Counterpart: A South Vietnamese Naval Officer's War

by Kiem Do, Julie Kane

Amid the chaotic fall of Saigon in April 1975 Capt. Kiem Do, deputy chief of staff for operations in the South Vietnamese Navy, secretly planned and quietly carried out the evacuation of thirty-five ships and some thirty thousand at-risk South Vietnamese. That disciplined retreat is only one of many little-known events of the war recalled in this revealing memoir, the first to be published in English by an officer of the South Vietnamese Navy. Also included are first-person accounts of skirmishes against the Binh Xuyen pirates, life with Diem and Madame Nhu, the foiled communist car-bomb attack on Saigon's naval headquarters during Tet, and the 1974 sea battle between China and South Vietnam. In addition to viewing particular events from a Vietnamese perspective, this book offers an intimate look at the human side of the war, at Vietnamese culture, and at the relationship between the men of the South Vietnamese Navy and their American counterparts - specifically, the naval advisers who crossed paths with Kiem.

233 pages, Hardcover

First published May 1, 1998

About the author

Đỗ Kiếm, writing as Kiem Do, is a former officer of the Republic of Vietnam Navy, who was serving as Deputy Chief of Staff (Operations) when Saigon fell in 1975. He secretly organised the evacuation of over 30,000 refugees aboard 32 naval ships. Kiem's efforts were ultimately successful, preventing those 32 vessels and everyone aboard from falling into the hands of North Vietnamese forces.

After transferring the Republic of Vietnam's last naval vessels to the control of the U.S. Navy, Kiem moved to the United States where he has resided since, having been granted citizenship after requesting political asylum. He worked as a teacher and cost engineer before his retirement in 1997.

Reviews

[Mountain343 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to spend more time this year reading books written BY South Vietnamese about the war because their voice is so under represented compared to American, French, and the communists.

Interestingly, like Nationalist in the Viet Nam wars by Luan (an absolute MUST read), Do was also born in the north and fought against the French which has been a common theme in many of these books.

Like Luan, Do's father was a nationalist and instilled many of the ideas of democracy and nationalism in his children. One thing worth noting is that the rest of Do's family stayed in the North, and were members of the Viet Minh & PAVN, while he ended up in the South with the South Vietnamese Navy.

Reading this book, much like Luan's, you quickly realize this is not a dry, detached, academic text focused on dates and minutiae. Instead you really get an insight into the emotional turmoil Do goes through, year after year, until finally settling in the U.S. The turmoil with his family, his situation, the RVN - all of that is at the forefront, and while the book is light on details and insight into the navy and situation, it does present Do as a flawed man and showcases his humanity while being a part of, and experiencing the traumas and struggles of those times.

Key are his insights into his interactions with the rural villagers in the late 50s and early 60s, his thoughts on American "Advisors" and the conflict therein, as well as his experience with unstable government and leadership, corruption, and poverty.

When it comes to advisors, it's worth noting that Kiem Do was also part of John Darrell Sherwoods book War in the Shallows by the USN Naval History and Heritage Command and that section is worth reading as well. Do is also featured in PBS documentaries and others on youtube which talk about his experiences with advisors, as well as the Fall of Saigon.

Here's the thing about this book though, it's a decent book and I struggle with what grade to give it. The conflict is whether to judge the book by what it is, or by my expectations and what it isn't. On it's own, it's a good book about a man. The thing is, you only get snippets and tidbits about what he did and what was going on. There is a LOT of filler about family and other concerns, but you almost get no info on the war around him, his place in it, and what it was like to serve in the VNN. It's a lot of bad mouthing of the admirals and generals, a lot of struggle with his ego and depression, and the fighting with his wife.

Operation Market Time and Game Warden get only slight mentions, but he does give some interesting insight into the Battle of the Paracel Islands vs the Chinese navy. Also his recollections regarding the Diem coup and Tet 68, where he was living with his family in Saigon are great additions to the historical record.

If you already know the history of the Vietnam War, if you already have a good handle on dates, places, and significant events, then this book is a wonderful addition to that knowledge base. If you know who Richard Armitage is (of the CIA Plame Scandal), if you know about the Fall of Saigon and Big Minh, then you will find much in this book worth reading.

Without that pre-reading and info, it would be difficult to give this book more than 3 stars.

Having said that, this book is absolutely worthy of reading, and I'm glad that I'm focusing more on ARVN voices. For all that is written about the war, it's the voices of those who fled the communists to the south, and those who were raised in the south who really should be the foundation of all study of the war. Because ultimately, this was a civil war between the nationalists and the communists and the nationalists deserve to heard, even in loss.

[Atticus Nguyen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book after watching Captain Kiem Do's clips from the documentary "Last Days in Vietnam." I come from a South Vietnamese military family who immigrated to the US in the 90s, and I was always interested in the boots on the ground story from the South Vietnamese perspective. Captain Kiem Do's perspective was a blend of humorous, haunting, honoring, honest, and other words that begin with "h" that I can't recall as I'm writing this review.

What you'll find in this book are stories of perseverance, the horrors of war, the realities of politics in warfighting, and what it means to be a flawed man trying his best to make sense of chaos.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I met Kiem Do when he and I were part of the Leadership St. Tammany program in Mandeville, Louisiana. His tale is one of heroism. I would say I was amazed at the strength of character he exhibits in his memoir, but I know him, and know that this is the type of person he is.