Guest
Join this channel to get access to perks: Want to learn more about Periscope Film and get access to exclusive swag? Join us on Patreon. Visit Visit our website This 8mm home movie was shot during the Vietnam War by Peter Orsino, who worked as a U.S. Army chef in Southeast Asia in 1965-66. He did not see combat, but worked primarily in rear areas during the conflict. This particular footage appears to have been shot in and around Saigon / Ho Chi Minh City and includes recreational shots of troops. The number of troops in southern Vietnam at this time amounted to 184,300. One month prior, a pause in the bombing was enacted by President Johnson and was still in effect. Operation Marauder took place in the early parts of the month with Operation Masher and Double Eagle in the latter parts. The film opens with images from the holidays with a tiny dog and tiny Christmas trees (:05). An army cook prepares chicken wings on a grill for service men (:37). Shots of troops during recreation time enjoying smokes, booze and barbeque (1:44). The camera moves over cooks in the kitchen area (2:27) as they work to prepare what appears to be a ‘Happy New Year’ meatloaf (2:57). Men outside of barracks with cases of Miller in the background (3:22). They continue to roast over the barbeque occasionally horsing around in light festive spirits (3:43). The film moves to a harbor with motorcyclists and automobiles milling through the streets (4:01). A floating restaurant appears at (4:33). A small Vietnamese child walks barefoot through the streets (4:53). Two youth sit at a small street vendor (4:56) picking food from small pots. A man salutes the camera (5:05). Natives wear the common non la (5:16); the leaf hat and in flat wooden shoes. Naked children play in a water fountain (5:20). Pedestrians crowd the streets in front of Ho Chi Minh City Hall (6:12). Natives explore jeweled goods at a local market (6:34). A billboard advertisement for a Vietnamese film appears (7:06). Carts and cyclists pour down the man drag (7:15). A bald solider (repeatedly filmed) emerges from his tent (7:40). The camera pans up and over his uniform (7:58). The scene turns to evening (8:39). A storm moves over the barracks (9:06). Troops ride in the back of an open jeep, rifles at hand (9:44). Natives offer cart rides for walking pedestrians (9:56) near small food restaurants. A view is provided as a car zooms through the crowded streets (10:25). A traffic cop in all white directs traffic (10:56). A poor man washes himself with a silver tin outside (11:20). One man paints a board blue (11:28) with an army jeep in the background. A group of four work to fix a light (11:56). Female cyclists move through traffic (12:11). A helicopter moves over head (12:33). A troop washes his clothes in small silver bowls (12:50). The camera shows night scenes of the same crowded street (13:54). The film begins to wrap up with traffic shots as cyclists roll past taxi cabs (14:23). Retail and food shops stand against one another (14:48). One apartment above the shops offers private English lessons (14:55). Peter Orsino was born in Cornwall NY, joined the Army in 1958 where he began his lifelong career of being a cook/chef. He went from Fort Lee VA to Fort Dix NJ, to Vietnam where he spent a year (Aug 65-Aug 66) with the 557th MPCo as a cook. From there, he spent 2 years in Germany, then on to San Francisco CA. In 1970 he decided to leave the Army, but continued as a National Guardsman in Newburgh NY for over 20 years. After cooking in several restaurants in the 1970s, he became a chef at West Point in NY until he retired in 2000. Enjoyed his retirement years with his wife, kids, VFW buddies and his 7 grandchildren until his passing in 2016. We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
