Montagnards:The Best Part of my Viet-nam Experience

I arrived in Saigon two days before the '68 Tet Offensive and
was ultimately stationed near the town of Pleiku in the central highlands.
My Viet-namese language training at the Defense Language
Institute in Monterrey, California allowed me to communicate
fairly easily with the peoples of Viet-nam.  I was not very 
long in country when we got our new housegirls, all from the 
Montagnard villages nearby.  And it was soon after that when they began
to teach me their language using Viet-namese as a communication
medium.  Eventually, they invited me to their village and the experience there 
was absolutely unforgettable.  Although not rich by any stretch,
their generosity in sharing all that they owned and their love of life attitude
stood out in sharp contrast to the rest of the war torn environment.
The best part of my tour was having the opportunity to get to
know these great people.  And I will always be grateful for that.  Thanks, Jim.