Next Spring, TOP is honored to have retired Lt. Col. Bruce Logan return with us in a significant role as part of the Trip Support Team. Bruce is one of the exceptional people who comprise TOP Vietnam Veterans and influence the trip experience."This year I completed my third trip to Vietnam with TOP. It has been my honor to travel with TOP as a participant during 2006 and 2007 along with my wife Elaine and also with my daughter Eliza on the 2007 tour. Elaine and I have also served as the Education Team for TOP for two years."
"We found these trips so fulfilling and rewarding that we are now huge TOP fans and are serving the organization as volunteers by helping Jess. TOP is a philanthropic organization that has deeply touched our hearts and souls."
"We found these trips so fulfilling and rewarding that we are now huge TOP fans and are serving the organization as volunteers by helping Jess. TOP is a philanthropic organization that has deeply touched our hearts and souls."
Over the years, participants have nicknamed the TOP Trip Leader as "Mama Duck," and with increased leadership responsibilities on his last trip Bruce commented, "This year I was particularly privileged when Jess gave me the opportunity of further serving the organization this June as the Deputy Tour Leader . . . affectionately known as 'Deputy Duck.' At the end of our trip, Bruce was awarded his "Mama Duck Wings" at a ceremony on our last night in Vietnam."I was gratified to see Jess Devaney, TOP founder and 'Mama Duck' of countless tours in support of veterans, relieved of just some of the onerous tasks of group leadership, able to immerse himself in the experience and enjoy the warmth of the affection of the Vietnamese people, who have over the years become his friends."
Bruce is a remarkable historian on the Vietnam War. "Over the past ten years I have become somewhat of an armchair scholar particularly its complex and sometimes contradictory culture and anthropology. I read everything I can get my hands on about the history, culture, politics, sociology and geography of that country and spend much time pondering the whys and wherefores of our unpopular intervention there those many years ago." Participants who return with us next Spring, are in for a special treat; especially those who appreciate history. "I enjoy doing research about any aspect of Vietnam and have helped Jess from time to time in locating sites of importance to TOP participants." Bruce's enthusiasm in recalling specifics about the Vietnam War, turns participants into fans of history, by trip's end.
Members of our last trip found Bruce's information about Vietnam fascinating, "I found the experience gratifying, in that I was able to contribute to the participant's understanding of the war and Vietnam today. And of course, as has been my experience in all service work, the gifts and rewards for me personally far outweigh those given."
Members of our last trip found Bruce's information about Vietnam fascinating, "I found the experience gratifying, in that I was able to contribute to the participant's understanding of the war and Vietnam today. And of course, as has been my experience in all service work, the gifts and rewards for me personally far outweigh those given."Bruce's beginnings reflect many of those who fought in Vietnam. Before war, he was the "boy next door"--raised in Seattle, WA . . . played high school football . . . drove an old jalopy . . . and at 17 got a tattoo (which is has subsequently removed). He graduated from the University of Nebraska; has a Masters from the University of Wisconsin; and, has done doctoral work at the University of Southern California. As an adult, Bruce has lived in nine states and four countries. In the middle of it all is Vietnam.
Often TOP ventures back to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Bruce's accounts in that region are always enlightening, "As a young army officer I had two one-year tours of duty in Vietnam. During the first tour in 1966 and 67, I was an infantry platoon leader for six months and a battalion liaison officer for the second half of the tour. This was with the 25th Infantry Division which operated out of the sprawling base camp at Cu Chi."
On our next trip we return to Nha Trang, "My second year-long experience in Vietnam was in 1970 and 1971 and was vastly different from my first tour. I was a captain by then and found myself assigned to Headquarters, First Field Force Vietnam in the beachside city of Nha Trang – now a beautiful resort city. Although I lived and worked for most of the year in the city, I served on an inspection team which required travel once a month to the outlying provinces along Vietnam’s central coast and in the central highlands."
Bruce's wife is a Canadian, "After a twenty-five year career, I retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1989, and embarked on a new life with wife Elaine in a bucolic corner of Canada called Salt Spring Island. This island lies in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver and Victoria in the beautiful province of British Columbia. I worked as a management consultant during my first fifteen years in Canada and had many interesting consulting gigs which took me all over North America. I am now semi-retired and work only a day or two a week – just enough to keep me stimulated." It should be noted though that when Bruce is part of the Trip Support Team he puts in a lot of long hard work days with TOP, in Vietnam.
He symbolizes the ideal TOP Vietnam veteran past-participant role model, "Even though I spent a quarter century in the military, I do not define myself by that experience. I seldom use title or rank, do not drive in and out of military bases in order to be saluted and do not sit around telling war stories. I do however, attend a reunion with the survivors of my 66-67 rifle company each year."
Often TOP ventures back to the Cu Chi Tunnels. Bruce's accounts in that region are always enlightening, "As a young army officer I had two one-year tours of duty in Vietnam. During the first tour in 1966 and 67, I was an infantry platoon leader for six months and a battalion liaison officer for the second half of the tour. This was with the 25th Infantry Division which operated out of the sprawling base camp at Cu Chi."On our next trip we return to Nha Trang, "My second year-long experience in Vietnam was in 1970 and 1971 and was vastly different from my first tour. I was a captain by then and found myself assigned to Headquarters, First Field Force Vietnam in the beachside city of Nha Trang – now a beautiful resort city. Although I lived and worked for most of the year in the city, I served on an inspection team which required travel once a month to the outlying provinces along Vietnam’s central coast and in the central highlands."
Bruce's wife is a Canadian, "After a twenty-five year career, I retired from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1989, and embarked on a new life with wife Elaine in a bucolic corner of Canada called Salt Spring Island. This island lies in the Strait of Georgia between Vancouver and Victoria in the beautiful province of British Columbia. I worked as a management consultant during my first fifteen years in Canada and had many interesting consulting gigs which took me all over North America. I am now semi-retired and work only a day or two a week – just enough to keep me stimulated." It should be noted though that when Bruce is part of the Trip Support Team he puts in a lot of long hard work days with TOP, in Vietnam.He symbolizes the ideal TOP Vietnam veteran past-participant role model, "Even though I spent a quarter century in the military, I do not define myself by that experience. I seldom use title or rank, do not drive in and out of military bases in order to be saluted and do not sit around telling war stories. I do however, attend a reunion with the survivors of my 66-67 rifle company each year."
Bruce's past-times include sailing: "I am a certified sailing instructor and spend several weeks each year on the water teaching others how to safely enjoy recreational yachting. Several summers ago I sailed 2,200 nautical miles from Hawaii to Tahiti with seven other people on a 48 foot sailboat."Last June, Bruce led TOP to Marble Mountain's summit. "Elaine and I love the outdoors and feel that being on foot is the best way to enjoy and appreciate a piece of landscape. We frequently hike in Hawaii where we spend several weeks each year and we have worn out boots in Europe, Washington, California, Utah, Arizona and, of course, here at home."
Bruce is a willing participant in TOP's cooking class, held on all the trips he has accompanied. "Who doesn’t enjoy eating? I like ethnic foods of all varieties and, yes, that includes Vietnamese cuisine. Elaine and I spend much quality time in the kitchen preparing food for ourselves and our guests. Good food is an expression of love."Bruce looks forward to his TOP trips, "I know that traveling with others who have a connection to our wartime experience in Vietnam will be an enriching experience."
TOP's motto is, "By helping others, we help ourselves." As well, the TOP Trip Support Team, such as Bruce, is given opportunity to personally evolve on these trips. For example, elaborating on this, Bruce added, "Among the very special moments and events that moved me on this tour were:
Growing in spirit as I watched the poignant moment a widow cast her husband's ashes into the waters off China Beach where he had served.
Understanding at a deeper level the affect of my own post war behavior upon my children as I watched a daughter struggle with her feelings in visiting the place which had so severely affected her father some forty years ago.
As always the humanitarian projects filled me with gratitude for the blessings of my own life."
Bruce concluded, "Thanks to Jess and all the June 2008 participants for sharing this deeply rich time with me." Likewise, TOP extends our gratitude to Bruce for his compassion and trip contributions. We look forward to his involvement in our forthcoming Spring trip.
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