1.
GV Platoon addressed by old man
0.05

2.
CU PAN..Young South Vietnamese soldiers
0.10

3.
BV Old man
0.13

4.
CU Old man
0.16

5.
CU "BKC" tag and metals TLT UP to face
0.21

6.
CU Soldiers with old man addressing them (2 shots)
0.25

7.
SV Troops entering bunker
0.30

8.
SV & CU Old man chatting
0.38

9.
GV & SV Troops leaving camp for patrol - old man bringing up rear (3 shots)
0.58

10.
SV Old man in woodland (2 shots)
1.11

11.
CU PULL BACK..soldier under cover of scrub
1.10

12.
CU Old man talks on telephone
1.20

13.
CU Soldier's feet marching
1.22

14.
SVs old man looking out from wood
1.49



Initials ES 1630 ES 1645



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: In South Vietnam, a 73-year-old rice farmer has joined the army to avenge the loss of his son who was killed by the Viet Cong two years ago. It took the old man, Nguyen Van Moi, four months to convince the army that he was serious about joining. He was finally given command of the small defence unit of his village, Bau Sau, and has since achieved considerable success against the Viet Cong by using local farmers as an early warning system on troop movements. The province's senior American military adviser has commented: "If we had one man like him in every village the war in this province would be over."
SYNOPSIS: In South Vietnam, a unit of government troops are briefed by their commander- a 73-year-old former rice farmer. The old man. Nguyen Van Moi, applied to join the army after his son was killed by the Viet cong two years ago. It took four months to convince the authorities that he was serious.

Despite his age, Moi was put in command of a small unit defending Bau Sau, a village one mile form his farm. After 15 months in uniform he has proved that as far as leadership goes, age doesn't count. His young troops respect him, and local farmers have cooperated to form an early warning system on troop movements - keeping Viet Cong guerrillas out of the area.

Nguyen Van Moi's switch from plough to gun came after a Viet Cong detachment called at his farm one night and ordered him to hand over his son for military training. He refused. He says the Communists then shot the youth dead in front of him.

Respect for elders is deeply rooted in the Vietnamese character, and in Moi's case its tactical possibilities have not ben unnoticed. the local American military adviser has said: "If we had a man like Moi in every village, the war in this province would be over."