CHristmas Odyssey in Vietnam

In this Memoirs Pasifika episode, Dr. Michael Lujan Bevacqua tells the story of Governor Carlos Camacho’s eventful trip to Vietnam — at the height of the war — to visit Guam’s battle-weary troops during Christmas, 1969. The trip unexpectedly helped shape Guam’s political history, launched a practice among politicians nationwide that continues up until today, and even inspired a hit song, “Christmas Odyssey in Viet Nam,” by Johnny Sablan! ​ 
 
​Memoirs Pasifika is a podcast exploring the events, movement, and people of modern Micronesian history. Access the full episode on the Memoirs Pasifika website. Click the video on the right to listen to the full song on YouTube.

For more archival images and reporting of Governor Comacho and Johnny Sablan's visit to Vietnam in 1975, click on the A Christmas Odyssey To the War Zone booklet.  ​

From the collection of Richard F. Taitano Micronesian Area Research Center.​

Governor Carlos G. Camacho first started visiting Guam’s troops in Vietnam in 1969.  In this photo, he shakes hands with local villagers during his visit to Vietnam in December 1969.