The LuLac Edition #801, Apr. 30th, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: The top of our photo index is a patch worn by American soldiers in Vietnam. MACV or Military Assistance Command Vietnam. The early advisors wore that patch and it was the overall command unit in Vietnam. All other commands came under MACV. I wore the USARV patch, United States Army Republic of Vietnam. MACV Headquarters was called the Pentagon East. It is significant and something Vets and no one else will get. Patch seen here was worn by Jim Petrie, U.S. Army, Vietnam 69-70 and our video logo.

APRIL 30th, 1975

This day is not really chronicled that much in American history. On the 30th of April, South Vietnam fell. The entire failure in Vietnam though could be traced back to the Paris Peace Accords ending the conflict were signed January 27, 1973, and were followed by the withdrawal of the remaining American troops. The terms of the accords called for a complete ceasefire in South Vietnam, allowed North Vietnamese forces to retain the territory they had captured, released US prisoners of war, and called for both sides to find a political solution to the conflict. As an enticement to Thieu, Nixon offered US airpower to enforce the peace terms. With US forces gone from the country, South Vietnam stood alone. The situation worsened in December 1974, when Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act of 1974, cutting off all military aid. This act removed the threat of air strikes should North Vietnam break the terms of the accords. Shortly after the act’s passage, North Vietnam began a limited offensive in Phuoc Long Province to test Saigon’s resolve. The province fell quickly and Hanoi pressed the attack. Surprised by the ease of their advance, against largely incompetent ARVN forces, the North Vietnamese stormed through the south, finally capturing Saigon. South Vietnam surrendered on April 30, 1975, following the fall of its capital. After thirty years of conflict, Ho Chi Minh’s vision of a united, communist Vietnam had been realized.
There were many casualties of the Vietnam war. None as tragic as the surviving Vietnam veterans. Jim Petrie, a broadcast colleague of mine wrote a song about the plight of surviving Vietnam vets. It’s called “Uncle Willie” and has been featured locally on “The Mountain” as well as Corbett’s show on WILK. Jim Petrie told us, “Uncle Willie just kind of came to me late one night. It started almost as a joke. I think I wrote the Verses in one sitting. I remember laughing out loud when I came up with “cutting down neighborhood trees” as a line. I e-mailed the lyric to Shawn Z, my principle co writer, and fortunately he saw the potential and took the idea seriously. He wrote the Chorus “Just because you’re paranoid don’t mean they aint on their way” and came up with the melody. Shawn decided to record the song and that’s when we got Bret Alexander involved as producer and he turned it into the driving, high intensity tune it became. Its certainly attracted a fair amount of attention. I believe that’s because its so on target for today. I believe we are creating an endless number of Uncle Willies every day in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ticking time bombs for the future. We are asking too much of our young men and women who are serving two and three tours in combat zones. One tour can, and most often does, change a life dramatically. If Uncle Willie calls attention to today or yesterdays veterans circumstances in any way, I would consider it a success.” With the haunting strains of both lyrics and music, “Uncle Willie” became a natural candidate for one of LuLac’s video productions. On this anniversary date of the fall of Vietnam, “Uncle Willie”.