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An Alaska Air National Guard pilot is seen with a S-92 helicopter at Wiley Post–Will Rogers Memorial Airport in Utqiagvik, Alaska, on August 26, 2021. U.S. Air National Guard/David Bedard

Episode 3069 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about. Vietnam’s purchase of more arms from the U, S, The featured story appeared on News Week and originated from China News. The title of the featured story is: Major Russian Arms Buyer Chooses To Go American and it was submitted by Ryan Chan. He is a Newsweek reporter based in Hong Kong, where he previously had over a decade of experience at a local newspaper, covering China and current events around the world. His focus is on security and defense issues in the Western Pacific region. He is a graduate of Hong Kong Baptist University. You can get in touch with Ryan by emailing r.chan@newsweek.com.

Chan reported that Vietnam will purchase helicopters from the United States for its police force, as Hanoi—historically reliant on Russian weaponry—deepens its partnership with Washington.

A Reuters report also stated that Vietnam’s Defense Ministry is negotiating with Lockheed Martin over the purchase of C-130 military transport aircraft.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department referred Newsweek to the government of Vietnam regarding the Southeast Asian country’s equipment procurement. The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to a written request for comment.

The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam said this about the deal: “The United States supports a strong, prosperous, and independent Vietnam that contributes to regional and international security; engages in mutually beneficial and balanced trade relations; respects human rights and the rule of law; and grows its economic cooperation with America to strengthen energy security, increase U.S. prosperity, increase cooperation in technology, and reinforce our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

Listen to Episode 3069 and discover more about Vietnam’s purchase of more arms from the U,S,.

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Steve Newman and his canes.

Steve Newman then and now.

Episode 3068 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about. Vietnam Vet Steve Newman and his Walking Stick for Veterans Program. The featured story was titled: Veteran requests help harvesting walking stick materials. It was submitted by Linda Braden Albert who is a Correspondent for The Daily Times.

Vietnam veteran Steve Newman has found a unique way to serve his fellow veterans—one walking stick at a time. In a heartfelt story submitted by Linda Braden Albert, Correspondent for The Daily Times, Newman’s passion project was brought to light: crafting hand-carved walking sticks for veterans as symbols of honor, healing, and resilience.

Newman understands the burdens many veterans carry long after the battlefield has faded. “These sticks aren’t just for walking,” he explained. “They’re about support—physical, emotional, and spiritual.”

Each stick is handcrafted with care, often personalized with military emblems or service details. For Newman, it’s a labor of love and remembrance, but one that’s become increasingly difficult. With limited mobility and resources, he recently put out a call for help gathering suitable materials—straight hardwood saplings like hickory or dogwood. He hopes local landowners or volunteers can help him harvest and transport them.

The response to his request has been deeply touching. Veterans who have received Newman’s sticks say they offer more than stability—they bring pride, dignity, and a tangible reminder that their service is remembered.

Newman doesn’t sell the sticks. He gives them away, often accompanied by a handshake, a heartfelt thank you, and a moment of connection.

“Every stick has a story,” Newman said. “And every veteran deserves to know they’re not forgotten.”

With the community’s help, Steve Newman hopes to keep crafting these meaningful gifts for as long as his hands and heart will allow.

For more information on assisting Newman by providing materials, allowing harvesting of saplings on your property or obtaining a walking stick or cane, email Mary Newman at mbnewman350@gmail.com using the subject line “Sticks.”

Listen to Episode 3068 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Steve Newman and his walking stick for Veterans Program.

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Three Police Officers and two VSO members stand at salute in front of coffin draped with an American flag at a Final Mile ceremony for a fallen Veteran.

Episode 3067 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about. how the VA Final Mile Program honored a Vietnam Veteran at Wichita, Kansas. The featured story appeared on the VA News website. It is titled: Navy Veteran honored in Final Mile Ceremony – Dole VA salutes fallen Veteran. It was submitted by Jeff Herndon who is the Public Affairs Officer at the Robert J. Dole VA Medical Center.

It was reported by Herndon that Dole VA’s Decedent Affairs Program Specialist Linda Rivera described the VA program that provides help for Vietnam Veterans who die alone. It’s called the Final Mile—a protocol that is activated when a Veteran passes with no known next of kin as was the case of Vietnam Vet Jacky Lyn Branstetter.

The Final Mile practice combines the efforts of the facility’s Decedent Affairs Program Specialist with community support to provide memorial services for Veterans who otherwise would not be remembered or honored upon their passing. The Final Mile program ensures that all Veterans are honored—not only in life, but also in death.

“We arranged for his burial to take place at the Kansas Veterans’ Cemetery,” Rivera added. “With the support of a local mortuary, law enforcement agencies and Veteran service organizations, we were able to provide a final salute to our fallen Veteran.”

About 175 VA staff, Veterans and community members turned out to render honors to Branstetter before the procession departed the medical center for interment at the state cemetery.

RIP U.S. Navy Vietnam Veteran Jacky Lyn Branstetter.

Listen to Episode 3067 and discover more about how the VA Final Mile Program honored a Vietnam Veteran at Wichita, Kansas.

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Recommended Reading

Buy Now

Ray Randlett – Mark 37

Episode 3066 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about. the new book recently published by Vietnam Veteran Ray Randlett. The featured story appeared in the Delaware Gazette and was titled: Local veteran shares story. The story was submitted by Dillon Davis. The book is titled is Mike-37 – Thanks for your service.

Dillon reported that During and after his time serving in Vietnam, Delaware resident Robert Randlett harbored much resentment toward the coverage soldiers received during the fight and the reception those fortunate enough to return received upon arriving back in the United States.

Now, through the writing of his book, “Mike-37…Thanks for your service,” Randlett aims to share a newfound perspective on how the war was covered by the media and how it was perceived by those who didn’t serve, all while shedding light on how a college graduate with no military ambitions developed into a soldier.

In the book, Randlett brings context to his particular efforts in the war while diving into the “slant” he believes every human possesses in some form, and influences perception and opinions on every recorded account.

The idea for writing the book began in the late 70s, although Randlett noted he believes he has “no talent as a novelist.” He said the first iteration of the book was “a terrible thing” and put the project aside. After retiring early around 2000, Randlett figured he’d try his hand again, writing the first draft of the book that he said his wife found “just depressing.”

Randlett went on to say, “I hope that readers recognize that everything we think we know about reality is just based on our own experiences and the experiences of the people around us. That includes what we read, what we see on TV, movies, etc.”

Listen to Episode 3066 and discover more about the new book recently published by Vietnam Veteran Ray Randlett

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Jason Boatwright

Episode 3065 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about. The featured story is an opinion piece that appeared in the Pensacola News Journal and was titled: It is not too late to give Vietnam Veteran the respect and honor they deserve. The story was submitted by Jason Boatwright. He serves as the Public Affairs Officer to the Department of Veteran Affairs Milton, Florida, United States.

In his opinion piece, Jason emphasizes his dedication to all our veterans. He states that most all our veterans have been recognized for their service to our country in wars such as World War II and the Gulf wars. He points out that the Vietnam Veterans have not receive the gratitude and recognition they deserve.

According to the writer, when Vietnam Veterans came home, they were ignored and not thanked for their service in a difficult situation in the country. He believes that it is time for Vietnam Veterans to receive their just rewards for their service.

Jason agrees with this Vietnam Veteran podcaster who frequently declares that the Vietnam Veteran Generation is as great as any that ever heeded the call of duty from our country. Those veterans not only served their country well in a difficult situation in country and then when they returned home they continued serving their country in an outstanding manner in a wide array of pursuits.

When they came home they were older, wiser, stronger and better able to deal with adversity than their non-Vietnam Veteran contemporaries. According to Jason, it is time for all Vietnam Veterans to receive the welcome home they deserve.

Listen to Episode 3065 and discover more about the excellent opinion piece by Jason Boatwright that encourages appreciation for the service of Vietnam Veterans..

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Missouri National Veterans Memorial adds a Vietnam Era Huey Helicopter to its offering

Episode 3064 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the dedication of a Vietnam Era Army helicopter at the Missouri National Veterans Museum at Perryville, Missouri. The featured story appeared in the Republic Monitor of Perryville and was titled: Hundreds Gather for Huey Helicopter Dedication at Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial. The story was submitted by Kevin Jenkins, the editor of the Monitor. [editor@perryvillenews.com]

Jenkins reported that a large and enthusiastic crowd braved overcast skies to witness a significant new chapter in Missouri’s commemoration of military service: the unveiling and dedication of a restored Vietnam War-era Bell UH-1 Iroquois “Huey” helicopter at Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial (MNVM) in Perryville.

The ceremony, emceed by MNVM executive director Rae Lynn Munoz, marked the culmination of a yearlong restoration effort and celebrated the helicopter’s new status as a permanent outdoor display.

The Huey, a 1964 model, was previously on display at Wentworth Academy before being transferred to Perryville in March 2024 through the cooperation of the Museum of Missouri Military History.

Its journey to Perryville signaled the start of a significant transformation, as a team led by Col. Kevin P. Robinson, US Army (Ret.), and supported by more than 50 volunteers and local businesses, dedicated over 1,700 hours to restoring the aircraft to its former glory.

As the centerpiece of the day’s events, the Huey’s restoration included extensive cleaning, disassembly, sheet metal repair, and reassembly, ensuring its place as a lasting tribute to those who served in the Vietnam War.

Visitors to the site can now see the Huey along with other prominent tributes, including a full-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall—one of the most accurate in the nation—as well as the Honor Flag Memorial, the Guardians of Freedom monument, and the Old Guard statue.

The MNVM grounds are open 24 hours a day, offering a peaceful setting for reflection, while the welcome center and military museum provide educational exhibits and staff assistance daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Listen to Episode 3064 and discover more about the dedication of a Vietnam Era Army Helicopter at the Missouri National Veterans Museum at Perryville, Missouri.

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Vietnam War MIA Allen Christensan’s family.

Searching for MIA remains.

Episode 3063 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the family of Vietnam War MIA Allen D. Christensan and their hopes for the future. The featured story is titled: Family of missing Vietnam War soldier holds hope after 53 years and it appeared in the Moody County Enterprise paper of Flandreau, South Dakota. The story was submitted by Carleen Wild, a writer for the Enterprise staff.

Wild reported that Each year, Daryl and Kay Christensen attend the government’s family update on Missing in Action (MIA) soldiers, hoping for any news about Daryl’s brother, Allen, who has been missing since his helicopter was shot down during the Vietnam War in 1972.

After more than five decades, updates have been few and far between.

This year, however, marked a turning point. Kay and her son, Troy, attended the recent family update, hopeful like never before that they might finally have answers about what happened to Allen — and perhaps even bring part of him home.

During the June weekend event, they toured a forensic lab at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha and learned about three potential sites where Allen’s remains might be. A private company, Stony Beach, has been contracted to help exhume these sites in 2026.

Kay expressed that if Allen’s remains are not found during their lifetimes, she hopes someone will remember him.

“It’s been 53 years, but we won’t stop looking. One way or another, we’ll keep fighting for answers,” she said.

Next year’s family update will take place in Arlington, Virginia.

Let’s hope that when Allen Christenson’s remains are found his memory will be fully honored by a grateful country here in the U.S..

Listen to Episode 3063 and discover more about the family of Vietnam War MIA Allen D. Christensan and their hopes for the future..

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Aussie Vietnam Vet Richard Norden was awarded the Victoria Cross after a 57 year delay

Episode 3062 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Private Richard Norden, a courageous Australian soldier who served in the Vietnam War, has been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia — the nation’s highest military honor — in recognition of his extraordinary bravery under enemy fire. The late soldier, who tragically died in a motorcycle accident in Canberra in 1972, is now being formally acknowledged for his gallant actions that saved the lives of his comrades during one of the conflict’s most intense battles.

Private Norden’s heroism took place during a fierce engagement deep in the jungles of Vietnam, where his unit came under heavy enemy fire. Despite being severely outnumbered and facing imminent danger, Norden displayed unwavering resolve. Ignoring his own safety, he advanced across exposed terrain to provide cover for wounded soldiers and direct effective return fire. His actions disrupted the enemy assault and enabled a successful evacuation of his platoon, demonstrating leadership and bravery well beyond the call of duty.

In a solemn ceremony held at Government House, Governor-General Sam Mostyn presented the Victoria Cross to Norden’s surviving family members. “Private Norden’s selfless courage, loyalty to his mates, and devotion to duty reflect the highest ideals of our armed forces,” said Mostyn. “Though his life was tragically cut short, his heroism will be remembered for generations to come.”

The posthumous recognition brings long-awaited honor to a soldier whose actions exemplify the true spirit of the Victoria Cross. Private Norden’s legacy now stands among the few who have earned this rare distinction, cementing his place in Australian military history. His story serves as a powerful reminder of the personal sacrifices made by those who serve in combat, and the enduring value of courage in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Listen to Episode 3062 and discover more about Aussie Vietnam Vet Richard Norden and his award of the Victoria Cross.

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Dieu Ly Hoang, left and Kien Nghi Ha, right, hail from different Vietnamese backgrounds and today live in the same Berlin neighbourhood [Giulio Ferracuti/Al Jazeera]

Episode 3061 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the Vietnamese Diaspora in Germany. The featured story is titled: ‘We are all Vietnamese and came to Germany to build a better life’ and it appeared in Aljazeera. It was submitted by Gouri Sharma. She is a freelance journalist based in Berlin. Previously, she spent five years working on the production desk for Al Jazeera‘s media critique show, the Listening Post.

In her story, Sharma reported that an estimated 35,000 refugees arrived in West Germany in 1979, while 70,000 contract workers began to arrive in the GDR in 1980. The fractures in Vietnam mirrored divisions in Germany, with North Vietnam backed by the USSR-aligned East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), and the capitalist West Germany supporting South Vietnam.

Within months of the war’s end in 1975, Vietnam established diplomatic relations with the GDR(communist East Germany), paving a different kind of path for Northern North Vietnamese immigrants to fly overseas a few years later to the communist paradise in East Germany.

“In the GDR, people were proud to show international solidarity, and this went hand in hand with hatred of the capitalist West, while the West German government saw the Vietnam War as part of the global struggle against communism,” explained German historian Andreas Margara.

On April 30, Vietnam marked 50 years since the end of the war. For the large Vietnamese-German diaspora, who arrived as refugees and contract workers, this year’s milestones have stirred a sense of reflection.

Today most Vietnamese in Germany feel that “Even though Vietnam has been damaged a lot, we are all Vietnamese and came to Germany to build a better life for ourselves.”

Listen to Episode 3061 and discover more about the Vietnamese Diaspora in Germany.

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Episode 3060 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature Part 1 of a report about the the U.S. Biological warfare used in the Vietnam War. The report is titled: Review and Analysis: Fate of Agent Orange and Agent Purple, Contaminated with Dioxin TCDD, Used to Defoliate the Jungle During the Second Indochina and Vietnam Wars and was created by the Merry Band of Retirees headed up by Professor Kenneth R. Olson.

Professor Olson is with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, USA, krolson@illinois.edu.

The purpose of sharing this final report by the Merry Band of Retirees is to close the book on this sorry episode of the Vietnam War where decisions were made to use agricultural herbicides as weapons in the War. The hopes engendered by the use of the herbicides went unfilled.

The abstract of the paper begins with this statement: The legacy of the human misery caused by the application of the herbicides including Agent Orange and Agent Purple contaminated with unknown amounts of dioxin TCDD and Agent Blue, the arsenic-based herbicide, sprayed over the jungles, rice fields, and hamlets of Vietnam is still haunting us today. Why did this happen? Could it have been prevented? Was it necessary United States military strategy? Was it an intentional decision to inflict this blight on the enemy soldiers and the Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian civilians, to poison their land and cause generations of harm?

Alternatively, was it an unpreventable accident in the march of military history? What patterns in the U.S. government’s thought process could be identified as the cause which led to the decision to use these agricultural herbicides as tactical chemical weapons?

Listen to Episode 3060 and discover more about the U.S. Biological warfare used in the Vietnam War and the questions it still raises.