Comments on: Bolinao 52

By: Honorable

Honorable — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 06:34:33 +0000

Mike H., On one hand I am sorry to hear of your despair and the effect this may have had on you. But on the other hand, it is always healing to learn that the crew did care on that fateful day it may have seemed, for these innocent people, that no one cared. I too would like to see this video if you can put it on Youtube and post a link?

By: rex

rex — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 23:54:50 +0000

Mike H, I can’t imagine the despair and conflicting emotions the marines & sailors went through to carry out such order. I’d very interested in seeing the video, perhaps you can upload it to YouTube? I really appreciate that you and others commenting on this and provide some first hand insight.

And thanks for serving our country!

By: Mike H

Mike H — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 07:17:54 +0000

I served on the USS Dubuque as a marine, I was attached to a helicopter squadron and witnessed the entire event I’n question. I have the actual footage that I just transferred from VHS to DVD. I can’t tell you where the order came from but yes we were ordered to not allow the refugees to board the ship which consisted of some sailors and marines shaking these people off of the ropes. I was 20 years old and to this day it has left a lasting impression. I remember the despair that I and many others felt as we left those people knowing that they were In a very precarious and desolate situation. The powers that be determined the vessel to be sea worthy. As I have stated I have the video and anyone who has seen it will tell you I’n no way was that boat sea worthy. Regardless of what kind of man, father or sailor Capt. Balian was he made a poor decision that day and as a result people died.

By: wedding party

wedding party — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 11:25:13 +0000

This is a good subject to talk about. Sometimes I fav stuff like this on Redit. This article probably won’t do well with that crowd. I’ll take a look around your site though and submit something else.

By: Ward

Ward — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 21:26:49 +0000

Renee,
I knew a Beth B. in OC many years ago??
Ward W.

By: Renee

Renee — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:02:56 +0000

I don’t want to argue either and thank you for your service to our country.

Renee

By: Honorable

Honorable — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:10:45 +0000

Monkey line, tow line, any line, it matters not. If Capt. Balian ordered his crewman to shake a man off a monkey line in the middle of the ocean then that is wrong. People don’t need a clearance to board a ship in such circumstances. The US Navy, as well as others of foreign powers have routinely rescued human beings inperiled at sea. I do not wish to argue any futher with Renee, especially her being his daughter, once again, it is not who is right. It’s what is right. And that, my dear, are the beliefs of a Navy SEAL.

By: Renee

Renee — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:11:36 +0000

P.S. No man crewman was ordered to “shake a man from off a life ring” as you state. In order for that to happen a crewman would have to jump in the water, shake the man off, take the life ring and swim away. Do you really think that is what happened? He was ordered to be shaken off of a monkey line because it is a danger to a ship’s crew to randomly have people decide to go aboard in this fashion. People don’t get to board U.S. Naval vessels without clearance via monkey lines in the middle of the ocean. Head down to the nearest Naval base and try to board a ship via a monkey line. You’ll probably get a similar result.

By: Renee

Renee — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 06:01:56 +0000

I have no personal agenda here other than the difference between fact and fiction. Read above “Honorable”, I’ve already stated my gratitude for freedom of speech. I don’t condemn anyone for having an opinion or exercising that freedom. I will do the same.

By: Honorable

Honorable — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:39:13 +0000

It is not about WHO is right. It’s about WHAT is right.
There is no excuse for leaving human beings in peril and that includes Capt.Balian ordering a crewman to shake a man from off a life ring only to drown as a result. Yes, the Navy let him off the hook for that but common sense and morals override going by the book. His daughter may have a personal agenda to defend her father’s actions but Balian was courtmartialed nonetheless and that IS a fact. He could have taken responsibility and come clean instead of being courtmartialed of which he CHOSE in hopes of clearing his name. I agree with John Boisa’s commentary above. And in this country, there still is freedom of speech.

By: Renee

Renee — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 06:07:08 +0000

Rex, For the record, I am his daughter.

“It’s good to know for every Balian there are others out there like Captain Bell.”

Since you don’t mean to discuss Captain Balian, “the man” and you want to discuss his actions, here’s some discussion for you. His actions were decided by the orders he had in combination with the information he was given via translator. He had rescued Vietnamese refugees on two other occasions. This was not his first encounterwith boat people. If you want to discuss his actions and you have questions, feel free to post, I’ll answer them.

One more for the record, he was not “stripped of his duties in 1989″. The orders were given before the Admiral’s Mast ever took place where he would be stationed next. If a service member is attached to or embarked on a vessel, he can not elect court martial. The Navy removed him from the Dubuque as it never crossed their minds that he would ELECT court martial. As a matter of fact, a Navy Captain today won’t get removed from his command on a ship until Admiral’s Mast is complete just so he can’t choose court martial and then a potential media disaster can be avoided. When his ELECTED court martial concluded, he CHOSE to retire. If you are part of the boat people generation as you say, you would appreciate the service “the man” has given this country which had included rescuing refugees. He was celebrated for these actions, obviously less publicly, for doing so. You can imagine what you want but don’t imply your beliefs are so different from any other beliefs that any other man has. If you are going to start a post like this, you should get your facts straight.

Kind Regards.

By: rex

rex — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:11:48 +0000

Renee, I appreciate your comment.

For the record, it wasn’t me who claims Balin is a millionaire. And unless you’re his daughter (can’t tell from your comment for sure but you seem to imply Balin is your father), I wouldn’t think you can say he’s not either. But then what he is now and how he makes $$ presently is immaterial. I didn’t intend to discuss Balin the man, just his actions…

I don’t doubt that he was a good soldier, I mean he made high ranks after all. I also wouldn’t be surprised that abandoning the refugees was a difficult decision for a naval officer who plays by the rules.

I can only imagine the burden and responsibilities of a captain on mission is heavy and huge. But I guess that would be one difference between the man & I, it would not have been a difficult one for me. My beliefs and humanity wouldn’t allow it to be.

By: Renee

Renee — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 07:20:27 +0000

Captain Balian was NOT court-martialed. He was ordered to go to Admiral’s Mast which is a nonjudicial administrative reprimand which does not result in a conviction of crime. He chose a court martial as any military service member has a right to do when they want the truth to come out or believe they are being unfairly accused. Had he not chosen court martial, the navy would have reprimanded him, put a note in his record and noone would have ever heard about this. This became such a media event for exactly that reason. It’s easy to think you know what the “right” thing to do is but if you have never been in the situation, how do you really know what you would do? You’ve got orders to follow, the lives of your crew to protect and let’s not forget the translation issues. I have seen the movie Bolinao 52 and think it’s a well made film which provided healing for many suffering people. There are some inaccurate statments but hey, thanks to people like my father, we all have freedom of speech. By the way, he’s not a “millionaire”, as you say. Renting boats does not make you a millionaire. When the Navy invited him to return to service, he CHOSE retirement after they hung him out to dry. Now he’s the captain of a charter sailboat. Pretty simple.

By: rex

rex — Tue, 26 May 2009 15:35:11 +0000

Thanh, the story of Captain Bell is a wonderful read. It's good to know for every Balian there are others out there like Captain Bell. Thank you for taking to the time to share the gems like this.

By: Thanh Le

Thanh Le — Tue, 26 May 2009 06:00:01 +0000

FYI:

http://ussmortondd948.org/Sea_Stories_Capt_Bell_s_rescue_story.html

http://www.partypop.com/Vendors/3276513.htm

By: rex

rex — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:08:36 +0000

Doug, thanks for the link. It’s good an online version for folks like Ethics who’s looking to see it for educational purposes…

By: Doug

Doug — Tue, 05 May 2009 23:05:46 +0000

You can watch the full version of Bolinao 52 at:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2789543473631376671&ei=7ZkASoyWNqGyqAONiMmBCQ&hl=en
The quality is not very good.

By: rex

rex — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:30:12 +0000

Well put, Lee… thanks for your comment!

By: Lee

Lee — Mon, 04 May 2009 09:15:09 +0000

I was heading to Vietnam right after college but the situation was rapidly deteriorating in 1975 and within a month the infamous helicopter evacuation from the U.S. Embassy rooftop and the fall of Saigon happened. Years later, I saw the misery and tragedy of the boat people. I heard stories from the resettlement sites in the Philippines that really broke my heart especially when the facility was about to close and some refugees chose to kill themselves rather than be returned to Vietnam. At the same time I have met and known some Vietnamese and they would rather forget those miserable years and their exodus by sea. My neighbor was a former Navy guy and he jumped overboard to rescue some boat people. For this he was reprimanded instead of being commended. The lesson here is that an act of humanity is a very noble sacrifice. Seeing the Filipino fishermen who came to the rescue of the Bolinao52 still living in their shacks as they did more than 20 years later, I can say that they did something that noble without any expectations of rewards. I believe that they are more at peace in spite of their poverty than the tortured souls of the Navy personnel who abandoned them at sea.

By: Ethics

Ethics — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 23:55:34 +0000

Wow 250$ :O that is indeed pricey.
I will keep a look out for it or maybe convince my college teacher to buy it so we can watch it
thanks for the info.
Cheers from Canada.