owen Brown, Lakshita Babburi, Sophia Boultinghouse
INTRODUCTION
Alvin: My name is Alvin Pugeda Vivo. I am 79 years old. I was born in Rosario Cavite, Philippines. I am the only son and the youngest amongst two other sisters. I joined the Navy in December of 1967 until I retired in January of 1998.
Why did you join the US Navy?
I decided to join the US Navy because as I grew up witnessing my mother who was having a hard time raising us, on a daily basis I could witness that, you know, how she worked hard just to make ends meet. Seeing that I wanted to help her as early as I could. Also, the reason why we were like that is because we grew up not having, not seeing, not enjoying my father. I was told that I was only 7 or 8 months old when he died and that’s why he did not really get a chance to give us a good life. And that’s the reason why I joined the Navy.
How were you able to join the US Navy as a Filipino citizen?
Alvin: During the time that I applied to the US Navy there was this agreement that existed between the Philippines and US that every year I believe they were able to recruit so many individuals of Filipino citizenship to join the Navy as long as they are not a college graduate. When I filed my application, luckily I received a calling card telling me to report on a certain day to take the exam and then after taking the exam, I passed it and they scheduled me for an interview. After I passed the interview, again they scheduled me for a physical. I had a little problem on the physical because I have a little heart murmur they detected. However, I got lucky enough that I was given a chance to come back and recheck my heart murmur. At that time when I came back, it was gone. They accepted me. I was able to pass everything.
BEFORE ARRIVING TO VIETNAM AND FIRST ARRIVAL
How did you feel about the war before arriving in Vietnam?
Alvin: At my age when I joined the Navy, I didn’t realize that I’m going to be sent to a war zone. To be honest, I don’t really pay much attention about the war. When I joined the Navy it stuck to my mind that wherever they send me I’ll go there and do my duties and see what I can do being in the US Navy as a soldier.
Did your family support you going to Vietnam?
Alvin: During those few months of training, I don’t think they really knew that I was going to Vietnam. I just wrote them a letter letting them know where I was and what I was doing and then the only time they found out I was there was when I got to Vietnam and started writing them letters that I was in a warzone. I’m sure that they knew that I’m going to Vietnam. I don’t think they will agree but however it’s just part of my being in the US Navy to go there.
Where were you stationed in Vietnam?
Alvin: After a few months of training in Gulfport, Mississippi, we were sent to go to Vietnam on May 19, 1968. I was stationed in Camp Adenir in Danang Vietnam. Camp Adenir is named for the first Filipino sailor that died in Vietnam. I was there until February or March of 1969.
EXPERIENCES IN DA NANG, VIETNAM
What was it like serving in Vietnam as an Asian soldier? Did you feel you were treated differently?
Alvin: Being asian in Vietnam I did not feel any different. Though you know we were always in the camp I met some civilians that worked inside the base and I got along with them. I did not really feel any different as far as being treated there however, prior to going there during my training in Gulfport, Mississippi, that’s where I encountered a lot of discrimination. I had a hard time doing that however I was able to adjust to the situation. And I am thankful I left that place.
What were your daily Duties in Vietnam? Were you assigned other duties?
Alvin: When we arrived in Vietnam I was assigned to the officers’ country. There I was tasked to assist the cook, preparing the wardroom, this is the place where they dine. I was assigned to clean their quarters, this is the place where they sleep and do their thing. I took care of their personal things like laundry and various other jobs: cleaning all their places.
Alvin: After our work in the wardroom or the officer’s country, we were assigned to stand watches inside the camp and then sometimes we patrol the perimeter but this is only inside our camp area and at night sometimes I do this extra job of operating this motion picture for the movies.
Did you experience direct combat with the Vietnamese or how close did you come to the frontlines?
Alvin: I never had experience facing the North Vietnamese. However, almost every night, they attacked us with mortars. And when they do that the sirens in the camp go off and the first thing we do is go down the foxhole by sliding down the little hole next to my bed. We would just wait…we would just sit and wait for any kind of orders or actions we were supposed to do.
POST-WAR REFLECTION
Were there any events or experiences that you witnessed in Vietnam that stick with you today?
Alvin: There’s quite a few but the one that stuck to me all the time was when I first got there, the place where they house us is called the Quonset. Quonset is like if you are looking at a drum, its half of it, if you put it sideways, and both ends are where the entrance and exits are. Right when they assigned us to sleep the only thing that covered us was some kind of piece of wood, and it is the division. In one division you have two bunks with one roommate right there. And right between us is the entrance for the fox hole, and it’s only good, we used the fox hole ;like when we were attacked by mortar by the Vietnamese. When we heard the sirens we were supposed to automatically go there. And the way you go inside is to put your feet first, and then kind of slide down or maybe approximately 10-12 feet down. You ended up landing on a bunch of sand, and it’s kind of hard because sometimes on of our roommates panicked and kind of beat you to it.
How often did that happen? (mortar strikes)
Alvin: So I would say if not every night maybe 5 times a day, but it only happened at nightime, they did not really attack us or bombard us during the daytime. And right there when you get to the fox hole you are kind of nervous because you don’t know if one of the mortars will land right where you are, you are just sitting there waiting for the next attack.
How were you treated after the war? How do you feel about how Vietnam veterans were treated when they returned to the U.S.?
Alvin: I felt that during the time when I came back that we should’ve been more recognized because of the experiences we went through in Vietnam. The veterans should be given more benefits, and should be taken care of better, especially the ones that were coming from the warzone. There were so many sad tragedies and experiences encountered in Vietnam that some of them needed more medical attention. At that time, I felt that they were lacking those kinds of facilities or treatment that were needed after coming back home from the warzone. But then again, there are some veterans… I don’t know if it’s because of their way of living or what ever problem they had, some of them didn’t care. They don’t really take good care of themselves and they turn to drugs in order to cope with their experience. I think that’s the way they escaped their problems.