From: Kenneth Young
Sent: August-08-11 9:43 AM
Subject: Vietnam 8th Aug.
Hot, Hot, Hot….
There was no way in hell I could wear the jacket. I tried and lasted all of two minutes before it started to stick to me and was dammed hard to get off. It was already 38 deg at 05:00 hrs..
This morning started after breakfast at 08:00 hrs. with introductions to some people there. There were simultaneous translation headsets at each setting.
The ambassadors of Ireland, South Africa and Venezuela, all kinds of government and military officials and lots of delegates, and some very well known scientists.
After the Government speeches, I was announced 3rd. I did (I believe) a good job and got a very hearty applause from the other delegates. As I thought most people didn’t even know that Agent Orange was used in Canada and found it hard to believe that Canada did anything except take U.S. draft dodgers during the Vietnam war. That got corrected today. I had many a long talk with people who wanted to know more.
Group photo secessions and more talks many from second and third generation victims took the afternoon and Kelly was one of the last international speakers before we broke for supper. We were taken out for a banquet where we had Vietnamese music and a lovely buffet and a bunch more government speakers.
Got back to the hotel at 20:30 hrs… hot and beat.
Tomorrow we go to the Friendship village. Kelly and I are in Car # 1.
PS: Kelly and I were both presented a Vietnamese Medal, in thanks for our support for all Agent Orange victims, as were most of the participating delegates (30 or so who actually spoke).
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