As noted above, on February 24, I conducted a presentation about Vietnam's battle of Ong Thanh as a part of the "Master the Possibilities" program at On Top of the World in Ocala, Florida. I was assisted by Clark Welch and Jim Shelton, two of a very small and dwindling number of surviving men who were connected to the battle.

Clark and Jim explained how the battle was poorly planned, how the men, outnumbered ten-to-one, fought valiantly but futilely, how Don Holleder lost his life attempting to go to their aid, how 58 men died and 75 were wounded, how the top-level military attempted to masquerade the disaster as a victory to the press, and, and perhaps most importantly, how the press never again trusted the military and how they passed that distrust on to the American public.

That was the moment Americans began to lose confidence in the Vietnam War.

The audience gave Clark and Jim a hearty round of applause when the program was done.

We wish all of you could have been there.

Please let me know if you would like us to do a presentation for your group. I don't know whether Clark and Jim could travel up from Florida, but I'll see what I can do.