Decades later, war's aftermath still is deadly

Decades later, war's aftermath still is deadly

By John MacCormack - Express-News HUE, Vietnam – During the Vietnam War, American bombers dropped millions of tons of ordnance on the country, exceeding the Allied bombardment during World War II.

Artillery units from both sides fired countless rounds of heavy munitions. Massive amounts of other explosives, from land mines to mortar rounds, also were expended in the conflict.

The munitions still haunt Vietnam. Since fighting stopped more than 30 years ago, more than 100,000 Vietnamese have been killed or injured by unexploded ordnance.

“The war has never ended for them. I had no idea of the incredible amount of unexploded ordnance. It was a real eye-opener,” Army veteran George Whitehouse said.

Whitehouse and a group of Americans are on a weeklong tour of Vietnam sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund.

On Thursday, they toured Quang Tri Province, which has one of the highest concentrations of unexploded ordnance in the country, with an estimated 80 percent of the land affected.

The delegation, including Spurs chairman Peter Holt and retired Gen. Barry McCaffrey, saw firsthand the horrific after-affects of a bloody conflict that for United States combat forces ended in 1973.
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