Episode 50: David Moragne - Summer Sail One

When does a war truly end? What becomes of those left standing and, the ghosts that remain? In 2001, Vietnam vet, David Moragne returned to Vietnam with his comrades with those questions. His film, Flashback: Summer Sail One Revisited documents what they discovered.

David Moragne, was born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx, nurtured in Greenwood, S.C. and grew up in Dong Ha, RVN.

He is a retired visual facilitator and storyteller, who has lived an adventurous life before settling down with his family in California’s Eastbay community for the past forty years.

He is blessed wife an amazing wife, talented and loving family, and friends who make a difference.

David takes nothing for granted, and appreciates all his gifts and blessings.  For him, “Life Is Good!!!”

Flashback: Summer Sail One Revisited: On June 11th, 1967, a CH 46 Transport Helicopter call sign Bonnie Sue, with a four man crew from the HMM, 265th Marine Air Group went down while inserting a seven man recon team, call sign Summer Sail One from Third Force Reconnaissance Company in to their zone of operation, south of the DMZ and west of Con Thien, Vietnam. All aboard were killed, and there are bodies never recovered.

The accounts, recollections, and memories of this incident have crisscrossed thousands of miles, a lot of years, and affected many people. This is an American story, told in a common language of how some of those affected have tried to find understanding, acceptance, and closure.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in South Africa in 1996, to help heal the country by uncovering the truth about human rights violations during Apartheid.

Vietnam War: The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians.  

DMZ (Vietnam): was a demilitarized zone established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam from July 1954 to 1976 as a result of the First Indochina War. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975) it became important as the battleground demarcation separating North from South Vietnamese territories. The zone ceased to exist with the reunification of Vietnam on July 2, 1976, though the area remains dangerous due to the numerous undetonated explosives it contains.

When does a war truly end? What becomes of those left standing and, the ghosts that remain? In 2001, Vietnam vet, David Moragne returned to Vietnam with his comrades with those questions. His film, Flashback: Summer Sail One Revisited documents what they discovered.

David Moragne, was born in Manhattan, raised in the Bronx, nurtured in Greenwood, S.C. and grew up in Dong Ha, RVN.

He is a retired visual facilitator and storyteller, who has lived an adventurous life before settling down with his family in California’s Eastbay community for the past forty years.

He is blessed wife an amazing wife, talented and loving family, and friends who make a difference.

David takes nothing for granted, and appreciates all his gifts and blessings.  For him, “Life Is Good!!!”

Flashback: Summer Sail One Revisited: On June 11th, 1967, a CH 46 Transport Helicopter call sign Bonnie Sue, with a four man crew from the HMM, 265th Marine Air Group went down while inserting a seven man recon team, call sign Summer Sail One from Third Force Reconnaissance Company in to their zone of operation, south of the DMZ and west of Con Thien, Vietnam. All aboard were killed, and there are bodies never recovered.

The accounts, recollections, and memories of this incident have crisscrossed thousands of miles, a lot of years, and affected many people. This is an American story, told in a common language of how some of those affected have tried to find understanding, acceptance, and closure.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission was established in South Africa in 1996, to help heal the country by uncovering the truth about human rights violations during Apartheid.

Vietnam War: The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people (including over 58,000 Americans) were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians.  

DMZ (Vietnam): was a demilitarized zone established as a dividing line between North and South Vietnam from July 1954 to 1976 as a result of the First Indochina War. During the Vietnam War (1955-1975) it became important as the battleground demarcation separating North from South Vietnamese territories. The zone ceased to exist with the reunification of Vietnam on July 2, 1976, though the area remains dangerous due to the numerous undetonated explosives it contains.

“grunts”: For the soldiers who served in the Vietnam War, the word grunt was not just a nickname but also a commentary on their status in the hierarchy of war. To be a grunt was to be in the infantry. It meant leaping out of helicopters into landing zones that were sometimes under enemy fire. 

MIA: Missing in action (MIA) is a casualty classification assigned to combatants, military chaplains, combat medics, and prisoners of war who are reported missing during wartime or ceasefire.  

KIA: Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their own personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces.[1] 

Balmy Alley: The street is located in the Mission District in San Francisco, California. The block long alley is the best place to see the most concentrated collection of murals in San Francisco. The murals began in the mid-80's as an expression of artists' outrage over human rights and political abuses in Central America. Today the alley contains murals on a myriad of styles and subjects from human rights to local gentrification.

Ka-Bar knives:  KA-BAR) is the contemporary popular name for the combat knife first adopted by the United States Marine Corps in November 1942 as the 1219C2 combat knife (later designated the USMC Mark 2 combat knife or Knife, Fighting Utility), and subsequently adopted by the United States Navy as the U.S. Navy utility knife, Mark 2.[