Posted on Aug 21, 2015
Was I the Only Soldier Who Served in RVN To Get a Ticket For Jay Walking?
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Downtown Saigon, 1970
So there I was, cruising Saigon, Jewel of the Orient and I decided to cross the street, not using the crosswalk that probably wasn't there, anyway.
When I got to the other side of the street, this cop stopped me, explaining I had jay walked. ("Jay Walked?? In Vietnam???")
He proceeded to write me up.
You can see his ticket pad, there.
I talked until I was blue in the face, explaining that I was [obviously] a GI, I would be going back to my unit (2nd/77th FA, 25th ID) once my three day pass had expired and that I would NOT be coming back to answer for the ticket.
Just like any other cop- he said nothing, just kept writing, ripped it off his ticket pad and handed it to me like it was just another day.
Please tell me I'm not the only GI to have ever been ticketed in Saigon for jay walking....
So there I was, cruising Saigon, Jewel of the Orient and I decided to cross the street, not using the crosswalk that probably wasn't there, anyway.
When I got to the other side of the street, this cop stopped me, explaining I had jay walked. ("Jay Walked?? In Vietnam???")
He proceeded to write me up.
You can see his ticket pad, there.
I talked until I was blue in the face, explaining that I was [obviously] a GI, I would be going back to my unit (2nd/77th FA, 25th ID) once my three day pass had expired and that I would NOT be coming back to answer for the ticket.
Just like any other cop- he said nothing, just kept writing, ripped it off his ticket pad and handed it to me like it was just another day.
Please tell me I'm not the only GI to have ever been ticketed in Saigon for jay walking....
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 6
These days you are more likely to get a jay walking ticket in a combat zone from an American MP. I know MPs sat at 4-way stop signs on bases in Iraq waiting to ticket vehicles not coming to a full top. If you didn't have a seat belt on, that would be another ticket. I'm sure I'll hear it from the MPs in the group, but I always thought that was a little odd to do in Iraq.
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CMSgt James Nolan
Could be worse sir, you could have gotten gigged for not wearing PPE, and we all know how dangerous it is to step out of the hooch without your reflective belt! Amazing that we all survived the 80s and 90s.
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SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.
This article will briefly look at the Government of (South) Vietnams national police, the Canh Sat, sometimes called the white mice by American troops because of their uniform white helmets and gloves.
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CSM Charles Hayden
SPC Jan Allbright, Korea-1954-55, N of Seoul. I Corps MPs were in charge, MSG Jackson once gave myself and SFC Krotzer a pass! My career survived!
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That must be a record. Jaywalking in Vietnam. Saigon? Really? How could anyone spot you in that mass of humanity let alone distinguish that you were crossing a street. Did you cross "against the light"? When I was there I think there was only one functioning in the whole city and I didn't see anyone pay any attention to it. Indeed, I got stuck in a traffic jam there and had to play traffic cop, threatening drivers with my M16 to get them to obey. I untangled the mess just enough to get my driver and jeep through and then jumped aboard to get out of there. (No, no one gave me a ticket for that)
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SSG Paul Forel
Yeah, I looked like just another GI. I wore my Sam Brown w/my government model under my jungle jacket so unlike so many guys there, I was not bristling with firearms.
You must have the touch, Captain.
You must have the touch, Captain.
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SSG Paul Forel
I actually had an MP save me on another occasion-
I was in one of the bars, drinking tequila and I looked down at the table and saw about fifteen saigon teas to my three tequilas. When I balked at paying for all those Saigon teas, both baby-san, momma-san and even papa-san started yelling at me.
About the time I was going to put a .45acp into the mirror behind the bar, just to get them to back off, an MP with whom I had been shooting pool at the USO came in, took one look, got it and brusquely told me to go outside and sit in his jeep.
I walked out, feeling the heat from the three locals and took a seat in the back seat of his MP jeep. He then came out, asked me where my hotel was, took me right to it, telling me to lay low and stay in for the rest of the day.
Not ready to call it quits, I went back outside and just as I had decided in which direction to walk, figuring I'd see a little more of the city, some VC types started throwing satchel charges around so I did an about-face and spent the rest of the night in my room.
Next time.....
I was in one of the bars, drinking tequila and I looked down at the table and saw about fifteen saigon teas to my three tequilas. When I balked at paying for all those Saigon teas, both baby-san, momma-san and even papa-san started yelling at me.
About the time I was going to put a .45acp into the mirror behind the bar, just to get them to back off, an MP with whom I had been shooting pool at the USO came in, took one look, got it and brusquely told me to go outside and sit in his jeep.
I walked out, feeling the heat from the three locals and took a seat in the back seat of his MP jeep. He then came out, asked me where my hotel was, took me right to it, telling me to lay low and stay in for the rest of the day.
Not ready to call it quits, I went back outside and just as I had decided in which direction to walk, figuring I'd see a little more of the city, some VC types started throwing satchel charges around so I did an about-face and spent the rest of the night in my room.
Next time.....
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