" A HOLIDAY FROM HELL " 1967 - G.I.s on LEAVE FROM VIETNAM / R&R FILM TAIPEI, TAIWAN 82054

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This 1967 color film production follows members of the United States Marine Corps to show tourist luxuries enjoyed by servicemen on R&R in Taipei, Taiwan during the Vietnam War (TRT 26:48). The film glosses over some of the more lurid aspects of the military R&R excursions, and the fact that they tended to promote social ills including prostitution, human trafficking and drug running in countries like Thailand, the Philippines and elsewhere.
Film begins. “Korea, Winter 1952.” US troops climb a snowy hillside in black and white. Smoke on the horizon (0:18). “Vietnam, Spring 1967” title over troops on jungle patrol (0:45). Our host (1:03). Signage: Tan Son Nhat International Airport (1:16). Camp Alpha, Saigon. “A Holiday From Hell” title over a marine dusting his shoes (1:24). Marines at the R&R processing office (1:45). Money is counted out to a G.I. from a cashier’s window (2:22). Visiting a medic for a shot while smoking a cigar (2:43). Interviews reveal R&R plans (3:15). G.I.s leave Tan Son Nhat Airport and board a Pan American airliner (4:30). A female flight attendant speaks into an intercom (5:24). The Grand Hotel in Taipei, Taiwan looks out on a hazy sky (6:10). Pan Am Vice President Tom Flanagan speaks about air travel between 10 R&R centers (6:53). Taiwanese citizens pedal bicycles in a busy Taipei street (10:07). A cinema advertises the films “Cast a Giant Shadow” and “Grand Prix” (10:20). Laundry hangs from clotheslines (10:23). G.I.s deplane and sign paperwork (10:28). A marine sergeant lectures from the front of a bus (10:48). Light shines on a line of Taipei hotel representatives. A G.I. loads into a red taxi and disappears into the night (14:07). Fireworks. Neon signage for “Suzie Wong Bar” (14:54). A permit from the Taipei Police HQ and an English drink menu. Signs “The Mayflower” and “O.K. Bar” (15:03). A hand wearing a watch and a class ring drums on a bar around a cocktail (15:25). A bar hostess smiles at the full counter of men (15:44). A woman and two servicemen make awkward conversation. Zoom in on her cocktail glass and ring (16:02). The bar mirror reveals another young Taiwanese woman. The man with her watches the camera sternly (17:27). Outdoor signage for the “O.K. Bar, Best Place for R&R.” A man in a cardigan smokes a cigarette and walks with a woman in a dress (18:00). Storefronts “Drug Store” and “Tong Tu Hotel” (18:23). Large movie posters for “The Theft of Mona Lisa” aka “Il ladro della Gioconda.” Movie theaters advertise a samurai film, a western, “The Man Called Gringo” (18:34). Two men on ladders paint a billboard for a motor scooter (18:47). A crossing guard in a white helmet watches traffic (18:50). Street vendors sell hot corn on the cob. A black man in sunglasses looks at the camera. A toy vendor blows a plastic whistle (18:56). Longshan Temple. The National Palace Museum (19:53). The Tatun Volcano Group (20:06). A park in Bato, Philippines. Children roller skate (20:12). A sign: “Hot Spring Hotel Shin Fuei Fong” (20:31). A woman in blue walks past the camera, which tilts up to show a high-rise building (20:42). The shoes of one man and two women at the threshold of a doorway (20:50). Two women in robes chat among glass bottles (20:58). Bare feet step into a shower. Two more sets of legs follow (21:10). Two women shampoo a seated man’s head (21:24). A sunset landscape rushes past a moving vehicle. Mountains with lens flare (21:42). Montage of plant life. A posed photograph in silhouette. The sun’s reflection on Sun Moon Lake in Nantou County (22:21). A woman’s face in silhouette. A man wades into the lake (23:33). A rice farmer tills the paddies. A water buffalo plows through mud roads. A woman in a conical hat carries water in buckets (24:36). A water wheel turns. A butterfly. A white bird (24:52). Back on patrol in high jungle grasses (25:20). End credits (25:50).
The film was produced and written by Sterling Seagrave and narrated by Roger Grimsby.
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[@cliffshirley829]

Did R&R in Taipei in 1967 (twice). Loved it. Stayed in a modestly priced hotel ($15 per night) but it seemed like luxury compared to the Mekong Delta. Hot showers, air conditioning, and a bar in the hotel that made great drinks. Played golf, did some skeet shooting & bowling all for free. Also the women. Wow. Got there in a DC 6. Very comfortable flight.

[@stevefowler2112]

I was a U.S. Marine in country from from Nov. 11th '67 thru Feb. 1st '69 with 2/7 and 3/1. I never took R&R out of country because I never wanted to leave and then come back...I thought it would F up my karma and/or take my edge away. I did take a couple two day passes to Saigon and Da Nang. It was dangerous on patrols and most of the Marines I saw die were due to small tactical mistakes or just bad luck taking incoming fire. I wanted to stay sharp so as not to make a tactical mistake and I figured if I did that I would just hope and pray that I wasn't in the wrong place at the wrong time to have something unlucky happen. The Viet Cong and NVA were very smart, well equipped and well lead tenacious soldiers fighting in their backyard so you needed all your wits about you to stay alive. I principally believe one of the reasons I stayed alive was I grew up in rural central south Florida outside of Opa-locka where I pretty much spent 24/7 playing cowboys and indians having running pellet gun and BB gun fights as a young boy and later hunting and camping and scouting in the south Florida everglades. When I got to Vietnam I was scared as hell but once I got in the field I quickly felt right at home...Semper Fi

[@Fallouttracker]

Happy birthday Devil Dog. 2010-2018 1833. Simper Fi!

[@stevefowler2112]

@@lostsoul401 That was a very thoughtful response. I really don't know what else to say, I rarely talk about my time in combat except with my brother (he was in the Green Berets) over brown whiskey. Just seeing the flights I never took made me want to comment.

[@michaelnash2138]

My friend, you have balls the size of church bells!

[@jonwilliam4548]

I think your probably correct in your connection between leave and death by small mistakes and minor tactical oversights. Thanks for such a great comment. I rarely reply to anything.

[@farpointgamingdirect]

Welcome Home...Semper Fi Brother Marine!

[@thomasschreiber9559]

When I was a kid in 1968 I was at the Detroit drag strip watching the races. There was this young guy sitting in front of us wearing a military field jacket and with his short haircut he looked like he had just gotten out of the military. Embroidered on the back of his field jacket it said " If I had a farm in Vietnam and a home in hell I'd sell my farm and go home". Still remember that all these years later.

[@areaone3813]

This is some absolute brilliant journalism. Superior historical content. I’m blown away. God bless our Vets.

[@manofaction1807]

Charlie didn't get much USO. He was dug in too deep or moving too fast. His idea of great R&R was cold rice and a little rat meat. He had only two ways home: death, or victory.- Cpt Willard

[@schneir5]

Also Charlie don't surf!

[@warrenchambers4819]

Why Charlie did too! At least the ones under Chu lai. They even got to hear Bob Hope. No kiddin. I talked to one capt who served there and he said "I always wondered where all the water went? Even during the monsoon it just drained away? I didn't know it at the time but Charlie had a huge underground complex under our feet."

[@jggallow01]

I watched a snail crawl up the edge of a straight razor. It was my dream. It was my nightmare....

[@funkyalfonso]

@@schneir5 I want the t-shirt. Like since 1980.

[@oldpunkrocker]

Hey, man, you don't talk to the Colonel. You listen to him. The man's enlarged my mind.

[@unclebob6728]

I spent a week in Hong Kong on R&R from DaNang in 1968. Great experience!

[@surferdude44444]

I was in DaNang in ‘69 Uncle Bob. I went to HKG also.......never left Wanchai for five days. Semper Fi!

[@thetooginator153]

Uncle Bob - I’m about ten years too young for Vietnam, so, I’d be interested in any stories you’d like to share about your experience in Vietnam and Hong Kong. My dad was a carrier-based pilot who took R&R in Hong Kong in 1958. I saw the pictures he took, and Hong Kong looked a lot different back then.

[@offgridwithdj4877]

My Uncle George Myers was a SEABEE in DaNang for 3 tours .

[@dicksanormus3642]

Our Air Conditioning went out in our barracks one time . Shear hell let me tell ya

[@4321grp]

@@dicksanormus3642 What air conditioning? I was in Vietnam 18 months and never saw an air conditioner.

[@patrickshaw8595]

Braniff Airlines hauled a lot of GIs to and from Vietnam. A pilot told me that - bored - out over the Pacific with a load of guys bound for Vietnam - they announced over PA they were going to do an experiment in their fully loaded DC-8, First they throttled one engine down, then two, then the third (the one they left running was the only one that had ALL the pumps and accessories necessary for flight on it)(#3). Number Three engine was maxxed out and they had full left rudder applied - but that bird maintained straight and level at 35,000 for ten minutes on only one engine ! The GIs thought it was sensational and clapped and cheered the Flight Crew,

[@electrolytics]

That's hilarious and awesome.

[@s.marcus3669]

I find that very hard to believe, Pat. Running a dangerous experiment in a fully loaded airliner? No. You do all the experimenting you want, while the aircraft is in prototype stage. Sounds fully bogus to me.

[@patrickshaw8595]

@@s.marcus3669 You're the expert then, I guess... PS - The pilot noted that the fuel flow for the one engine at full thrust was equal to the sum of the normal cruising fuel flows of all 4 engines. Men were bolder in the old days - that's for sure. I myself and a friend used to "borrow" various little airplanes from a lonely little airstrip. Never turn the master switch on, hand prop it to life - hop it over to were our cars were parked and using electrical tape change the N numbers. Then content ourselves flying nap-of-the-earth for a while. Neither of us had a pilot's license but we managed to fly under all the power lines and bridges in the area. When that got old we'd see how long we could drag the main wheels on the surface of the Missouri River. And then there was the time I took some buddies and we went and visited my Dad at the Big Airport in the middle of the night. There used to be a Lover's Lane other side of the fence from the Compass Rose. A couple donuts at takeoff power could shift the cars and gravel around quit a bit - and from up high in the cockpit with the landing lights on we saw a fair amount of body parts scrambling for clothes. But we never ran down 2L, picked up the gear, counted ten - then put it down and stopped it like it was anything other than a normal maintenance procedure, either. So don't worry about it.

[@s.marcus3669]

@@patrickshaw8595 Unlicensed punk teenagers stealing airplanes for joy rides. I rest my case, Patrick.

[@patrickshaw8595]

@@s.marcus3669 You're a case, alright, there "Granma Marcus", lol . . .

[@rhodiak]

We received the exact same briefing at the start of our r&r back in 2002. We did r&r in Sofia, Bulgaria. Amazing times with the locals. 😎

[@soapyork9356]

I unprocessed Afghanistan back in 2012 through Bulgaria. Very nice people!

[@madjackblack5892]

Great place to hang out a couple of weeks.

[@williamvigue2932]

I also had R&R in Sofia in 2002. KFOR. I remember going by bus through Macedonia (and military escort) and ending up in a hotel in Sofia with MPs giving briefings, SOFA cards and KFOR taxis. I did a lot of partying that week

[@rhodiak]

@@williamvigue2932 Bro. I was on that same bus several times from November 2001 - May 2002. We stayed at Hotel Rodina. It was some amazing times. Especially for young single guys. Lol

[@davidca96]

Bulgarian women are fine as hell

[@Mondo762]

Back in 1970 I remember talking to a GI in Tahiti. Smart guy. Back then Americans were treated very well in Tahiti.

[@prestoni]

I dont recall Tahiti beings an optional R&R location--I was there in '69-'70.

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

@@prestoni same here. Some GIs took their 30 day extension leaves to wherever they choose to fly to on their own dime

[@commietube4273]

The first places we went were the OFF LIMITS bars. USMC 😂

[@Bishopspipes]

I got mad when this ended. I couldn’t get enough of this video and the content. Incredible.

[@Dadsezso]

I pulled an R&R to Taipei. I had a very memorable time :).

[@Bill23799]

I have a friend who served as a combat medic in Vietnam. He told me his " Holiday from Hell " was when he was traveling through Texas . Haha

[@lewiemcneely9143]

Mine was being stationed in Kansas for a year.

[@Oliverdobbins]

This “R&R” seems like a good idea. Maybe I should get some...

[@thai9503]

No r&r for you boi, hell what was you thinking

[@David-og7di]

3 more months of this bullshit then back to Thailand.

[@danielcruz8347]

Stay safe and enjoy good time..one pleasant pleasure at a time..many delights..over under sideways down..dont let it end!! Peace too all GI...thanks periscope

[@Michael9-23-15]

Been there 11 times since 2015 and love it! My girlfriend is there, but I would still enjoy it regardless. Taiwan is absolutely amazing!

[@oceanhome2023]

Long Live Taiwan !! May God preserve her always !!

[@HVACSoldier]

@@oceanhome2023 #FreeTaiwan

[@georgeryan613]

Enjoyed R&R in Tokyo, Singapore and Bangkok. Sometimes known as I&I.

[@Russellsagecline]

"Intoxication & Intercourse," for you non-serving types...

[@larryking1673]

@@Russellsagecline some I and all the I I could find and hunting was 👍

[@johnhuxley165]

Gotta love the Aussies.

[@peterwallace9764]

🇦🇺🇺🇸🇦🇺🇺🇸

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

You can have 'em. I'll take die Deutsche fraulein!

[@jamesmack3314]

Legendary drinkers

[@Greg3070]

@@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry I gotta agree with you on that one. Only downside is the frouline is probably my Mom's age. Lol. I was born in 65 and my mom was 21.

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

@@Greg3070 I was born in 61 when my mom was 35! But I do prefer my frauleins to be of a more recent vintage (not TOO recent).

[@lewiemcneely9143]

I never took R&R when there. I did NOT want anything to extend my ETS.

[@4321grp]

Lewie McNeely, Same here

[@68fmj51]

I had no idea that if you opted out of R&R it would shorten your tour. Five of my relatives served over there, and they all made it back. I know my cousin that was a Marine went to Bangkok. He was able to bring back a few pictures.

[@Dutch_Uncle]

Lewie- In that case you missed a chance at the fleshpots for a wrong reason. ETS is Estimated Time of Separation, when your enlistment contract is over. R&R does not extend your time in the service. I had R&R in Taipei and also took leave in Sydney, on space available basis. DEROS is Date of Estimated Return from Overseas Service. R&R had no effect on that either.

[@salvatoredestefano439]

Roger Grimsby was an old school, great reporter. They don’t make them like him anymore

[@martinmoffitt4702]

Channel 7 eyewitness new NYC

[@robertbrooks7196]

Yup.

[@brianmiller6340]

Part of me envies these young men (who are probably in their 70s now) for the chance to go to places like Thailand during R&R. The other part of me is glad that military policy changed with the times enough that I was able to go back to Germany (where I was stationed) for my 2 week break from Iraq each time.

[@JimAllen-Persona]

Guess the Army didn’t want to show any soapy massages 😂

[@multitieredinvestor183]

Dec 1957 went on R&R to Tokyo. July 1966 to Bangkok. Had planned to go 1 May 1970 to Sidney, but led my company Bravo 125th Signal to Cambodia. My battalion commander ordered me to take a week off in-country. I spent two days with the Vietnamese family I knew on my first tour to Vietnam. Then spent time visiting Vung Tau a resort in southern part of country. Charlie is supposed to R&R there as well.

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

Was in a whore house in Tuy Hoa where there were NVA on the other side of the room waiting their turn. For sone reason we left it a neutral area. Weird war stuff

[@gregprouse1173]

Can you be more specific.....GI's smile lol. We all know whats up. Fantastic!

[@robertos4876]

Wow, this is a rare time capsule of this country and its historical ties with US and Japan. it would be great to view these precious images in comparison with the same scenes nowadays.

[@tonyhaskins3513]

No smoking till airborne..lol that went out right as I joined in the late 70's.. the good ole days where common sense did not have to be regulated and most had it. Ohh how times have changed

[@joeybagadonuts3471]

The guy with the mike is Roger Grimsby....for years he did the tv news in NYC on channel 7 WABC.

[@douglaslamveg8913]

Hoping your news is good news.

[@joeybagadonuts3471]

@@douglaslamveg8913 Oh man that's a blast from the past! Remember his partner Bill Beutel? And the weather man....Tex Antoine?

[@douglaslamveg8913]

@@joeybagadonuts3471 Great reporters and anchors.

[@jamesmack3314]

Eyewitness news!

[@thomas5714]

Rose Ann Scamardella too who Gilda Radner mocked as Roseanne Roseannadanna & Geraldo Rivera when he broke the Willowbrook scandal.

[@redthepost]

Roger and periscope portrayed the Vietnam GI experience accurately. I worked with Roger and can verify this classic documentary. The viewer has to read between the lines of grimsby’s carefully crafted narration.

[@PeriscopeFilm]

Glad you enjoyed it! Consider becoming a channel member kzbin.info/www/bejne/hXWliGami8abi6c

[@LoveyK]

My Dad was stationed at the missile base near Taichung. We first lived in Taipei in a Hi-Rise Hotel for 6 months in 1965. I was 6 I remember it being both beautiful and terrifying. I won’t ever forget the open sewers.

[@DM-hw4cr]

That blonde Pan Am stewardess was gorgeous.

[@jamesmack3314]

Oh yea...now she’s not

[@TV_Bucks78]

I'm glad she had an archived close up

[@Greg3070]

@@jamesmack3314 well... since my mother was 21 when she had me in 65 and would be 77 now, I would have to agree that flight attendant is certainly not as youthful as she was back then. Lol.

[@gregprouse1173]

I think she had a german accent. I wonder how she landed the job working with panam and for the military. I agree though

[@jamesmack3314]

@@Greg3070 yea, it’s always hard to wrap my head around a gorgeous hot babe becoming an old lady but hell I was a hot guy once to ha ha

[@downunderrob]

At 03:58 with Australian Diggers. If you listen closely, you'll hear....very faint, mind you....some Vietnamese bargirl screaming.. "Uc dai loi, he cheap-Charlie! He no buy me Saigon Tea!"🤣🤣🇦🇺

[@skysharksingh]

R&R where dreams come true.

[@thomasnikkola5600]

We were the last American warship to port in British flagged Hong Kong. April 1997

[@dalerash6285]

Met my wife in Hawaii the end of January 1968, during the TET offensive.

[@PeitouBob]

Some GIs were processed through the Sea Dragon Club in downtown Taipei. We tried, but mostly failed our mission of directing incoming personnel to BeiTou rather than Taipei. The dollars lasted longer in BeiTou. Every GI I met looked tired and old.

[@HVACSoldier]

I wonder how many soldiers waited until they were on the backend of their tour before they went on R&R.

[@kostakarvounis9406]

Took r&r in sydney australia. Fun un kings cross.

[@mdogg1604]

Great vid! To all Viet Nam vets, my best buddy included, 'Thank you!' doesn't even begin to express my gratitude. You fought a great evil, and held it in check, you didn't lose.....that evil is a many-headed "hydra" called Communism. I would have been proud to serve next to you; forget those idiots that spat on you at the airport, I guess you fought for them too, and maybe some lived long enough to appreciate what you strove for. Your service is why we don't all have to fall into the same line of conformity and wear Mao shirts. So let the fools have their say.......... Be well, and consider me a friend... And to all those who dislike my comment, well, I rest my case.

[@4321grp]

m dogg, Thank you for the kind words

[@Sparty-pi3jq]

Thank you to all Vietnam vets! As an Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and North Africa Vet, I always thought we didnt have alot in common with Vietnam vets.......until the day I saw Kabul fall live on tv. I felt we failed and that all our sacrifices and the lives of our brothers lost, were all a giant waste. I felt like my/our contributions meant nothing at all and it cut very deeply. I can only imagine that's how Vietnam vets felt watching Saigon fall on live TV as well. Since that day I've started going to V.F.W. halls and connecting with Vietnam vets. It's been a great experience and just because these guys are 35-40 yrs older than me, we aren't that different after all. I just needed to share this and get it off my chest. Thanks for reading!

[@4321grp]

@@Sparty-pi3jq You hit the nail right on the head Brother, and thank you for your service too.

[@glenemma1]

Most of the people you were fighting were peasants. They simply saw you as the invader. They wouldn't be able to tell you what communism or capitalism, or any other ideology, meant.

[@mdogg1604]

@@glenemma1 They would have figured it out real quick when the Communists told them what to grow and then stole their profits.

[@bigboyblue7181]

When I was in Somalia we went to Nairobi and Mombasa. When I was in Bosnia we went to Budapest and Graz.

[@jhollie8196]

While in Somalia, we (LMCC) sent an aircraft toMombassa Kenya for the Marines R&R period. . I never went. Let my Marines go first.

[@rapman5363]

At 9:15 he can’t even keep a straight face when the reporter asks about Pan Am making no profit doing the R&R flights. If anyone thinks that Pan Am made no money on these flights doesn’t know a damn thing about American capitalism. There was plenty of $$$ and back room deals between all parties involves. Although I don’t have specific details,if history serves us I can guarantee there was plenty of profit for the airlines.

[@DutchCrunch333]

Profits of DOOM

[@garethneely3905]

Yeah, after Howard Hughes was hauled before Congress over ‘war profiteering ‘ American companies were very conscious about appearing to do any business with the D.O.D on their own dime.

[@SandfordSmythe]

Maybe built into .government "supports" for the airline industry.

[@juanpecan7089]

"War is a Racket"

[@johnmoran8174]

Interesting. We were first assigned to Vietnam in the late 1960's and after a while were reassigned to Taiwan to replace a unit from Korea that was being deactivated. Taiwan was immediately much better than Nam, the weather was much better unlike Nam which was like living in a pressure cooker. We had a similar orientation from the office of the I.G. and I think we hit every bar in Taipei that the Marine mentioned during the week or so we were there before being sent to our duty stations down island. Taiwan was an great duty station, friendly people, weather like Southern California, excellent food, and living on the local economy was so much nicer than living in hooches or pre-fabs on a mountain in the jungle. The video does bring back a lot of memories.

[@MrMSalexanderMK]

Getting away from the hell made by their gov.

[@zedono1391]

It was already hell after the french were defeated. We made it a better hell.

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

I was truly enjoying combat and didn’t take R&R until my 11th month in country when I realized I got a free trip to Hawaii to meet my first wife. Had a great time even though our marriage was destined to fail especially when I found out my best friend had an affair with her.

[@celticman1909]

"Business like girls" Never heard it put that way before. 🤫 The challenges of script writing in the 60's for government approved films.

[@JeffreyOrnstein]

Very good, thanks. I remember Roger Grimsby from Channel 7 Eyewitness News in New York, back in the 70s.

[@dingerbell100]

War Is A Racket.

[@lovedisaster69]

Look how gorgeous the stewardesses were back then. Our society has devolved.

[@IvanDmitriev1]

An interesting roll about Taiwan, as usual :)

[@dcrog69]

That stewardess was cute.

[@clacicle]

She sounded German. Definitely cute.

[@worldtraveler930]

Yep'ers, Most Definitely a home entertainment system!! 🤠👌

[@ku4uv]

Did the ladies love the G.I's long time? That's all I wanna know.

[@jamesmack3314]

Yes but it was more like a quickie!

[@ku4uv]

@@jamesmack3314 LOL!

[@unclebob6728]

It usually was: " wham ,bam, thank you ma'm!"

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

At 19 it was more like a “ pump and a dump” ,but about 6 times a day

[@ostrich67]

They most certainly did.

[@e.a.corral4713]

German stewardess. Bet she is a a OMA? Love them old DOUGLAS AIRCRAFT.

[@bneale]

When asked what they plan on doing on R&R only two words should have come out of their mouths ...get laid.

[@ricksanchez3176]

Does anyone know if there is any B-roll for this? I think a family memeber who passed away recently may be in this video. It would mean worlds to his widow.

[@dcrog69]

Circle pin, Thoroughbred got it.

[@lautburns4829]

Yeah, moma San can run up your bill real fast.

[@IAmMrQ]

I was -12 years old when this came out.

[@martyshannon7542]

6 years old for me.

[@g4tnewnewg4t48]

Pan am, spreading the good cheer...

[@davidcockrill7115]

Atami, Japan. 1970. I remember about 2 weeks there, not 5 days only.

[@jeep146]

If I could sum up the Vietnam War in one word it would be, Why? Nothing gained but so much was lost.

[@bruceniblett959]

I live in Taipei. Great place to live. Universal healthcare. Modern. Different than back then I'm assuming..

[@HVACSoldier]

@swamp fox Well, it’s an island. “Universal Healthcare” is a lot easier, when a limited number of people qualify for it.

[@fazole]

@swamp fox Taiwan is less socialist than most of the US ! No welfare, limited unemployment. And that only recently. Until fairly recently, most people had to work 6 days a week too.

[@fazole]

For the locals, it's hard. Wages haven't gone up in 30 years, but inflation has. China has sucked a lot of jobs out of Taiwan too.

[@HVACSoldier]

@swamp fox I’m a Libertarian. I’m just saying that it’s easier for Taiwan to do it, than the US. In Taiwan, we can’t fly from San Francisco, to Taipei, and expect to get “free” healthcare. But, SOME in the US believe we can provide “free” healthcare to everyone in the world. I do not think the US can do it.

[@bruceniblett959]

@swamp fox politics is for sheep. No I'm not a leftist, and you're not being honest with yourself. The US govt bailed out wall street in 2008 remember? That's socialism. I don't vote in a 2 party duopoly run by corporate oligarchs. So no I'm not s lefty. My dad was in WWII. The greatest generation. When he got old and sick he had to spend his life savings on healthcare. So you can stick that up your..

[@jameskat7069]

Roger Grimsbey a stable in New York news.

[@pumasgoya]

I bet that blonde stewardess was a sight for sore eyes to those boys.

[@markdraper3469]

She looked like she was quite aware she was a rabbit on a flight of wolves....

[@chuckwhitson654]

The first of a series of unfortunate events

[@bhoward9378]

Very interesting.

[@reallyhappenings5597]

Good for Pan-Am for running the contract non-profit. That's real corporate citizenship, a rarity today.

[@wellfuckyoumr]

Bid a contract that makes your negative money? Yeah don’t think so bud.

[@sturmbok]

He said "at cost" not "at a loss". They got paid from the Government for their cost of the operation (employee wages, maintenance, as well as fuel, etc.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

@@sturmbok Yeh, brains and reading comprehension in low supply in the Dunning-Kruger people.

[@trapperjohn6089]

Two words, poon tang.

[@joeshulman675]

Wow what a beautiful stewardess . Excuse me I mean flight attendant lol . !!!!

[@arthurbrumagem3844]

Now most are gay guys

[@roydidlock1867]

04:00. Some period Australian accents to be heard there. I wonder if they made a film of Australia as an R&R destination, which it was from 1967 through to 1971.

[@BrassLock]

A few aircraft carriers and associated escort vessels came to Fremantle for RnR.

[@LuvBorderCollies]

I know that some US Marines went to Australia for R&R.

[@dickritchie2596]

Those poor lads.

[@Photojouralist123]

1968 R and R Kulala Lumpur Malaya Hotel

[@mdcraig62]

Hey baby, you got girlfriend Vietnam?

[@Goatboysminion]

I just a pop-up about typing, "me so horny, baby"? Seriously!🤣 I'll try this instead. "Boom-boom long time!"

[@OntarioAndrew]

@@Goatboysminion “proud to trade ya some ARVN rifles, never been fired and only shot once”

[@ku4uv]

I wonder what they got for $10?

[@fakeyf2]

Not just this minute.

[@DutchCrunch333]

What you name GI ?

[@johnlacey3857]

I’m surprised that Philippines was not also an R&R destination.

[@saxongreen78]

Mate - it was 1967...you still could buy some fake papers and _disappear forever_ - not like the horrible open prison we live in today where everyone is traced and stalked everywhere they go. If I was a draftee (and I hadn't already gone walkabout outback) they wouldn't see me for dust...free passage to Asia! (An overseas flight from Australia was roughly $25,000 in today's money.)

[@fairlane2020]

I never expect to see those Australians

[@trumpstriggerfinger]

wonder how many just in this film died there

[@jeffreycoulter4095]

From one hell to another

[@dudleylitz7369]

: Others will NOT...

[@angloaust1575]

No r and r for the enemy As in the film we were soldiers We wont run them home They are home already!

[@puppiesgoarf664]

I had a great time in Hong Kong

[@stevenwiederholt7000]

It was also called I&I. Intoxication & Intercourse.

[@mickryan2450]

In oz its rooting and rooting

[@floydjaco3999]

I went to Bangkok Thailand

[@Tvrz]

Te guy in the dirt trying to keep the dust of his highly polished low quarters

[@RiamCute]

I wonder what happen with those young sikdiers in bar thar enjoy "hello Dolly"

[@patoni860]

I got a good idea for you people... Why don't you find gunny sergeant Carl and do a complete interview on him

[@frankdenardo8684]

I read in a book about the Vietnam war. Out of country R & R: Hong Kong, Malaysia, Taipei, Manila, Indonesia, Seoul, Bangkok, Honolulu, Tokyo, Australia. In country: Vung Tao, China Beach, Saigon. In Korea it goes like this. In for G.I.s, Tokyo for officers

[@LuvBorderCollies]

When my dad was in Korea in 1953 Japan was the only R&R spot. South Korea was blasted to shreds, even a whole farm house was a rare sight. Japan was already recovering rapidly from WW2. Even Hiroshima was cleaned up.

[@frankdenardo8684]

@@LuvBorderCollies I guess out of country was the way to go. In Vietnam they added a lot of places. Out of country: Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Seoul, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Manila, Honolulu, Taipei, Singapore. In country China Beach, Vung Tao, Saigon.

[@Mondo762]

@@frankdenardo8684 I met a GI on R&R in Tahiti back in 1970,

[@baronoflivonia.3512]

Nowadays you will not find a company like Pan Am, doing a service at cost for Armed Service's.

[@geneobrien8907]

They didn't do it at cost back then either!

[@Ferr1963]

11:45 What about the girls who wear red socks?

[@unr74]

I and I 😀

[@richardsmith9609]

Seems to me that Taipei looked a lot like Vietnam at the time.

[@HVACSoldier]

@Robert Smith Taipei was under “martial law” at the time. The KMT was the only political party, in Taiwan.

[@richardsmith9609]

@@HVACSoldier I was living in the Philippines at the time the documentary was filmed and now that you mentioned it you are correct. Remember this was less than 20 years after the Nationalist Chinese fled mainland China for Taiwan. I was very pleased over the years to see Taiwan become a modern country who the United States must support 100%.

[@fazole]

Taiwan was poor I'm told. People emigrated to the Philippines which was richer at the time!

[@richardsmith9609]

@@fazole The Philippines was far better off than Taiwan. I lived there from 1966 to 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War. The large American presence benefited the Filipino people greatly. Clark Air Base had a permanent population of 30,000 Americans and Subic Bay near Manila was quite large. There were many other smaller U.S. installations also.

[@robertos4876]

The main island of Taiwan is Formosa where Japan tried to take its last stand during WWII and we bombed the place to pieces. But unlike other former Japanese occupied territories, Taiwan fell under ROC administration who exploited every resource for its fight with the Communists. The Taiwanese pretty much bootstrapped their economy with grit and sweat and some help from USAID.

[@thetooginator153]

Well, the GIs could have had a Holiday in Cambodia I suppose...

[@electrolytics]

Where the people dress in black?

[@thetooginator153]

@@electrolytics - 🍚 a day

[@charletonzimmerman4205]

Military, lets you take 30 days per active year, usually, you pay ,1/2 , fare, with military discount, these Grunts got it free!

[@electrolytics]

Yeah but they got like 5 days, maybe a week if you count processing and travel times.

[@fjb4932]

Charlie, "these Grunts got it free !" They didn't get nothing for free ! There is no free lunch, these men Earned every minute and much more. I only wish you were there to get it "free" ...

[@reallyhappenings5597]

Buddy system essential on these streets

[@publicmail2]

5:50 a DC6 with JT8's

[@midnyte6195]

All them soon to be brides to be brought back here too after a night out on the town 😐

[@JGCR59]

The Strayan is the only one with good teeth

[@johnw4659]

Is that Roger Mudd ?

[@67L-88]

It is Roger Grimsby, he was on Channel 7 (ABC)news in NYC for a long time in the 70s and 80s

[@stablejourney]

Cut through the chit chat with the Taiwanese girl.. how much? Let’s get this going.. I am only here for 5 days! How much? How much?

[@Grimenoughtomaketherobotcry]

On the hole, I'd rather be in Germany!😉

[@dcrog69]

What's the deal with those aussie hat straps?

[@slur7625]

Chinstraps, they are supposed to be worn under the chin but most of the time when away from the bosses it's worn as you see here, relaxed mode and more comfortable

[@dcrog69]

@@slur7625 makes sense, seems to me having it like they did would be annoying tho

[@raxxtango]

'CHARLIE' DON'T SURF

[@dennishanson5254]

BOME BOME Gi !