Hanoi Jane

Web Master's note: I can remember being in Dong Tam in 1968 and watching a movie "Barbarella" starring Jane Fonda. The movie had about as much plot as Fonda had clothes on. It was a warm night and we projected the movie on a bed sheet. Little did we know that this cherub faced beauty would later visit Hanoi and denounce us, the soldiers in Vietnam, as the aggressors in the war and align herself with the North Vietnamese communists.

As the story below states, "what comes around, goes around". Thanks to Bob Lazzell for forwarding this story.

HANOI JANE (HJ) GETS HER JUST REWARDS

A Retired Marine; Bob Kielhofer (Col., USMCR, Ret.) sent this along with the comment. "There are still some people left with pride and a sense of moral fiber." For those of you who have no liking for Jane Fonda, Ted Turner’s wife, "Hanoi Jane", I will recount a little story.

On a movie set, I was acting as the Chief of Staff to the Confederate General who was overall commander of the 6000 troops in the movie Gettysburg, an historical movie of the Civil War. As actors, we volunteered to (TNT) who was making the movie, and received a onetime payment of $25.00 for travel expenses and food while on site. We each also received a medal stamped Killer Angels (the book's name that was the basis for the movie).

Two incidents involve HJ. The first was on the day when Ted Turner made his cameo appearance in the movie. For those who have the movie, he is the white haired officer who dies climbing over the fence in a charge. Now movies, for the uninitiated, are boring to be in unless you are a star. I had brought up a battalion, about 700 men, up on a road in the hot sun to wait the setup of the cameras. HJ and Ted arrived in a helicopter for the take. HJ walked down to about the center of the battalion to see the troops, and accept the adulation she expected her hubby's employees would give her.

Most of the troops present were North Carolinians, many from Fort Bragg. The Colonel commanding the battalion reported to me and informed me his troops were nonplused by HJ's presence and asked my permission to make a troop movement to ease their feelings. What then happened, I will never forget. He called his men to attention. HJ, seeing the activity, smiled expecting some show for her benefit, and walked to the front of rightmost company. The Colonel continued his orders and commanded the company in front of which he stood, "B Company! To the rear! By the right - About! Face! Stand at ease!"

ONE HUNDRED MEN PIVOTED AND GAVE THEIR BACKS. Taking the action for what it was, HJ beat a hasty retreat down the line toward the helicopter. The Colonel followed her progress down the battalion with the same disrespectful salute, reversing each company just as she reached the front of the company. Ten minutes later the copter left and we saw her no more that day. I gave the Colonel a written commendation, mentioned in the next day's orders for his innovation, extra rest for his battalion, and first place in the marching order.

God bless the Tar Heels and the Old North State.... HEAR; HEAR

The second I'll make brief. One of my sergeants, a former medic in Vietnam, performed meritorious medical duties during the filming. He stabilized half a dozen critically ill and injured troops in several mishaps; probably saving one man's life. During a ceremony at the end of filming, the County and the National Park Service gave him an award. Ted Turner also ceremoniously shook his hand, gave him a large check in thanks, and in front of the throng attending he presented HJ to the proud confederate. She extended her hand to the sergeant, who jerked his hand away as if burned, putting it behind himself, and in a strong voice into the microphones he said, "I mean no disrespect to you Mr. Turner, but I WILL NOT SHAKE THE HAND OF A TRAITOR."

WELL DONE MY SON

My sentiments exactly, I've often thought how unfair it was that she was living in the lap of luxury and seemingly getting off Scott free after her notorious acts in North Viet Nam. Now I see it clearly, "What goes around comes around". Thank God!!!!!!