Refine your search

The results of your search are listed below alongside the search terms you entered on the previous page. You can refine your search by amending any of the parameters in the form and resubmitting it.

Select all Deselect all Add selection to lightbox
Large Small
Thumbnails per page
Dewey arrived on September 4, 1945 in Saigon to head a seven-man OSS team 'to represent American interests' and collect intelligence. Working with the Viet Minh, he arranged the repatriation of 4,549 Allied POWs, including 240 Americans, from two Japanese camps near Saigon, code named Project Embankment. Because the British occupation forces who had arrived to accept the Japanese surrender were short of troops, they armed French POWs on September 22 to protect the city from a potential Viet Minh attack. In taking control of the city, the French soldiers were quick to beat or shoot Vietnamese who resisted the reestablishment of French authority.<br/><br/> Dewey complained about the abuse to the British commander General Douglas Gracey, who took exception to Dewey's objections and declared the American persona non grata. Because the airplane scheduled to fly Dewey out did not arrive on time at Tan Son Nhut International Airport, he returned for lunch at the villa that OSS had requisitioned in Saigon. As he neared the villa, he was shot in the head in an ambush by Viet Minh troops.<br/><br/> The Viet Minh afterward claimed that their troops mistook him for a Frenchman after he had spoken to them in French. According to Vietnamese historian Tran Van Giau, Dewey's body was dumped in a nearby river and was never recovered. Reportedly, Ho Chi Minh sent a letter of condolence about Dewey’s death to President Truman while also ordering a search for the colonel's body.
Dewey arrived on September 4, 1945 in Saigon to head a seven-man OSS team 'to represent American interests' and collect intelligence. Working with the Viet Minh, he arranged the repatriation of 4,549 Allied POWs, including 240 Americans, from two Japanese camps near Saigon, code named Project Embankment. Because the British occupation forces who had arrived to accept the Japanese surrender were short of troops, they armed French POWs on September 22 to protect the city from a potential Viet Minh attack. In taking control of the city, the French soldiers were quick to beat or shoot Vietnamese who resisted the reestablishment of French authority.<br/><br/> Dewey complained about the abuse to the British commander General Douglas Gracey, who took exception to Dewey's objections and declared the American persona non grata. Because the airplane scheduled to fly Dewey out did not arrive on time at Tan Son Nhut International Airport, he returned for lunch at the villa that OSS had requisitioned in Saigon. As he neared the villa, he was shot in the head in an ambush by Viet Minh troops.<br/><br/> The Viet Minh afterward claimed that their troops mistook him for a Frenchman after he had spoken to them in French. According to Vietnamese historian Tran Van Giau, Dewey's body was dumped in a nearby river and was never recovered. Reportedly, Ho Chi Minh sent a letter of condolence about Dewey’s death to President Truman while also ordering a search for the colonel's body.
In July 1945 Special Operations Team Number 13, code-named 'Deer', parachuted into a jungle camp called Tan Trao, 100km from Hanoi, with directions to proceed to the headquarters of Ho Chi Minh. Their mission was to set up a guerrilla team of 50 to 100 men to attack and interdict the railroad from Hanoi to Lang Son to prevent the Japanese from going into China. They were also to find Japanese targets such as military bases and depots, and send back to OSS agents in China whatever intelligence they could. And they were to provide weather reports for air drops and U.S. Army Air Forces (USAAF) operations on an as-needed basis.<br/><br/> OSS Deer Team members pose with Viet Minh leaders Ho Chi Minh and Vo Nguyen Giap during training at Tan Trao in August 1945. Deer Team members standing, l to r, are Rene Defourneaux, (Ho), Allison Thomas, (Giap), Henry Prunier and Paul Hoagland, far right. Kneeling, left, are Lawrence Vogt and Aaron Squires. (Rene Defourneaux).
Dewey arrived on September 4, 1945 in Saigon to head a seven-man OSS team 'to represent American interests' and collect intelligence. Working with the Viet Minh, he arranged the repatriation of 4,549 Allied POWs, including 240 Americans, from two Japanese camps near Saigon, code named Project Embankment. Because the British occupation forces who had arrived to accept the Japanese surrender were short of troops, they armed French POWs on September 22 to protect the city from a potential Viet Minh attack. In taking control of the city, the French soldiers were quick to beat or shoot Vietnamese who resisted the reestablishment of French authority.<br/><br/> Dewey complained about the abuse to the British commander General Douglas Gracey, who took exception to Dewey's objections and declared the American persona non grata. Because the airplane scheduled to fly Dewey out did not arrive on time at Tan Son Nhut International Airport, he returned for lunch at the villa that OSS had requisitioned in Saigon. As he neared the villa, he was shot in the head in an ambush by Viet Minh troops.<br/><br/> The Viet Minh afterward claimed that their troops mistook him for a Frenchman after he had spoken to them in French. According to Vietnamese historian Tran Van Giau, Dewey's body was dumped in a nearby river and was never recovered. Reportedly, Ho Chi Minh sent a letter of condolence about Dewey’s death to President Truman while also ordering a search for the colonel's body.