Her Astronaut Candidate Training included scientific and technical briefings, intensive instruction in International Space Station systems, Spacewalks, Russian language training, robotics, physiological training, T-38 flight training, and water and wilderness survival training. Five female Army nurses died over the course of the war, including 52-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Annie Ruth Graham, who served as a military nurse in both World War II and Korea before. Major Mitzi Manning was the first female commanding officer of H&HS MCAS Camp Pendleton. Lieutenant Colonel Elaine E . Naval Training School at Hunter College, the Bronx, NY once again training with the WAVES. 4 May: Since then, women Marines have continually enlisted and transformed Marine Corps history through vast achievements, recognition of valor and honor, and immeasurable accomplishments that showcase their boundless influence. When the power was out, they managed with charcoal-grilled meals served by candlelight. Barbara Dulinsky arrived in Vietnam on March 18, 1967 at Bien Hoa Air By so male Marines were free to serve in combat. The centerpiece of the memorial is a bronze statue by Glenna Goodacre, which depicts three female nurses assisting a wounded soldier. Then, when the military realized they needed to rely on women from the medical career field, it was still a slow process to add more women to the fight. We thank our sisters of yesterday for blazing the path ahead! For the period of the Vietnam War the totals are 1,310,000 between 1955 and 1964, 1,700,000 between 1965-74 and 810,000 between 1975 and 1984. . To order the clip. Published Mar 18, 2016 9:00 AM EDT. In addition the Army issued field uniforms and combat boots to any woman required to wear them for duty. . As we open the new Vietnam exhibit at the National Archives, we also mark the anniversary of important milestones for women in the U.S. Marine Corps that occurred during that war. The Bonaparte familys dreams of Empire were not extinguished by the British at the Battle of Waterloo or even World War I brought about tremendous social changes Country music star Brad Paisley is not one Sign up for our newsletter and receive the mighty updates! . Women were used within the Navy to backfill positions both at home and in Europe to allow more men to go overseas. Watch This To Feel What Marines Felt Fighting In Vietnam David Hoffman 903K subscribers Join Subscribe 49K Share Save 5.4M views 4 years ago As many of my subscribers know, I produced a 6 part. He is an Afghanistan War veteran and served in the Marine Corps as a combat correspondent. MACV personnel (women included) were bussed down to Koeppler compound and issued 3 pair of jungle fatigues and a pair of jungle boots. The announcement was made and plans were set in 1967 for one officer and nine enlisted women to fill desk billets with the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), based in Saigon. James Clark is the Deputy Editor of Task & Purpose and has been with the publication since 2015. U.S. Marines who secured a hospital that had been used by Iraqi forces later found several bloodied U.S. uniforms worn by female soldiers, NBC?s Kerry Sanders reported Friday from the hospital.The find suggested that Iraq had held several POWs at the hospital, which is in An Nasiriyah, a town where at least five . In 1968, both active duty and retired Marines celebrated their accomplishments during the 25th anniversary of the Women in the Marine Corps. August: Recruit training lengthened from 8 weeks to 11 weeks. Naval Midshipmens School at Mt Holyoke, MA to begin training with the WAVES. Lt. Col. Kate Germano, who took command of the Marine Corps' all-women boot camp, was fired on June 30. Women Marines have opened up doors to future generations of patriot women, of women empowerment, and gender equality earned on battlefields around the world. 17 Mar: Contact the author here. Dulinsky was one of 36 female Marines to serve in Vietnam between 1967 and 1973, according to the Marine Corps History Division. After an 18-hour flight, Marine Master Sgt. It has grown from four women to nearly 15,000. Elizabeth A Aitel, Oboist, first female to join the U. S. Marine band. It took activists and reformers nearly 100 years to win that right, and the campaign was not easy: Disagreements over strategy threatened to cripple the movement more read more. But as the years passed more women were sent overseas. . Women also served as members of the U.S. Air Force Nurse Corps and the Womens Air Force (WAF) during the Vietnam conflict. I think she was shocked she got it.. Capt Shirley Bowen first female to graduate from the 34 week Advanced Communication Officer Course. Their letters and interviews reveal their apprehension before arriving in Saigon, their satisfaction with their tour, and their increased sense of being a Marin, United States Marine Corps Women Reserves. It is not a big oneonly 75 children ages from a few weeks old to about 11 or. Marine Corps LtGen. No one, warrior or protestor, walked away from the Vietnam War unscathed. Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., hosted the Mobile Vietnam Memorial Wall for the 2017 MCAS Miramar Air Show from Sept. 22 - 24 in honor of the men and women who served in the Vietnam War. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! In 1965, Master Sgt. Later, another officer billet was addedand Lieutenant Colonels Ruth J. OHolleran and Ruth F. Reinholz eventually served as historians with the Military History Branch, Secretary Joint Staff, MACV . Anything and everything is needed., Determined that these children would have a party, Staff Sergeant Salazar personally contacted Marine units for contributions, arranged a site and bus transportation, enlisted interested people to help, and wrapped individual gifts for each child. Captain Jones, the only woman Marine who attended Vietnamese language school, taught English to a class of Vietnamese policemen. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, A guide to surviving Air Force Basic Military Training, Why names are added to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, 29 of the best politically incorrect Vietnam War slang terms, This is the first woman killed in action in Vietnam, Women in Vietnam - Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. Cpls Hensley and Wilson plan to spend the night .. Hardly! Roughly 3 million men and women served in Vietnam and nearly 60,000 gave their lives over the course of the war. They were the first women to receive Purple Hearts during Vietnam. At first, the enlisted women were quartered in the Ambassador Hotel, and later they moved to the Plaza, a hotel-dormitory, two to a room . Lance Corporal Brenda Hockenhull the first Woman Marine graduate a 16-week Test Instrument Repairman Course. Women were looking for career enhancing moves and she saw she could do it, and she did it, said Wilt. August Brig Gen Angela Salinas becomes the first female Marine to command San Diego Marine Corps Recruit Depot. The two sisters are Vietnamese who speak no Englishat all. Annie L. Grimes of Chicago, who was destined to become a chief warrant officer later in her career, joined and went to boot camp in February 1950. Captain Jones was unable to leave the Le Qui Don for a day and a half before bus service, with armed escorts, resumed. In 1970, when WAC was at its peak, there were 20 officers and 130 enlisted women serving in Vietnam. 11 March: Garwood was then sent to. Disestablishment of the position of Sergeant Major of Women Marines. 2 Jan: . Gunnery Sgt Patricia Crimmins became the first female Marine to earn the drum major military occupational specialty. When she volunteered for Vietnam, I think the Marine Corps thought mana from heaven we have our volunteer, we know her and we know how good shell be, said Nancy Wilt the curator for the Women of the Corps Collection of the Women Marines Association. In total, 59 civilian women died during the conflict. U.S. Marine and Navy veterans recall their experiences from Operation Starlite during the Vietnam war. THE FIRST FEMALE MARINE: OPHA MAY JOHNSON. 7 May: Nominating her for the Unsung Heroine Award, her commanding officer wrote: Her unusual and untiring efforts to assist these otherwise forgotten children reflect great credit upon herself, the United States Marine Corps, this command, and the United States. "You could argue that running that article would bolster her argument" surrounding her dismissal, he said. LtCol Nicole A. Mann was selected in June 2013 as one of eight members of the 21st NASA astronaut class. . The briefing was not concerned with security of classified material as one might expect, but with security in day- to-day living in Vietnam, such as recognizing booby traps, and checking cabs upon entering to ensure there was a handle inside. Army Special Services, Korean War. Master Gunnery Sgt. Female war heroes also include the Dahomey Amazons, wives of the king who shocked their enemies with fierceness and audacity. Mann serves as the Assistant to the Chief for Exploration. Your support helps WMA improve life for our fellow Marines and veterans through programs like our WMA Emergency Funds Grant. 2023 A&E Television Networks, LLC. 12 Jun: Five female Army nurses died over the course of the war, including 52-year-old Lieutenant Colonel Annie Ruth Graham, who served as a military nurse in both World War II and Korea before Vietnam and suffered a stroke in August 1968; and First Lieutenant Sharon Ann Lane, who died from shrapnel wounds suffered in an attack on the hospital where she was working in June 1969. SGT Roxanne Conrad competes in the Barcelona Olympics. III MAF was part of the United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (USMACV), commanded by General William C . First female Marine is selected by HQMC to serve as the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa Command Senior Enlisted Leader, SgtMaj Bonnie Skinner. . Like the Plaza and Billings BEQ, Le Qui Don Hotel was air conditioned, but electricity was a sometime thing. 27 Sept: You can discover more about Vietnam in the National Archives exhibit, Remembering Vietnam: Twelve Critical Episodes in the Vietnam War, which will be on view in the Lawrence F. OBrien Gallery in Washington, DC, from November 10, 2017 through January 6, 2019. Master Sergeant Barbara Jean Dulinsky first woman Marine to serve in a combat zone in Vietnam. As the American military presence in South Vietnam increased beginning in the early 1960s, so did that of the Army Nurse Corps. While originally designed to be two volumes, it was decided that unity and cohesion required one book. Barbara epitomized the crusty senior staff NCO and had been a hard as nails drill instructor, said Manning. While the the Corps initially had intended to again disband the group after the conclusion of the war, it instead announced in 1948 that all women were welcome to join the regular Marine Corps. There were no eating facilities in either the Billing s BEQ or the Le Qui Don BOQ. She was assigned to U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam combat operations center in Saigon. Their main job was to take over clerical duties so male Marines were free to serve in combat. First eight enlisted women were sworn in as regular Marines. The buildup of formal U.S. military units had begun on 8 March 1965, when two battalions of Marines landed at Da Nang. LtCol Jane Wallis is the first female G1 at FMFPAC at Camp Smith Hawaii. She was assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron-2, Marine Air Group31, Beaufort, South Carolina serving as the Maintenance Management Officer. The command expected each person to work 60 productive hours a week. Classes averaged about 70 candidates, began every month and lasted about eight weeks. Department of Defense (DOD) women played a vital role in the theater of operations. The next closest is the Army, where women make up 14% of enlisted personnel. Civilian women worked for a number of organizations to support the war. The U.S. Navy Nurse Corps began to play an important role during the Vietnam War in 1963. And then in 1964 five Navy Nurses were awarded Purple Hearts after being injured during a bombing on Christmas Eve. Female Marines in training in San Diego. 1960 National archives and records administration. South Vietnamese women and children in M Lai before US troops killed them in the massacre, March 16, . Though relatively little official data exists about female Vietnam War veterans, the Vietnam Womens Memorial Foundation estimates that approximately 11,000 military women were stationed in Vietnam during the conflict. Dulinsky, w o arrived on 18 March 1967. Apart from nurses, only nine Navy womenall officersserved in Vietnam, including Lieutenant Elizabeth G. Wylie, who worked in the Command Information Center on the staff of the Commander of Naval Forces in Saigon beginning in June 1967; and Commander Elizabeth Barrett, who in November 1972 became the first female naval line officer to hold command in a combat zone. James is responsible for overseeing the daily news coverage of the editorial team, assigning stories, approving pitches, editing, and ensuring stories published on the site meet Task & Purposes editorial standards and the audiences needs. A number of the women kept busy during their off-duty hours by working at the Armed Forces Television Station, helping at various orphanages, and visiting Vietnamese families. March: USMC Woman Marine T/Sgt Mary Frances Wancheck of Bobtown, Pennsylvania became the first Woman Marine to rate a hash mark. She completed four years of service with the Marines this month. She worked in the Command Information Center as part of the staff of the Commander of Naval Forces in Saigon. It will be worn by women Marina officers at all state and diplomatic functions. . Did you know? 13 Feb: USMC Archives. In 1965, the Marines were the first of the U. S. Armed Services to deploy large ground combat units to South Vietnam. a column of women and girls with their don ganhbamboo shoulder poleswas . Carlos Hathcock taking aim in Vietnam. (Executive Officer and Support Battalion staff.). I cant determine at night, if I m pooped from the work day or from carrying around theseanvils tied to my feet called combat boots . 22 June: CWO Roxanne Conrad first female Range Officer at Parris Island. By late February, more than 37,000 military women were in the Persian Gulf, making up approximately 6.8. The An Hoa Basin also includes Charlie Ridge and surrounding areas. formId: "4952e145-18a8-4185-b1de-03f7b39bda22", Vietnamese women were fascinated by the sheer stockings and Lieutenant Colonel Vera M. Jones told of walking down the streets of Saigon and being startled by the touch of a Vietnamese woman feeling her stockings, Whats more, the women were advised to arrive with four to six pairs of dress pumps for uniform wear because the streets were hard on shoes and repair service was unsatisfactory. Salinas became the first female in the Marine Corps to command a recruiting station. The Archives has uploaded digital copies of these materials to our Online Catalogso anyone to learn more about this important part of Marine Corpsand womens history. 2nd Lt Debra J Baughman first female officer in the military police field. The group was disbanded in 1919, with the last members officially released from service in 1922. Sergeant Major Angela Maness first female to become depot Sergeant Major of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island. The National Archives holds many records detailing these Marines achievements and the celebratory events. For the most part the WMs worked in Saigon, but on occasion duty took them outside the city. Since it was not authorized for her uniform she wore it under her tie. . Anneliese Satz The Marine Corps first female F-35 pilot. On the following day, Ann E. Lamb joined at New York City. This was a sure indication that the Corps was serious in their acceptance of women. Lance Cpl. Girdles and bras were short-lived in the combat zone. All-Female Marine Team Conducts First Mission in Southern Afghanistan. Women were stationed in Washington, DC, as well as more distantly in Oregon and California. At War The Untold Story of the Black Marines Charged With Mutiny at Sea Racial strife aboard a Navy ship left three men facing the threat of the death penalty. 2 Aug: Women's presence in the armed forces became more culturally acceptable after Congress passed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act in 1948, just two years before the outbreak of hostilities in Korea. Gunnery Sgt Robin Baker first female with this rank as a combat engineer. LCpl Harriet F. Voisine becomes the first female military policewoman. Jan 27, 2015, 7:35 AM. . In November 1993, the Vietnam Women's Memorial was dedicated at the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. in front of a crowd of some 25,000 people. Gunnery Sergeant Melody Naatz became the first female to don the flat brimmed Smokey Bear, while serving on the rifle range. (Laura L. Brown). Marine Corps Col. Margaret A. LtCol Michelle Macander took over command of the 1st Combat Engineer Battalion at Camp Pendleton. Many of them worked on behalf of the American Red Cross, Army Special Services, United Service Organizations (USO), Peace Corps and various religious groups such as Catholic Relief Services. In 1967 Master Sergeant Barbara Dulinsky became the first female Marine to serve in a combat zone in Vietnam. Once the door opened for women to be overseas as nurses, the door for other career fields opened up as well. SGT Roxanne Conrad first female distinguished with the pistol. Generally, the women officers were billeted in Le Qui Don, a hotel-like Bachelor Officers Quarters (BOQ). He had spent three years in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, but in 1971 he joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War in Detroit to publicize atrocities they had witnessed overseas. When the first Air Force Nurses arrived in Vietnam in 1966, it was out of demand and lack of men in the nursing career field. As early as 1962, the buildup in Vietnam highlighted the urgent need for more military nurses. Megan Browning is the 1st female singer for a vocalist MOS. Instead, she joined the American Red Cross but was considered "too young" for overseas assignment . This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Thanks to a WAVE and male Marines, they had a cake in the office and the traditional cake-cutting ceremony. The role of women Marines has continually evolved and pushed the boundaries and barriers for others to follow. . Staff Sergeant Barbara Olive Barnwell First female Marine to be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal for heroism for saving a fellow Marine from drowning in the Atlantic Ocean in 1952. The next morning she was taken by bus and armed escort to Koeppler Compound in Saigon and there her tour began with a security lecture. Training for enlisted and candidates transferred to Camp Lejeune, NC. From 1967 to 1973, a total of 28 enlisted Marine women and eight officers served in Vietnam at various times. Rhonda LeBrescu Amtower was the first enlisted woman Marine to attend and graduate the Defense Language Institute where she studied Mandarin Chinese. The first woman Marine is promoted to Sergeant Major (E-9) Bertha Peters Billeb. Tricia McBride, the first female to receive the Advisor Training Groups stamp of approval to advise host nation forces in Afghanistan. The Vietnam War gallery provides a glimpse into the trials that Marines faced in combat. By March 18, 1967, she received her orders for Saigon, becoming the first female Marine stationed in an active combat zone. Excerpts of a letter from Captain Jones to Colonel Bishop told something of th e situation: 3 February 1968. 31 Aug : Another Marine commander, Gen. Robert E. Cushman Jr., added, . Woman Officer School integrated into male companies. She volunteered at a time she did not think she was going to get it, said Wilt, who served in the Marines from 1970 to 1982. WRTBn becomes Women Recruit Training Command. Introduction . Women Marines have a bond and camaraderie without generational limitations. Gebers was an intelligence officer and worked as an administrative assistant to the Air Force attache in Santo Domingo. The National Archives holds many records detailing these Marines achievements and the celebratory events. At the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st, there were a lot of "firsts" for women in the military: the first woman to become a Navy fighter pilot; the first female four-star general in the Army; and the first female rescue swimmer in the Coast Guard, among others. I sit here calmly typing this letter and yet can get up, walk to a window, and watch the helicopters making machine gun and rocket strikes in the area of the golf course which is about three blocks away. 3 May: MACV personnel (women included) were bussed down to Koeppler compound and issued 3 pair of jungle fatigues and a pair of jungle boots. When the Marine Corps first opened their branch to women in 1918, advertisements called for only women of excellent character and neat appearance, with business and office experience.. The service and allegiance of women Marines has been guided by the passion and courage of those who have answered their countrys call to serve. In June, Marine and army units began offensive unit operations"search and destroy" missions. The name "Apache" was a nod toward the Apache Indians, who were known for their "creative . "Well, anybody that calls me anything but 'Marine' is going to hear from me." Opha May Johnson enlisted in the Marine Corps on Aug.. Nancy Anderson became the first female platoon commander when the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School at Quantico was gender-integrated. . The female medical staff saved lives. 21 November 1918 . Time off was precious, and recreational facilities were limited. Vietnam. 18 Aug: First female instructor at the Personnel and Administration School in Quantico, Karen Pressler. On June 12 in the same year, Congress passed the Womens Armed Services Integration Act and made women a permanent part of the regular Marine Corps. These women were the first to volunteer in New York City, 1918. Brig Gen Helen Pratt, USMC was the 1st female President of the Marine Corps University from 2014 to 2016. RM 2G289KP - 1960s, historical, outside HMS Caledonia, two decorated Royal Naval Captains in full uniform pose for a photograph in a hand-over of command, Fife, Scotland. COL Eileen M. Alberston-Chapman first female to head the Naval Clemency and Parole system. The first Army nurses arrived in Vietnam in 1956. Original terminal date set for Womens Reserve. The Army I Corps had been most kind in aiding us in our efforts t o provide administrative assistance to our widely scattered men. Autumn Taniguchi, with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, first female Marine to graduate from the services Urban Leaders Course. 16 Dec: Camp lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia. There were a total of 28 enlisted women and eight officers between 1967 to 1973. Major Megan McClung becomes the first female Marine Officer to be killed in Iraq in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Bus service to many of the BOQs and BEQs was cut off, confining the women to their quarters. The first three female Marines graduate from the Marine Corps enlisted infantry training course. Marine Corps helicopter pilot LtCol Alison J. Thompson recently became the first woman commander of a U.S. Marine Corps heavy Marine helicopter squadron. I received my orders in the guard mail. She became a legitimate volunteer when her initial tour ended and she extended for an additional six months. Cpl Ramona M. Valdez and Lance Cpl Holly A. Charette first women Marines killed in Iraq when an improvised explosive device detonated near their convoy vehicle in Fallujah, Iraq. . . . 2 Sept: Movies were available several nights a week in some of the BEQs and BOQs . The memorial holds the names of the 2,706 Marines and Sailors who fought and lost their lives serving under the 5th Marine Regiment during the Vietnam War. Colonel Carol A Mutter first female of any of the services to gain qualification as Space Director, running first on of the CINC Space Command Center Crews and then the entire Command Center Crews and then the Command center operation. The streets, which are normally crowded with traffic, are virtually bar e . The Vietnam War is the commonly used name for the Second Indochina War, 1954-1975. Captain Mary Therese Klinger died in a C-5 crash that was supporting Operation Babylift which worked to transport babies from orphanages to America for asylum and adoption. Colonel Mary E Bane, the first female to become Commanding Officer of Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. Theres a lot of sickness and disease here in Vietnam. In a letter dated 10 September 1969, to Gunnery Sergeant Helen A . Women in the U.S. Navy, Air Force and Marines in Vietnam. First female Marine Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island/Eastern Recruiting Region. Theoretically, all WMs who served in Vietnam were volunteers in that nearly all had expressed their willingness to go and none objected? Right now, most of us don't look the picture of The New Image. Whew! From the beginning, the reception, training, and housing of African-American women Marines was completely integrated. Carol Mutter becomes the first female three-star officer in the U.S. Armed Forces as she assumed the position of Deputy Chief of Staff for Manpower and Reserve Affairs at Headquarters Marine Corps in Washington, D.C. 1st group of women Marines complete male/female integrated Marine Combat Training Course at Camp Geiger, NC, with LCpl Melissa Ohm as honor graduate. The role of women in wars hasn't always been clear or easy. Georgette Dickey Chappelle was a writer for the National Observer and was killed by a mine while on patrol with U.S. Marines outside of Chu Lai in November of 1965. They were the first women to receive Purple Hearts during Vietnam. She completed Astronaut Candidate training in July 2015, and is now qualified for future assignment. In addition to the U.S. military women who served in Vietnam, an unknown number of female civilians willingly gave their services on Vietnamese soil during the conflict. Sergeant Major Lanette Wright, the first female sergeant major of a Marine Expeditionary Unit in Marine Corps history. [16] [17] One of them is rather advanced in age (about in her 60s) and the other is quite young and active. Colonel Katherine A. Towle first Director of Women Marines. Capt. Articles may contain affiliate links which enable us to share in the revenue of any purchases made. PFC Myra Jepson first female Marine honor guard at the White House. Such planning allowed for many significant milestones in the following decades. Although she says South Korean soldiers had regularly visited Ha My before, looking for . 3 Oct: Women on the home front were critical to the war effort: Between 1940 and 1945, the era of Rosie the Riveter, the female percentage of the U.S. workforce increased from 27 percent to read more, Of the nearly 1 million Americans who served on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces during the Vietnam War era (1964-75), many were or went on to become famous in diverse fields such as politics, entertainment, sports and journalism. All Rights Reserved. From March 1962 to March 1973, when the last Army nurses left Vietnam, some 5,000 would serve in the conflict. In total, women Marines in Vietnam normally numbered between eight to 10 enlisted members with one to two officers. While women made strides during World War II and Korea to be integrated into the military, Vietnam felt like a step backward as the military initially resisted sending women into any career field to Vietnam. Not only were these items scarce in the post exchange that catered to male troops, but the maids were unduly hard on them. U.S. Army Medics and U.S. Navy Corpsmen (serving in U.S. Marine Corps units) were the enlisted "first responders" of the Vietnam War. On August 31, 1969, a rape was committed in Vietnam. . Besides providing trauma care on the battlefield, they were responsible for the day-to-day prevention and treatment of a . David Shankbone. . Womens Armed Services Integration Act of 1948 authorized 100 regular Women Marine officers, 10 warrant officers, and 1,000 enlisted in a gradual build-up over a two year period with regular candidates coming from Reserve Women Marines on active duty or those with prior service not on active duty. Are normally crowded with traffic, are virtually bar e about 70 candidates, began month... The boundaries and barriers for others to follow women in wars hasn & # x27 ; always! 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Began to play an important role during the Vietnam War is the commonly used name for the Indochina.