10.16.10 : Mac Dinh Chi Primary School

10.16.10 : Mac Dinh Chi Primary School, Thang Binh District 

Tom Saal, Marine, and former English teacher in Akron found himself at home - in a classroom 8,500 miles away - passing out beanie babies and other items to the children at the Mac Dinh Chi School.

Tom Saal's officer class built this school ten years ago – the same class of officers that saw the highest number of casualties in the war in Viet Nam.  They arrived in Viet Nam in 1967, shortly before the Tet Offensive began.

Tom began his reconciliation with the people of Vietnam by donating money to help build the school. We visited with the children, and Tom was welcomed by the school's headmaster and honored with flowers. We left behind the school supplies that were donated by Roosevelt High School's "Project:Vietnam", and members of various communities in North East Ohio, the City of Tallmadge and the First Congregational Church of Tallmadge.