Michael Belis Page 9

On December 16, 1970, Jim Regalia and I were promoted to Sergeant. The two of us were detailed
to escort two of our Kit Carson Scouts to the Chieu Hoi Center in Saigon on December 24, 1970.
The two Scouts, known to us as "Big Tien" and "Little Tien", were former NVA who had surrendered
under the South Vietnamese Chieu Hoi ( Open Arms ) program, and had been utilized by Company C
as scouts, when we were out in the mountains and jungle of Binh Dinh Province in late 1970.

I got along well with both of them, but the two Vietnamese were considered useless as scouts, and were not liked
by most of the guys in the Company. There was a great deal of distrust toward them by the G.I.'s, especially
toward the smaller of the two, Little Tien. He spoke no English, was always sullen and did not hide his dislike
for Americans. Back in October, when we were out in the jungle, our Platoon had come upon an enemy "hooch"
by a stream. As we explored the site, we observed the two enemy soldiers who were obviously the occupants
of the hooch, in a clearing across the stream, coming our way, returning to their hooch. We moved into
an ambush position to intercept them, but before we could, Little Tien opened fire on them with his rifle,
missing both of them, and causing them to flee into the jungle and make their escape.

Big Tien and Little Tien had been assigned to our Company, since we were operating in the same area
they had operated in before, when they were on the enemy side. It was believed that Little Tien had opened fire
early, before the enemy soldiers were in our kill zone, and before we had set up our machine gun,
in order to warn them away and prevent us from capturing or killing them. It was even possible he recognized
them as friends, and fired over their heads so they could get away.

Conflict between the two scouts and the G.I.'s escalated for a couple of months after that, with a lot of
arguing and a couple of fights, until the Company Command decided to return them to the Chieu Hoi program,
with an explanation that they were not wanted or needed by us. Jim and I were detailed to bring them back
to Saigon, and he and I were each issued a sidearm in case they did not want to co-operate and go back.
They were, in effect, to be considered enemy prisoners once again.

Once we made sure they got to the Chieu Hoi Center headquarters in downtown Saigon, Jim and I were free
to see the sights in the captial city, with an overnight stay in Saigon. I had brought two cameras with me,
and on the next pages are the photos I took as we walked around and took taxis exploring the city, on
Christmas eve and Christmas day, 1970.

Little Tien on the left, me in the middle, and Big Tien on the right,
at the Chieu Hoi Center in Saigon. Note I am wearing a belt with a
.45 pistol and pouch with extra magazines, just in case.

Me in downtown Saigon, the Caravelle Hotel in background, right.
In background on the left is the Saigon Opera House, which was used during the war
as the National Assembly Building (Legislature).

Monument to an historical Vietnamese hero (Tran Hung Dao)near the Saigon River.
Note the South Vietnamese Navy (Hai Quan) emblem on the monument

A close up
of part of the above monument

Wish I had written down
what these different monuments
are. Many of them were torn
down after the fall of
South Vietnam.

The Presidential Palace
The image of North Vietnamese tanks crashing through the gates here
in 1975 is one I will always have in mind.