by Jill Hunting
mother’s lessons in, 123
Pete’s training in, 167–68, 170, 189–90
Food, Pete’s eventual preference for local, 95, 122–23
Fraleigh, Bert, 29, 176–78
François’ (restaurant in Vietnam), 49, 249–50n3
Friedman, Bob, 57, 60, 77
Galbraith, John Kenneth, 57
Gardiner, Arthur Z., 40, 181, 182, 208
Geneva Accords (1954), 26
Gerdes, Forest, 62–63
Giap, General, 215
Gill, Ray, 189, 191, 196–97
Girl Scouts, local Vietnamese, 155–56
Goldwater, Barry, 12, 97–98, 132–33
Grainger, Joseph, 161
Green, Jim, 61
Grief: cultural differences in response, 16–17
and discovery of Pete’s letters, 202–3
father’s style of, 41–42
of fellow IVSers, 66–68, 72–73
Holly’s version, 139
importance of sibling, 17
initial reactions and support, 9, 10
and Jill’s 1991 visit to Vietnam, 138, 139–40, 143, 145, 147
Jill’s journey through, 9, 14, 101–2, 110, 207, 241
mother’s isolation of, 16, 17, 39, 42–43, 44–45, 139, 226
of Vietnamese friends, 66–67, 68–69, 71–72, 74–75
Gulf of Tonkin incident, 131
Hai Chu, 93–95
Halberstam, David, 24
Hanoi, 142–44
Harkin, Tom, 107–8
Harkins, Gen. Paul, 127–28
Harris, Fred, 46
Hayslip, Le Ly, 17
Hensley, Anne, 25
Hintze, Roger, 215
Hmong village (1991), 143
Ho Chi Minh, 26, 144
Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Jill’s 1991 visit to, 152
Holbrooke, Richard, 26, 56–57
Holidays, 97, 156, 157
Hong Kong, 161–62
Hue, 146–48
Hughes, John, 40, 181–82, 243
Humphrey, Hubert, 45–47, 106
Hunt, Jim, 98, 126
Hunting, Allan (father): attempt to dissuade Pete from going to Vietnam, 22
character of, 36
cooking talents of, 37
death of, 172
at FAA, 11–12
helicopter accident, 128
and Jill, 36, 82–83
marital issues, 157
and mother’s flying lessons, 123
musical talents of, 37
and Pete’s flying lessons, 167–68, 170
response to news of Pete’s death, 8–9
silent grief of, 41–42
and thank you letter for sympathy support, 75–76
on Vietnam War, 82
at Wesleyan, 18
Hunting, Carol “Cis” (sister): birth order, 9–10
discovery of Pete’s letters home, 200–201
European trip, 183–84
grief response of, 10
marriage of, 192
meeting with Margo, 226–27
on memorial service, 39–40
spirituality of, 83–84
at Swarthmore, 37
Hunting, Holly (sister): birth order, 9–10
childhood summers at farm, 23–24
discovery of Pete’s letters home, 201
response to Jill’s reticence, 139–40
meeting with Margo, 226–27
teen life in 1960s, 7
Hunting, Jill (sister): adolescence of, 7, 9, 47, 132
antiwar activity, 82
birth order, 9–10
car accident, 40–41
ceremony at site of Pete’s death, 1–5, 243–44
childhood of, 22–24, 36–37
connecting with Pete’s colleagues, 108–9, 110–17, 172–82
curiosity about Pete’s death, 13, 17
discovery of Pete’s letters home, 200–203
and father, 36, 82–83
grief journey of, 9, 14, 101–2, 110, 207, 241
and Holly, 7, 139–40
inspiration to write Pete’s story, 180
and Margo, 209–11, 225–27
marriages of, 101–2
memorial service memories, 39–40
memories of Pete, 15–16
and mother, 9, 44–45, 73–74, 81–82, 111, 226
and Pete’s homecoming visit, 167
and Sue, 171–72, 199–200
truffle interest of, 179–80
Vietnam trips, 136–53, 227–36, 239–42
Hunting, Mary (mother): ancestry of, 19, 43–44
attitude toward children, 9–10
character of, 44–45, 203–4
college years, 18
death of, 225–26
depression of, 42–43, 83
flying lessons for, 123
grief response, 16, 17, 39, 42–43, 44–45, 139, 226
and identifying Pete’s body, 39
and Jill, 9, 44–45, 73–74, 81–82, 111, 226
marital issues, 157
in nursing home, 200–201
pride in Pete’s accomplishments, 169
and thank you letter for sympathy support, 75–76
on Vietnam War, 82, 108, 111
Hunting, Peter: audio recording of, 200
birth order, 9–10
bridge construction work, 37–38
burial of, 40
and Cham people, 89–91, 233–35
character of, 15–16, 21, 60, 67, 162–63, 205, 206, 213
close calls in Vietnam, 128–29, 196–97
on dangers of being in Vietnam, 13, 54, 60, 132–33
on deprivations of developing world, 32
educational work, 32, 64, 69, 91–92, 98–99, 121, 131
on effects of coup, 61
European trip, 183–84
at farm, 24
and Fields, 50, 55–56, 85–86, 181
financial issues, 119–21
flying training, 167–68, 170, 189–90
frustrations with bureaucracy, 85–86, 95, 125, 127–28
future planning, 123, 130–31, 135, 157–58, 161, 164
goals for IVS experience, 19–20, 158
on holiday activities, 97, 156, 157
home leave, 165–66
home shrine to, 43
Hong Kong vacation, 161–62
as idea generator, 64
identification of body, 151
ingenuity and inventiveness, 15
initial protocol issues at Phan Rang, 54–55
journey to Vietnam, 25–26
Kennedy as inspiration for, 30
on Kennedy assassination, 64
knowledge of Vietcong animosity, 13
and languages, 19–20, 31–32, 58
last day of, 219–20, 238–39
leadership of IVS team, 219
legacy of, 112–13, 115, 244
love for Vietnam, 32, 50–51, 95, 99, 122–23, 159–60
on luxuries of U.S. living, 50–51
magazine article mentioning, 193–94
and Margo, 87, 129, 135, 159, 184–85, 197–98, 211, 212–13
on marriage, 87, 158–59
on McNamara/Taylor inspection tour, 57
Mead on, 205–6
Mekong Delta activities, 178, 183–98
memorial services for, 1–5, 12–13, 37–40, 66–67, 243–44
on missing American desserts, 58
music making, 33–34
musings of, 88
newsletter from Vietnam, 51–54
on NGO operations, 194–95
notification of death, 8–9
optimism of, 21
at Phan Rang, 33, 48, 54–55
political attitudes, 97–98, 111, 126–27, 132–33
presidential medal for, 45–46
rapport with children, 33, 163–64
site of death, 1–5
and Stoltzfus, 98, 113, 115–16
and student volunteer move
ment, 187–88, 217–18
and Sue, 87, 129, 130, 135, 159, 192
Thai vacation, 118–19
U.S. visit, 165–69
on Vietnamese culture, 49, 88–89, 91, 194–95
on Vietnamese landscape, 49, 50, 58–59, 94, 98, 159–60, 191–92, 220–21
Vietnamese nicknames for, 95
Vietnam situation analysis, 52, 163, 166, 185–86, 188, 190–91
and Wesleyan University, 15, 18–21, 121–22. See also Agricultural assistance work
Educational work
Romance
International Voluntary Services (IVS): accounts of coup from team members, 61–62
advantages of grassroots method, 195
air transport support for, 189
American government’s attitude toward, 106–7, 254n4
character of volunteers, 252n3
CIA operatives in, 177–78
communication issues, 56
continuation in Vietnam after Pete’s death, 209
cultural guidance, 49, 57–58
dangers for members, 13–14, 48, 133–34, 251n7
establishment of, 27–28
grief response of members, 66–68, 72–73
headquarters in Saigon, 65–66
Humphrey’s attitude toward, 45–46
as independent from government, 22, 29, 31, 114
as inspiration for Peace Corps, 31
and Lansdale, 26–27
and library project, 78–81
local vs. organizational operations, 173–74
Luce and his team’s protest, 104–6
media issues, 13–14, 106, 249n1
member denunciation of Vietnam War, 13–14
and military presence, 179
personal arms carrying, 98
Pete’s goals with, 19–20, 158
Phan Rang operations, 59–60
presence at Pete’s memorial service, 40
recruitment challenges, 166
respect for Vietnamese people, 30–31
and Rural Affairs office, 29
and Strategic Hamlet Program, 28–29
strength in Vietnam, 30
Johnson, Gloria, 10–11, 61–62, 73, 208–9
Johnson, Lyndon B., 70, 85, 106, 126–27, 160, 185–86
Joint U.S. Public Affairs Office, 21
Journalists. See Media coverage
Karnow, Stanley, 127
Kennedy, John F., 30, 31, 57, 64, 111
Kenniston, Kenneth, 82
Khanh, Premier (South Vietnam), 96, 128
Khanh Hoi, 93
Kirmmse, Bruce, 20
Kooker, Harold, 207, 239
Kuwait, 146
Laakonen, Bill, 49
Lake Sebec, Maine, 213
Lane, Rose Wilder, 193–94
Languages, 19–20, 31–32, 58, 70, 189
Langworthy, Jim, 228, 236
Lansdale, Gen. Edward, 26–27, 31, 57, 221, 247n2, 248n4
Laos, 126–27
Laverentz, Larry: on dangers in Vietnam, 14
and library project, 81
on local agricultural issues, 173–74
local Vietnamese life, 50, 126
newsletter advice, 51
remembrances of Pete, 172–75
Letters, search for: Margo’s, 211, 212
Pete’s to family, 83, 200–203
Sue’s, 171–72, 199–200
Library projects, 77–81, 176, 228–30, 233
Linn, Jim, 68, 238
Lodge, Henry Cabot, 57, 96, 127
London, Paul, 70
Long Xuyen, 219
Loyalty, importance of family, 10
Luce, Don: AFSC work, 102–3, 108
and betrayal stories about Pete’s death, 209
drinking wine with, 60
and Jill, 108–9, 117
and Kim Nguyen, 65
on Lansdale, 27
and library project, 78, 81
on 1991 trip to Vietnam, 136, 138, 141, 149–50, 152
organizational role, 30
and Pete’s death, 66–67, 70–71, 151, 243
prisoner abuse case in South Vietnam, 107–8
protest letter to Johnson, 104–6
resignation from IVS, 104
Vietnam experience, 103–4
Luche, Tom, 40, 181
Lukitsch, Paul, 238
MAAG (Military Assistance Advisory Group), 54–55, 58
MACV (Military Assistance Command-Vietnam). See Military presence, U.S.
Madame Nhu, 59
Mann, Charles, 66, 70
Marriage, Pete’s thoughts of, 87, 158–59
McCain, Lt. John, 145
McCreery, Doc, 163
McNamara, Robert, 57
Mead, Kirtland, 204–6
Media coverage: IVSers’ issues with, 13–14, 106, 249n1
Lane’s coverage of Vietnam, 193–94
of Pete’s death, 7, 10–12, 13, 21, 70
Mekong Delta, 125–26, 166, 178, 183–98
Mekong River, 240
Memorial fund, 77–78
Memorial services, 1–5, 12–13, 37–40, 66–67, 243–44
Mennonites, 114
Meyers, William “Willi,” 11, 40, 104, 109, 181
Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG), 54–55, 58
Military presence, U.S.: advisory period, 31
expansion of, 131
first U.S. combat troops, 164
flight support for IVS operations, 189
and IVS operations, 179
Johnson’s buildup of, 127, 185–86
in rural areas, 33, 88
U.S. command of war, 97
withdrawal of U.S. dependents from Vietnam, 160, 179
Money worries for Pete, 119–21
Monroney, Mike, 46
Montagnard people, 58–59, 120, 178
Montgomery, Roger, 251n7
Motorcycle, 123, 134–35, 190
My Lai, 148
My Nghiep, 233–35
My Tho, 31–34
National Liberation Front (NLF), 105. See also Vietcong (VC)
National Voluntary Service (NVS), 67, 186–89, 191, 217–18, 238
Neese, Harvey, 59, 61
NGO (nongovernmental organization), IVS as, 22, 29, 31, 114. See also International Voluntary Services (IVS)
Ngo Dinh Diem, 26, 27, 28, 57, 61
Ngo Dinh Nhu, 26, 57, 61
Ngo Dinh Thuc, 26
Nguyen, Dang, 30–31