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derivative filename/jpeg
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363-06319 to 363-06323.pdf
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Digital Object Identifier
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363-06319 to 363-06323
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Title
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Article about the packed schedules of the American Congressmen visiting South Vietnam
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Description
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Keever's title: "Four U.S. Congressional Delegations Hopscotch Around to Visit G.I.s and Generals", article about the packed schedules of the American Congressmen visiting South Vietnam
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AI Usage Disclosure
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Draft transcripts were automatically generated via Google Document AI and are currently under review. Please report significant errors to Archives & Special Collections at archives@unl.edu.
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Transcript
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attn ennex UPI Special for Gandy by Beverly Deepe Saigon, Vietnam, November 05190 (UPIS) American Congressmen have maintained fast-moving, dawn-to-dark schedules during their visits in South Viet Nam. None of the action-packed schedules of the four Congressional delegations visiting Vietnam this fall have allotted free time for buying souvenir knick-knacks; none of the VIPs brought their wives to Vietnam. [deletion: As] American dependents were evacuated during the initial February airstrike against North Vietnam. “The thing these Congressmen want most is to get out to the field to see the front-line American troops as fast as they can,” one American officer explained. “And that’s what they do.” The delegation of Senator [insertion: Edward] Kennedy also initiated a request to visit Australian and New Zealand troops; almost all paid at least brief courtesy calls on Vietnamese troops or commanders in Saigon or in the field. Congressmen [deletion: [illegible]] Craig Hosmer (R. Calif.) arrived in Vietnam at the northern city of Danang; he transferred so quickly from his aircraft to a helicopter carrying him to U.S. Marine battalions in the field that he forget his plaid suitcase, according to reliable sources. second add x x x american military command x x x The second day of their visit, began with an early [deletion: walk] wake-up and a 7 a.m. departure for the U.S. Marine enclave city of Danang, 380 miles and one hour flight from Saigon. Eating lunch on the noisy transport plane, the delegation [deletion: had scotched through] hopscotched from one American combat troop installations [insertion: to the next] throughout the day, [deletion: plus] as well as a stop to see American war wounded in a field hospital. Following a 7:00 breakfast with General Westmoreland, the delegation left [deletion: Danang] Vietnam. [insertion: The next day] The other three Congressional tours followed the same basic routes of visiting the U.S. Marines in the northern provinces, the 1st Air cavalry division in the high plateau and units at Bien Hoa. The Rivers-Hardy-Long-delegation was given the best accomodations of any group; as [deletion: the Congressman] they stayed at the residences of General Westmoreland and another general. The delegation of Senator Edward Kennedy (D. Mass.), Cong. John Tunney (D. Calif.), Joseph Tydings (D. [deletion: Ind.] Md.) and Cong. John Culver (D. [deletion: Io.] Ia.) stayed at the best hotel in town, the Caravelle. Congressman Hosmer during his seven day visit stayed and Congressman George Grider (D. Tenn.) stayed a new, comfortable but austere hotels [insertion: because of room shortages elsewhere]. Grider of the house judiciary committee and holder of a distinguished navy record during World War II is currently in Vietnam on a 13-day stay during which time he stayed two nights in American field installations. [deletion: second add x x x american military command x x x] third add x x x american field installations x x x During their stay in Saigon, various Congressmen were invited by American Admirals, Generals and other officials for informal [deletion: for] sport-shirt dinners; but [deletion: an] on one free night, two American Navy Lieutenant Commanders bought dinner for Hosmer because he had norptno time to buy the local currency. During afternoon trips, the delegations ate in the mess halls of generals--sometimes in a tent;--Kennedy’s party insisted on eating with the troops in the messline; the Kennedy group at times [deletion: [illegible]] ate cold box lunches (cost of one dollar plus to the individual) or a hot lunches on the aircraft (cost of $30 to the delegation). Hosmer’s one-week visit to Vietnam was part of his three-week active service duty [deletion: or] as a U.S. Navy reserve; the other two weeks he spent on a guided missile cruiser and an aircraft carrier of the 7th Fleet elements conducting airstrikes in North Vietnam. Besides visiting U.S. troops in the field, he concentrated on activities of the Vietnamese Navy and U.S. coast guard, traveling to the Southernmost point in Vietnam. He visited Vietnam without pay or allowances. He also reportedly talked with Vietnamese village, district, province chiefs as well as field commanders. During his [insertion: chats] American officers and privates frequently asked him about the anti-Vietnam demonstrations in California [deletion: &] and Unistates. His reply: the demonstrations represent a very small fraction of American public opinion. fourth add x x x american public opinion x x x He also told American officials that he was impressed with the civic action projects of American troops. American officers were impressed when Hosmer [deletion: laught] sought out and thanked the American privates who typed his itinerary; when he dismissed a military photographer assigned to cover his visit because he was unnecessary; when he told half dozen officiers to go back to their work and not to worry about his briefings. “I got the Congressmens’ boots back when they returned from the field;” one American officer explained. “They were covered with [deletion: mind] mud; their [deletion: old] fatigues and jackets were sweaty and dirty. I knew the Congressmen had been working here.” [insertion: enditdeepe.]
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Date
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1965, Nov. 5
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Subject
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975; Visits of state; Diplomacy; Legislators--United States
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Location
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Saigon, South Vietnam
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Coordinates
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10.8231; 106.6311
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Size
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20 x 26 cm
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Container
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B187, F6
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Format
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dispatches
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Collection Number
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MS 363
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Collection Title
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Beverly Deepe Keever, Journalism Papers
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Creator
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Collector
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Keever, Beverly Deepe
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Copyright Information
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These images are for educational use only. To inquire about usage or publication, please contact Archives & Special Collections.
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Publisher
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Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries
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Language
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English
