The Indochina Correspondents

(from ongoing Vietnam Legacy Project, as detailed here July 4, 2009)

  The Saigon Post, Feb 15, 1971

 

SAIGON NOTES

 

by

     Daniel Cameron

 

THE INDOCHINA CORRESPONDENTS

 

And now they are dying again---this time not in Vietnam. They were all photo-journalists who go into war. An anti-aircraft shell smashed their Huey chopper in the sky over Laos during the South Vietnamese incursion. Four went down, besides the Vietnamese crew. Larry Burrows, Life Magazine. Henri Huet, the Associated Press. Kent Potter, United Press International. Keisaburo Shimamoto, Newsweek.

 

I remember Larry Burrows  in a chopper on May 2 of last year. There he was, bespectacled and famous, yet flying into the X-Ray Zone of the Fish-hook to see the first wave of American troops into Cambodia. He carried four cameras.

 

Somebody told me that KENT POTTER was from my home town, Philadelphia. I didn't know that.

 

HENRI HUET, another seasoned pro,  was a Frenchman and one of the real friendlies at the AP Bureau in the Eden Building. He was tiring of Japan and didn't mind coming back here. One day up in Pleiku he and DAVID ROSENZWEIG, also of the AP, joined a party of two helicopters. The first one, which they almost boarded, was shot down. Their chopper landed at the wreckage and found no survivors. A great many choppers have gone down in this war.

 

That was then for DAVID ROSENZWEIG.  He had already done a lot of good coverage in Cambodia during the torrid May-June campaign and began to tire of the war. He didn't get to this recent action in Laos. He had quit and gone back to California to get married.

 

                                       TAXATION

According to a former very high-ranking official, the GVN is planning new ways to create a viable tax collection system. If it succeeds, it will have done that which has never been done before around here.

 

The present tax control program is very unpopular. In questionnaires, householders are asked to list all their items of property, including air conditioners, TV sets, radios etc. People are alleging that some tax collectors are becoming outright extortionists.

 

President Thieu, it's reported, is considerng a revision of the whole tax campaign. He may consider methods like arbitration and other techniques used in the United States. One obstacle to tax collection is the fact that 80% of Vietnamese businesses do not keep books. How long this will continue is still debatable.

 

Sources say that the most successful tax evaders in the country are corrupt Generals, former high-ranking Government officials, and wealthy, influential businessmen. The United States is expected to support some of these Government of Vietnam efforts to get these uncollected assets into the nation's treasury.

 

AROUND THE TOWN

 

DAVE BAQUIRIN of the Manila Chronicle has arrived for a six-month tour. The English press is sometimes called the most free in the world, but from what we hear, that title may also be claimed by the Filipino press. Seven of the eight leading newspapers in the Philipines, incidentally, are in the English language. DAVE told us that one Filipino newsman, in order to get a story on the drug scene, went so far as to smoke pot and jab himself with heroin. Sounds like enterprising journalism.....TITO CARBALLO, in from Cambodia, says that no matter what you read in wire-service dispatches, Phnom Penh is still standing. And although hypertension has been afflicting LON NOL, there are no signs of it affecting most Cambodians, according to medical reports. The pace goes on. You sip each hour instead of gulping it.....Discussed sundry items recently with retired BRIGADIER GENERAL RICHARD S. WHITCOMB (a Colonel in the D-Day landing at Normandy.) He commented on Joe Fried of the NY Daily News. "Fried is one of the newsmen who are on America's side," the General said.

 

P.S. Tips? Contact Saigon Notes, the Mon-Wed-Fri column. Names withheld on request.

 

Comments

[Jene Warneke]

Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day. It's always exciting to read through articles from other writers and use a little something from other sites.

[Lakisha Richlin]

You ought to be a part of a contest for one of the finest blogs on the net. I will highly recommend this blog!

[Charisse Ordahl]

Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Thanks for supplying this information.

[Renata Baglione]

I love reading a post that will make men and women think. Also, thanks for permitting me to comment!

[Bernardine Macall]

Spot on with this write-up, I actually believe this amazing site needs a lot more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the information!

[Susannah Grinie]

Spot on with this write-up, I honestly believe that this web site needs a great deal more attention. I’ll probably be back again to read more, thanks for the info!

[Nedra Watt]

You have made some decent points there. I checked on the web for more information about the issue and found most individuals will go along with your views on this web site.

[Rebecca Lemp]

When I initially commented I appear to have clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added- checkbox and from now on whenever a comment is added I recieve 4 emails with the exact same comment. Perhaps there is a way you can remove me from that service? Thanks a lot!

[Shizue Vencill]

Everything is very open with a precise clarification of the issues. It was really informative. Your site is extremely helpful. Many thanks for sharing!

[Jovan Boddeker]

An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who had been conducting a little research on this. And he actually ordered me breakfast because I discovered it for him... lol. So allow me to reword this.... Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanx for spending the time to discuss this topic here on your site.

[Luci Haggis]

An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a friend who was conducting a little research on this. And he actually bought me lunch due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him... lol. So allow me to reword this.... Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending some time to talk about this topic here on your web site.

[Lakiesha Hancin]

An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who has been doing a little research on this. And he actually bought me breakfast due to the fact that I stumbled upon it for him... lol. So let me reword this.... Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to talk about this topic here on your internet site.

[Nubia Sissell]

This web site truly has all of the info I needed about this subject and didn’t know who to ask.

[Lissa Jung]

Good post. I learn something totally new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day. It will always be helpful to read through articles from other writers and practice a little something from their sites.

[Madge Kainoa]

Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you penning this article and also the rest of the website is extremely good.

[Lashell Lungren]

Excellent article. I will be facing a few of these issues as well..

[Erlene Sipe]

Very good article. I certainly appreciate this website. Keep writing!

[Kenyatta Laye]

I enjoy reading a post that can make men and women think. Also, thanks for permitting me to comment!

[Cassi Donkle]

Greetings! Very helpful advice in this particular post! It is the little changes that will make the biggest changes. Thanks a lot for sharing!

[Kristeen Axelsen]

I blog frequently and I seriously appreciate your information. This article has truly peaked my interest. I am going to bookmark your website and keep checking for new details about once a week. I opted in for your RSS feed too.