Assignment 1

George Watkins story caught my attention in the beginning, when he’s talking about his family’s upbringing in the coal mines. My mother had a similar rule while I was growing up about logging. Mr. Watkins seems to have a good memory of his time in Vietnam. Including how he was pulled from his M.O.S and lumped in with the infantry. He remembers dates and places really well for a man who lost his legs and eyesight. The way he talks about his time is directly affected by what he was subjected to. He doesn’t seem jaded or angry towards the Vietnamese. He admires their resilience and blames the politicians. Which I seem to read in many things I’ve read about the Vietnam war. The way he asks for Addy to “fancy it up a bit” to me this comes from a man who’s not bitter or to factual but speaks from experience.

Part 2

The second part of this assignment is hard for me cause the subject matter is so interesting. There were many things in certain story’s that were disappointing to me. Although there were many single instances I wanted to write about I finally chose Mr. Malcolm Browne. A reporter.

 Mr. Brown who was a reporter seemed to wanna tell the side of the war people weren’t hearing about “the secret war”. Yet he talks of not being allowed in places such as the air base in Bien Hoa to investigate whether Americans were training Vietnamese as pilots. Or being beaten and having their cameras smashed as they tried to report of the Buddhist up risings.  This part of the assignment was hard for me, I hope this is right. Feedback thanks.

Craig Nelson