Title
Open Arms
Description
This flyer lets South Vietnamese citizens who defected to North Vietnamese know that they can return home. The front of the flyer shows a man looking back at home as he thinks of his family. The reverse side of the flayer lays out the benefits that a person returning are entitled to.
Collection
James "Doc" Pueschel Collection
Context
During the Vietnam War the United States and South Vietnam began a propaganda effort to control the narrative of the war and to degrade North Vietnam's will to fight. One of the central features of this plan was the concept of Chiêu Hồi or "Open Arms". The Chiêu Hồi policy meant that North Vietnamese combatants could surrender to allied forces and eventually become citizens of South Vietnam.
This piece was picked up and collected by James "Doc" Pueschel during his Vietnam service. A Navy corpsman attached to the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, Mike Company during the Vietnam War, Pueschel was one of many Navy medical personnel attached to a Marine unit.
Ultimately only in country 75 days (March 17 -June 1, 1968) Pueschel was attached to Mike Company, tasked with protecting truck convoys along Route 9 to and from Khe Sanh Combat Base. On May 31st, 1968, a booby-trapped M-16 set off an explosion that tore through the company.
After the explosion and sustained firefighting with the Viet Cong, backup arrived, and Pueschel was medevac'd with all the Mike Company marines. Mike Company took 100% casualties, with their Navy corpsman taking four injuries while attempting to patch men up during combat.
This piece was picked up and collected by James "Doc" Pueschel during his Vietnam service. A Navy corpsman attached to the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Battalion, Mike Company during the Vietnam War, Pueschel was one of many Navy medical personnel attached to a Marine unit.
Ultimately only in country 75 days (March 17 -June 1, 1968) Pueschel was attached to Mike Company, tasked with protecting truck convoys along Route 9 to and from Khe Sanh Combat Base. On May 31st, 1968, a booby-trapped M-16 set off an explosion that tore through the company.
After the explosion and sustained firefighting with the Viet Cong, backup arrived, and Pueschel was medevac'd with all the Mike Company marines. Mike Company took 100% casualties, with their Navy corpsman taking four injuries while attempting to patch men up during combat.
Accession #
2024.43
