Black Vietnam vets stationed in Nakhon Phanom

[troysantos]

:)

I know a Thai - American guy who was fathered by a black American during the war. I'm doing what I can to help the guy find his father. He knows his father's first name and that his father was stationed at the base in Nakhon Phanom. I'm wondering if the US military makes names of soldiers who served at bases in years past available to certain people. I don't suppose these names are available for just anyone to examine, but, I don't know. More likely, it seems, these names would be available to people who are registered with perhaps the US government's Veteran's Administration, or some other government body. Anyone have any ideas? We've contacted a guy named Gene Ponce who runs a service helping Thais find their American dads. He has been helpful, but so far hasn't been able to come up with any information on this guy's dad. 

 

I realize there are other services like Gene Ponce's, but what I liked about his is that he concentrates on Thais. 

Any ideas'd be appreciated

:)

[slapout]

Only knowing a first name and the base where he was stationed is very little to even start from. Many had nick names  that they went by and then add the way some Thai speaks English I would rate the chances of finding his father as slim and none.

I do not suspose there has been contact between his mother and who she said is the father during all this time nor are there photos to reference to?

[joeyg]

All that info is in a document called a DD 214.  I guessing DD 214 is confidential info but you'd have to google that.  I was on staff at the VA in San Diego for a few years.  All records are confidential w/o proper subpoena What branch was he in dates he served, rank etc.  Why not check with one of the VFWs here in Thailand. There one in Pattaya and Ban Chang that I know of.

 

The guy that's "helping you" should know all this.  First name only.  Good luck man. Don't see how it can be done.

 

[troysantos]

:)

Thanks. I have only known this guy for a month or so, and the only reason we have any contact at all is to find his father. I'm simply believing that what he says is true, about being the son of a black American military man. 

 

His father was a marine, stationed in Nakhon Phanom. Since I'm thinking that there couldn't have been an awful lot of black soldiers at the base there during the years that he says his father was there, I'm thinking that with a list of the names, and / or some official portrait photos, it is possible to find his dad. This man doesn't have any pictures of his dad, but knows what his dad looked like, and has pictures of soldiers who he says look like his dad (during the war years). He has a story about why there are no photos, and extremely little info. Sounds possibly true to me, given what I understand of the circumstances at the time. 

 

Yeah, this would seem like a long shot, except that the guy is an African American, we have a possible first name, and we know the base and the years he was there. If there were 100 living guys who could fit this description, that's not too many too try contacting. 

 

Thanks joeyg, I'll try the local VFW chapters :)

:)

 

[elliss]

Yanks  stationed in  NKP ,    goes  back a  loong time .

    Only met one yank stationed in NKP ,   wow  did  he have a stories  to tell .

     Chocolate, stockings, dollars  could  bye,,  everything....... good  luck .

 

Edited March 10, 2017 by elliss

[greatwhitenorth]

i believe ubon has a VFW

[troysantos]

:)

Thanks greatwhitenorth, I'll look for them. Yesterday, I found one in CM and the one in Pattaya that joeyg mentioned. I don't know where Bang Chang is but didn't find a Bang Chang VFW. 

:)

[Langsuan Man]

3 hours ago, troysantos said:

but didn't find a Bang Chang VFW.

http://www.banchangvfwpost12146.org/

[Hereinthailand]

So you have a first name and no pictures from 40 years ago ? Have you thought about the trouble you might cause someone with the same first name by finding them and they are not the the father but the kid insists he is ? How would your wife and family feel if someone came to you and said you my father without any proof. Why is he looking now ? what has he and the mother been doing all these years ? I think you are being used for something other than finding a father.

[joeyg]

1 minute ago, Hereinthailand said:

So you have a first name and no pictures from 40 years ago ? Have you thought about the trouble you might cause someone with the same first name by finding them and they are not the the father but the kid insists he is ? How would your wife and family feel if someone came to you and said you my father without any proof. Why is he looking now ? what has he and the mother been doing all these years ? I think you are being used for something other than finding a father.

Well I was going to say that but I'm trying to keep my mouth shut these days.  See my "signature below...

[troysantos]

Thanks very much Langsuan Man. Just sent them a message :)

[troysantos]

:)

Hereinthailand ... thanks. Honestly I have thought this through and am going along because I believe the guy. Yeah, sure, maybe he's hoodwinked me good. He assures me he has seen pictures (which I didn't mention in previous posts) and has shown me pictures of people who he say look like his father looked. He says his father visited him when he was 2 days old, and has tried to visit since, but he wasn't told. Look, I realize that the father may (at about 70 years old now) prefer to leave this behind. Just as possible it seems to me is that the father would be overjoyed to meet his son. My uncle fathered a boy in So. Korea, who popped into my uncle and aunt's son one day, and it took my aunt some time to accept, but now the whole family is happy to know each other, even the half sons are good together. Sure, this situation might not be the same at all. What I'm hoping to do is have someone contact him first to ask if he's willing to meet his son. Again, I'm supposing this Amerasian really has a father from the US. 

:)

[avvocato]

23 hours ago, troysantos said:

...

His father was a marine, stationed in Nakhon Phanom. Since I'm thinking that there couldn't have been an awful lot of black soldiers at the base there during the years that he says his father was there, I'm thinking that with a list of the names, and / or some official portrait photos, it is possible to find his dad. This man doesn't have any pictures of his dad, but knows what his dad looked like, and has pictures of soldiers who he says look like his dad (during the war years). He has a story about why there are no photos, and extremely little info. Sounds possibly true to me, given what I understand of the circumstances at the time.

 

NKP was home to US Air Force squadrons from 1961-1975. There was a Navy unit there  from February 1967 to July 1968, operating Lockheed OP-2s. Not sure otherwise why a Marine would be there. What year was this man born?

Marine aviation did in fact have a base at Nam Phong in 1972-1973 consisting of units moved from Da Nang in Vietnam.

BTW there were plenty of black soldiers and airmen in Thailand. Blacks probably made 20% of enlisted folks during this time.

ABTW how does he know what his Dad looked like if he doesn't have a picture.

[troysantos]

:)

avvocato ... good questions :) Saying his dad was a marine is my mistake. And I realize that the base was for Air Force and for the Navy. The son doesn't know what year his son was born, and assures me he has seen pictures of his dad, before they were destroyed by a relative. I had no idea there were so many blacks at the base at the time. Thanks for the questioning. I don't have a time limit for helping this man find his dad, but I'm not gonna do this forever. 

:)

[kokesaat]

I was stationed at NKP 1971-1973.  There were people of all shades there......some permanently (as in, 1 year tours), many just passing through on 30ish day temporary duty assignments.  There are many veteran groups that communicate (Thai Lao Cambodia (TLC) Brotherhood, as an example).  But without a last name, a nickname, a photo, an address..........good luck.

 

[avvocato]

14 minutes ago, kokesaat said:

I was stationed at NKP 1971-1973.  ...

Did you know Blair Steelman. He would have been a 1st Lt. or Capt. Flying EC-47s (I think).  He was my co-pilot (I'm a Nav) later in 1972-73 in SAC (KC-135s) at Grissom AFB.

[kokesaat]

Sorry, I didn't know Blair.