Vietnamese Airborne reunion draws crowd to Lee County
Oct. 10—They served valiantly beside each other in a far way land and met to reminisce in Lee County Friday.
Retired Col. Robert Hattler hosted a picnic for more than 70 members and spouses from U.S. Army Airborne and Special Ops and the Society of the Vietnamese Airborne at his home south of Sanford. Guests had the chance to look over memorabilia, pose for photos, have long conversations and enjoy goof food as they gathered.
"We have all of the Vietnamese representing various battalions of the Airborne Division," Hattler said. "These are just some old geezers coming here to enjoy a little brisket and I'm happy to have them here. I think every once in a while, you've got to have some fun. This is it."
Hattler's home and the grounds were decorated with American and Vietnamese flags and balloons in the colors. Inside his garage was a mini museum, made up of artifacts from his military career and that of the Vietnamese Airborne. The "Red Hats" and "Red Markers" as they are known.
A large contingent from the Vietnamese group came up from Fayetteville, where they had been at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. American advisors began working with the Vietnamese Airborne Division in 1966. By 1966, the Vietnamese paratrooper ranks had grown to more than 13,000 men, all who wore the distinct camouflage jump uniforms and red berets known to U.S. Airborne divisions.
Many of those present from U.S. forces had served with team 162 of the Vietnamese Airborne.
The attendees spent time enjoying each other's company an good food after Hattler said a short prayer to bless the food and those who had traveled to his home for the event.
One of the Vietnamese visitors shared her story about escaping after the war. Julie, whose Vietnamese name is Huong, spoke about how she and many of the others struggled to leave Vietnam after it fell to the Communists in 1975.
"When the Communists came to Vietnam in 1975, I didn't want to stay," she said. "After the Saigon fall, many came here. I tried to get out of Saigon, leave the country."
Julie said it wasn't until 1985 that she was able to get out of the country.
"We had to escape by boat," she said. "It was difficult. The people who worked with the government before 1975 could not get jobs. When I married, I decided to get out of the country with my husband. My family was in Vietnam. My husband (a former Vietnamese soldier) said it would be very dangerous. A lot of people were still trying to get out after 10 years. There were many stories of people who were unlucky in trying to get out of the country. But I know I still had a dream. Not a dream to come to America, but a dream to get out. I could not live with the government — the Vietnamese Communists."
She said that by luck, they both escaped.
"Our boat was very small," she said. "It had 77 people in it. I held my child — we were on the boat seven days and nights."
They ran into Thai Vietnamese sympathizers and were taken back to Vietnam.
"They put us in the jail," Julie said. "Somehow — I kept praying — they let us go. Whatever valuable we carried with us, we gave it to them — so they let us go. Two days after that, we met fishermen from Thailand. Our boat had 40 men and 37 women and children. We went to Malaysia."
After that, Julie was able to come to the U.S.
"I don't have any family here," she said. "When I came, the Baptist Church sponsored us. I have been in the United States since 1986 — in Florida."
After speaking about her journey, Julie rejoined the others for group photos, food and fellowship.
