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Tell us what you think.
Selected submissions will be posted here, so check back regularly.
11/04/2008
Usually don’t like documentaries, but this one was different. It kept my attention. It made me think about my uncle that is stationed over in Afghanistan right now at this very second. He sends letters every now and then. He would tell us that it’s not so bad over the one day and the next day it’s a horrible mess. But he tells us that he is going to stay safe and he will see us at Christmas. This movie made me really think about him, and what it would be like with out having him at our Christmas dinner table. I don’t know what it would be like to be told that your father was killed when you were 3 years old and also on top of that your mother doesn’t want to talk to you about it. I don’t know about you but in some way I would be mad at my mom if she did that. My dad and I are very close we like the same things we do the same stuff my dad was in the Army when he was a teenager. He never got to go across seas but he had the training. He tells me a lot about what he did as he was in training. I could sit with him for hours in the loft with him about his training and interesting stories. He usually doesn’t like to tell some of them cause it brings back memories and he wants to relive the memories he really wishes he could go back in time and go cross Seas. I’m very glad we watched this movie in class.
09/19/2008
Janice Chadwick
Billings, MT
I first saw your video at my priest's house. His father was killed in Vietnam when he was a baby. I could watch it up until the footage where your father was killed--it was just too painful to watch. I got my own copy of the video later and it is so beautiful to watch, even though I have to have a box of kleenex by me when I watch it. I have watched it with others who lived through the Vietnam War as I did (I was born in 1956. My father spent a year in Thailand during Vietnam flying missions into Vietnam--Thank God, he made it home. However, I knew other kids whose fathers did not make it home. During the year that my father was in Thailand, we lived on a former AF base in Salina, Kansas where the families of those who were serving in Vietnam could stay while the men were serving their tours in Vietnam. There was a girl down the street whose father was stationed in Thailand like my father (though at a different base). He was killed two weeks before he was supposed to come home--in fact, his wife had already received his orders for his next posting. In high school (after my father had come home and had been sent to Wright Patterson AFB near Dayton, OH), there was a girl whose father was a POW/MIA. His plane was shot down over Laos in 1969 and it was never found out what happened to him (as far as I know). It was known that he had survived the crash because he communicated by radio afterards, but nobody knows what happened to him after that. I didn't know any of these men, but I know their children. They are these men's greatest legacy. Thank you so much for telling your story because it can give others who lost their fathers in that war to get to know their fathers too, and hopefully, it will allow the parents, grandparents, friends, and fellow soldiers to work through their grief and talk about the person (or persons) that they lost.
I do know people who have put sensitive memories away and are afraid to look at them, me included. I know that has to especially be true when you've lost a loved one in a war or other traumatic situations. In some ways, it seems so much easier to not open the wounds because it is so painful for the wounds to be opened and to deal with the pain that is felt when they are opened, but to not open them and deal with the grief and pain just makes you sicker and sicker. I thank you, your mother, your grandmother, other members of your father's family, and your father's friends for being willing to open up about your father and his death and the effect it had on them. It will help the others who lost their fathers to maybe do the same and to help the other people who were affected by the death of their fathers to heal also. It also helps us who lived through the Vietnam War to face the wounds the Vietnam War caused in all of us and to face the the War and to honor the men that were killed and to learn about these mens and remember that they are not just statistics or pictures.
8/14/07
richard pinaire
junction city kansas
Tracy; I just saw the movie that you made about your father,Donald Droz. The movie has a
very powerful message about war. You and your mother and the other members of the family
paid a great tribute to your father. I hope many more people get to see this film. On
April 9,1969, I was attending Kansas State University. On that date, General William
Westmorland, who was then the Army Chief of Staff, spoke at the Landon Lecture Series at
Kansas State University. I would suggest that you google the Landon Lecture Series and
read his speech from that day, which was just 4 days before your father's death and the
speech of Robert Kennedy, at the same site, which was given the previous year. These
speeches have lessons for us today and I think you will find something in those speeches
that will put those times in context for you. Also, your mother is truly a noble and brave
person, whose thoughts and courage are to be admired. Thank you for sharing this story.
Richard Pinaire
11/17/06
Louise Graul Eisenbrandt
Overland Park, KS
I saw this wonderful piece for the first time this evening. From November 1969 until
October 1970, I was an Army nurse assigned to the 91st Evac Hospital in Chu Lai, S.
Vietnam. For the last 20+ years, I have been sharing my story of that year with students
of all ages. It has been cathartic for me and, hopefully, informative for those too young
to remember this dark time in our history. As I watched tonight, I was again angered by
those who, for personal gain, mocked the experience of John Kerry and other swift boat
crewmen. For those who have never tasted war, it is unforgiveable to criticize those who
so honorably served their country. Remember, too, 10,000 of the participants in Vietnam
were, like me, women. Visit www.vietnamwomensmemorial.org to see for yourselves.
Thank you, Tracy!
11/10/06
Pamela Quicksall
Hamilton Texas
Tracy, i saw your documentary on PBS this evening and i applaud you for it it was very
well done. i am an older war orphan. my father died in China in World War II and is buried
at the National Cemetary in Hawaii. I was three months old when he died and i can assure
you that many of your feelings about your father were very close to the way i still feel
about my father. i am also sure that no matter what war we are in the feelings of the
orphans left behind are the same and it effects your whole life. i never knew much about
my father. i have all the letters that he wrote my mother but they were censored so very
general. Fifty seven years later i received a phone call in 2001 from a man who had been
looking for me since the end of the war and was co-pilot with my dad. he told me all the
things they had done during the war and how my dad had found out that i was born. i not
only became acquainted with this man but also fell in love with him and married him. he
recently passed away and now i am grieving for both my father and my husband. i was
fortunate to have a relationship with my husband that most people look for all their lives
so consider myself very blessed. i also feel that i got to know my father through knowing
his friend. it was a very special relationship and one that is hard to even describe
because it was so special.
my heart aches for all the war orphans that are being left behind in our current war. i
can always remember feeling very alone and left out all my life bacause everyone else had
a dad and i did not. war is a disaster and not worth the loss of one life. anyway, thank
you for speaking out on the subject.
10/20/04
Denise Calvetti Michaels
Kirkland, WA
This film is authentic, moving, artistic, and necessary. I saw it for the first time when
it was presented as a documentary on television. I was with my 24 year old daughter and
together we wept. I knew I would show it in my college classes where I teach psychology
though I would find a way to include this film in any course I teach. Tonight my students
in Psychological Disorders were riveted for over an hour as the story enfolded of Tracy's
search to know her father, uncover the hidden memories and connect with her history. In so
doing she brings a generosity of spirit and healing to all who participate with her in her
journey. Thank you, Tracy, for your work to make this film and thank you for sharing with
us the life of your father.
10/15/04
Don Seward
Cypress, Ca
You will find the article in U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, October 2004, page 66,
'Swift Boats: Hard Day on the Bo De', to be of much interest. Below is the URL to it.
http://www.navalinstitute.org/proceedings/Articles04/PRO10yost.htm
9/20/04
Cody Hines
Kansas City, MO
I am anxiously awaiting my next opportunity to view your film after reading today's Kansas
City Star regarding your success. I recognized the name Droz, being a native of Bates
County, and immediately called my mother, a grad of RHHS. Little did I know, she was only
a year older than your father, having played in the band (she believes he played trombone)
with him in high school. She fondly remembered him, as well as your Grandparent's grocery
next door to my Grandfather's hardware store in Rich Hill. As she recalls, my Grandfather
was fond of your father's little sister and enjoyed sitting out front waiting to pester
her on slow afternoons.
Just thought a piece of rememberance was in order, given my new-found knowledge. Thanks
for recollecting with all of us, and kudos on your wonderful acheivement.
7/1/04
Kipling Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
When I came across your movie I had no idea it would have such an impact on me. Our
stories are parallel in so many ways. My father died in Vietnam June 22, 1967. I too do
not remember him because I was only three. My mother never remarried. My brothers and I
grew up knowing we had a dad but he had died and that was all we knew. There was also a
box of his things put away though it was off limits to us and my mother would not talk
about him.
Three years ago I too began to search on the internet to find out anything that I could
about how my dad died. What I found out changed me forever. I made contact with a handful
of men that did remember him and hundreds that served with him.
I attended the 173rd Airborne reunions and finally met some of those men. I have to say
that I understand your feelings about your fathers death and the importance of all that it
means to you. I also know how bringing up those things, asking those questions from the
ones that knew him; the ones that could maybe tell you anything can cause pain.
I want to tell you that your mother gave you much much more than my own did. My mom is
not someone that I can ever talk to about my search and my feelings about it.
I have pictures of my dad all over my home and so much more. I started going to his grave
three years ago. I go on June 22.
To me, it was as if he had just died.
6/25/04
judson malcolm
athens, georgia
Tracy:
I found your story on the Disabled American Veteran web site at www. DAV.org. I am a
Vietnam vet. I was a medic in Vietnam during 1970-1971. I want to let you know some things
that might help you live your life with love and more understanding of the inequalities of
life. There was a bond between all of us who were in Vietnam. This may be because when we
asked for help, needing more soldiers, - no help came. We were disappointed, but we did
not hate. We did not hate the government, the Vietnamese people, nor those who did not
serve. Our thoughts were of family, home, hotdogs, baseball, and fast cars. We did our
best to care for the wounded and sick. We tried to never leave anyone behind. These words
many seem foggy or distant to you now, but that is exactly how we felt in Vietnam. We drew
our strength from God and our frienship bonds that bound us together.
I want you to feel that bond with those of us who lived. Please know our memories of
those who died ,and those of us who live with physical and mental scars, are as as real as
if they happened yesterday. Please let yourself feel the tie that binds. It is one of love
that comes from seeing the sacrifice of our fellow soldiers.
Due to my exposure to agent orange and other chemical agents I will not be able to have
children. There are many other men like me out there who have no children. If you could
find one of the men and just talk to him that would be a big help. The Disabled American
Veterans always needs volunteers. If you want to know more about my Vietnam experience
just Google my name spelled Judson Malcom . I wish you all the best..
6/22/04
NELSON GIBSON
ATLANTA, GA
Bravo Zulu, sweet lady...
Nelson
June 22, 2004
6/18/04
Kent, Washington
Tracy, I happened onto the 60 Minutes segment on your documentary by chance. My family
also suffered a loss such as yours. He was my much oldest brother. It was too painful for
our family to talk about so, I and his two children never got know him (one of them being
a daughter also named Tracy, born after his death). I never realized how many other
families shared this same kind of experience. I always felt like we were the only ones who
couldn't talk about it. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
6/17/04
Virginia
Tracy,
By chance last night, I watched the 60 minutes segment about your documentary. I was so
moved by your work. The film is a remarkable project, and I think it must touch everyone
who sees it.
Thank you.
6/17/04
Jenifer
Clearwater, FL
I just finished watching the story on 60 minutes and was moved to tears. Not because my
father was killed in Vietnam but because my father survived and we are dealing with the
effects of the wartime trauma for the past 35 years.
Your story allowed me to feel connected with a generation of 30 somethings dealing with
the physical death of a family member because of the war or - in my family's case - the
emotional death of a family member.
Thank you for a powerful story. I know you set out to get to know your father a little
better - but you have allowed many more of us to get to know our father's a little better
as well.
God bless you,
Jenifer
6/17/04
Tara Curtis
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Tracy -- I learned about your movie from watching the "60 Minutes" segment. It moved me to
tears, and I couldn't begin to imagine what it must have been like to have so many
questions, but for years, no one to answer them about your father. My dad was in the Navy
during the Vietnam war, and while he did come back, I often wonder how close he came to
getting killed while serving overseas. You have really done an amazing tribute to your
father and to so many others who lost their dads during that war. I hope making this movie
and telling your story thru PBS and CBS has brought you some comfort and also made you
feel closer to the man who helped bring you into this world. I hope that knowing you've
touched so many lives will bring you additional comfort as well.
Sincerely,
Tara Curtis
Harrisburg, PA
5/17/04
Rand
Honolulu, Hawaii
Congratulations on producing a movie that has connected with so many viewers.
At the showing in Hawaii, many of us suspected that the one place you were looking for is
Bellows Beach, but I don't know if you were able to confirm that this is indeed the place
where you were able to spend some time with your father during his R&R in Hawaii.
It would be good to know that you found that special spot.
Best wishes.
4/20/04
Patrick
Michigan
Tracy --
It was chance that I happened to turn on the local PBS station one night several months
ago, only to catch the last half-hour or so of your film. Just today, I received (and
watched) a DVD of the film and, of course, got to see the film in its entirety.
I was moved to tears that night months ago and again today, despite having virtually
nothing in common with your experience except for having a father who has died.
While I lived almost 40 years of my life in his periphery, I knew very little about my
father, either, really -- a gulf created by our own personal frailties; two very different
people from two very different times unable to find common footing until it was too late
in his life.
Your story is amazing and wonderful in its honesty, nakedness and bravery.
Thank you. Best wishes.
Patrick
3/29/04
Marilynne S. Kindell
Loves Park, Illinois
Tracy, your program ripped into my heart. I also lost a loved one in Vietnam in 1967. I
never got a chance to say goodbye. I cannot find anyone who I can contact to find people
that he knew in Vietnam. Perhaps you could give me some suggestions. He has a daughter
named Carolyn Ann and is from Pennsylvania. I need to know what happened and the
circumstances of his death. If he talked of me or anything that anyone could tell me.
Please contact me if you have any information of where I could start to look. My heart is
just as broken today as it was the day I learned of his death. Thank you so much for your
program and God bless you. May you find the peace that we are searching for. Marilynne.
2/23/04
Ira Podheiser
Bridgeville, Pennsylvania
Dear Tracy:
I had the privilege of watching your documentary about your "search" for your father. No
other documentary about Vietnam, with the possible exception of the HBO documentary from
the 1980s "Dear America: Letters Home from Vietnam," moved me as much as your account of
your journey to discover your father.
It's now been several months since I've seen it on PBS (on Veterans Day), but I have
thought about it frequently since then. I've just finished reading Douglas Brinkley's
excellent book on Senator Kerry's Vietnam experience, and the passages relating to your
father, and the Norfolk reunion in 2003 where your film premiered, compelled me to write
and share my thoughts.
As important as your need to know the true details of his death, it was probably more
important to know how your father lived and the void his too-early death left in so many
lives: you, your mother, grandmother, aunts, uncles, Annapolis classmates, crewmates and
friends such as Senator Kerry. In the midst of all the controversy that lingers to this
day over the Vietnam War, we tend to forget the real lives that were shatterd forever,
from the widows and children, to those who were wounded, both physically and
psychologically. In telling your father's story, you reminded us all that the names on the
Vietnam Memorial were real people with families, friends, hopes and dreams, and not just
statistics of war.
I try to visit the Vietnam Memorial whenever I'm in Washington. The next time I'm there
I'll find your dad's name and pause to reflect not only on his sacrifice, but also on the
effect that his death (and,more importantly, his life) had on you, your mom and all of
those whose lives he touched.
Thank you for making such an important and wonderful film!
2/23/04
Dave Sanders
San Jose CA
Tracy: thanks ever so much for your sharing and caring with the California State Council
of us Vietnam Veterans in February. It was a wonder to meet you and share yoiur grief as
we all continue to do with the ones we lost so dear to us all.
Love to you my seetness and may God bless your new family..which includes all of us..
Dave
2/3/04
Beverly Franco
Monterey Park, CA
I watched Tracy's search for some sense of who her father was and how that relates to her
life. Tears coursed down my cheeks as her story touched on my story. My father was killed
by a train when I was six and I know so little about him. What did his laugh sound like?
Did he have a sense of humor? There is no one alive in my life now who knew my father. I
waited too long to ask all the questions that lay dormant and just now have started to
emerge. I watch my father grow up before my eyes in photographs that have just surfaced. I
stare at the pictures and try to form some sense of who this man was and nothing comes and
I cry. Be Good, Smile Pretty led me down a path to hope.
I'm not an orphan of war. My father did not die in the war, but worked for the railroad in
1944 and was hit by a train while on the job. I'm still searching for home, but Tracy
opened doors and windows, not just for herself, but for her family and friends to explore
who Don Droz was and how his life helped to shape her. I think she also helped to free her
mother from the silence. The silence keeps us prisoners within and shedding light on those
stories helps to set the prisoners free. Free to tell their stories, if not today, maybe
tomorrow. Just don't wait too long -it might be too late.
1/14/04
Mike
Orlando, FL
Thank your for sharing such a personal story. I was moved to see so many adults (!!!)
share real thoughts and feelings. I would rather be affected than entertained, and this
production laid bare the nerves that we need to leave vulnerable in order to keep the
human race connected.
I have veteran friends who have put these experiences away....and I understand and respect
their reasons. But at the same time, I regret not benefitting from their experiences. We
need to learn from them, and by doing so, honor more their sacrifice.
1/9/04
Poughkeepsie, NY
An important PS: The heroism of Judy Droz Keyes in participating in the March Against
Death is reduced to an unforgiveable footnote. In 1969, US Marshalls were not hesitant to
severely beat even the most gentle of protestors. As our Vietnam vets were not given the
honor, support, and benefits they continue to need, no medals were given to the
peacemakers. Without people like Mrs. Keyes, the slaughter would have continued much
longer.
1/5/04
Poughkeepsie, NY
Tracy's quest was undoubtedly one of the most selfish acts I have witnessed. The
devastation to her non-biological father, but indeed her real father, must have been
unbearable for him, and horribly cruel. Cruel, as well, to her mother, grandmother, and
all the friends and relatives interviewed.
I've heard many stories about my own father since his death. From that perspective, the
one of fantasy, he should have been a great dad. I assure you, the stories, not real life,
made him a hero.
Tracy said that learning about her father assured her that he was "the kind of father I
would have wanted". Given Tracy's disregard for everyone, I doubt very much she is the
kind of daughter he would have chosen her to be.
Support for programs such as this will never come from me.
12/30/03
Susan Rutberg
San Francisco, CA
Dear Tracy,
Your film is stunning: a beautiful tribute to your father, told with raw emotional power
and visible pain. My hope for you is that it has brought you some peace.
The film touched me in many ways, first, because I knew you as a child, and am a friend of
your mom's. We were classmates in law school, but lost touch for several years, and have
only recently reconnected. But secondly, because my father died when I was 16 and, in so
many ways, the rest of my life has been a search for him. I would love to talk with you.
If you want to contact me directly, I can be reached at srutberg@ggu.edu.
Best wishes,
Susan
12/22/03
Lana Noone
Many thanks for presenting this movie. I cordially invite your viewers to visit my website
at:
www.Vietnambabylift.org
It contains information and resources related to Operation Babylift, Vietnam, April, 1975.
Thank you very much,
Lana Noone.
12/5/03
jean dedernan
norfolk nebraska
I have just finished showing the documentary to my English Comp. II class. A number of my
students were weeping when it was over. One of them had to leave the room because she was
so overwhelmed with grief. She told me her boyfriend is being sent to Iraq next week and
the film was just too much for her. Good! I hope the anti-war message gets through with
this film. More people need to see that wars (such as Vietnam and Iraq) have effects that
last far beyond the time of battle. We had just finished reading Bobbie Ann Mason's novel
"In Country." I wonder if Tracy has read that book; Mason developed that theme in this
book 20 years ago-Droz takes it into reality and out of fiction. I would love to contact
Tracy about this, or to know if she's read this book. To any teacher teaching a novel on
Vietnam, "Be Good, Smile Pretty" is indeed a powerful companion. Thanks Tracy. Jean
Dederman
12/5/03
gail lehmann
stamford, connecticut
Dear Tracy and Judy,
As you know from our previous correspondence, Mark and I knew your Father well in Gaeta,
Italy. Mark and Don roomed together on the U.S.S. Little Rock in the "Ensigns Locker". We
remember Judy coming to Gaeta from Rome where she was working on the film Romeo and
Juliet. We have photos of your Mom and Dad at Mark's 25th surprise Birthday Party when
life seemed so simple and festive.
When Don died, we were all traumatized. At the time, Mark was on the staff of the Officers
Candidate School in Newport RI and when your Mother marched on Washington, I had an
argument with Mark because I wanted to go. I had just had a baby in August 1969, who we
named TRACY.
Watching your documentary was heartbreaking and we cried for the loss of a person we had
known, and for the loss of our innocence.
I remember Don fondly as the person who met me and (my 3 month old daughter Nancy) on a
cold, dark night in Jan 1967 when I arrived alone in Gaeta. When I took a taxi from the
train to the hotel (after getting separated from my travel companions),it was 2:00 am in
the morning and I was very weary from traveling so long and far. When I rang the bell on
the hotel door, Don welcomed me with his warm open arms and his wonderful smile. He was
the first person I met in Italy and remained a special person to me throughout our time
together.
Your wonderful tribute has meant a great deal to all of us who shared our lives together
in Italy.
Many thanks,
Gail & Mark Lehmann
12/3/03
Gina Kelly
Forestville, CA
Tracy,
I just finished watching "Be Good, Smile Pretty", and felt the need to write and express
to you how moved I was by it. It's taken me several days to watch because it hit so close
to home that I would have to turn it off periodically and take some time to process my
feelings. I think I literally went through half a box of kleenex!
Although my father was not in the Vietnam war, he died when I was only 2 years old, and I
have no memories of him. I could relate to so much of what you said and what you've gone
through in your grieving process and in your need to learn more about your father. I also
have felt very alone in my grief, and at a loss for words when trying to explain to others
why I get sad about it at times, even 37 years later.
It means so much to me to know that there are others out there who understand what it's
like to lose a parent whom you can't consciously remember, especially after hearing all my
life "Oh, you don't remember your father? So his death must not have affected you".
Thank you for sharing your story and for making such a beautiful film.
12/1/03
Archer, FL
Tracy,
Your film was very touching, sensitive, and intelligent. You certainly have a gift which
you should use again!
My husband is a Vietnam veteran and in our house, I played your role. That is, the person
who said "we have to talk about this". He couldn't and he refused help, so we divorced
for three years.
Divorce was the only way I knew to make him get the help he needed. If I had stayed, then
things would have just gone on as they had in the past.
Thankfully, he did get help, and we have since remarried.
My husband survived the war physically, but it certainly left a mark that changed who he
was emotionally.
The emotional scaring was done as much by how he was treated when he got back from
Vietnam, as from the experiences he had while there.
Vietnam has been a struggle for our whole country. Perhaps your film will help people
realize that we, as a nation, need to speak about this experience so true healing can
occur, and those service people who fought there will finally feel the honor they all
deserve.
There have been comparisons made between Vietnam and the war in Iraq. I feel this is
incorrect, the reasons for these two wars are completely different.
Unfortunately, the experiences of all wars is the same. It doesn't matter what side you
are on, the trama still effects generation after generation.
Good luck to you, I hope you have gained much respect for your talent and the beautiful
job you did in the making of this film.
12/1/03
M G McNamara
Redding, CT
From the moment your film began I could not--nor did I want to--stop my tears. Your
tribute to your father is of the highest order!
The truth that was evoked for me personally continues to emerge. Thank you for your
profound gift to your father and to all those who bare witness.
11/28/03
Harriet and Stan Hendel
Sarasota, Florida
Dear Tracy,
My husband and I saw the piece about you and your film on "60 Minutes" and then taped your
documentary when it appeared on Veteran's Day. We only just watched it last night and sat
here in tears--feeling your mother's pain, your pain, your grandmother's pain.....but also
feeling the great love people who knew your dad still carry in their hearts. "Be Good,
Smile Pretty" was one of the finest, most sensitively done documentaries we have ever
seen. You created a portrait of your father which was filled with sweetness and
poignancy. We felt we knew him (and you) when the film ended. You should be very proud of
a monumental task--so beautifully done. Thank you for sharing your life and your father
with us.....With great admiration, Harriet and Stan Hendel
11/24/03
Robin
Missouri
Tracy,
I stumbled upon "Be Good, Smile Pretty" quite accidentally one night while surfing the
T.V. I was immediately drawn to your story not because I lost someone to the Vietnam War
but because I lost my husband and father to my daughter, 1 1/2 years ago. Our daughter
had just turned 2 when he died. I have often wondered what she will remember of her
father as I think her firsthand account is beginning to fade.
To keep his memory alive, I have made it a priority for her to hear stories about her
father, see pictures of him, and talk about him as much as I can. As painful as it is for
me to do, I feel this is the only way she will remember him.
Seeing your journey gave me the hope that I can indeed keep his memory alive for her.
Thank you for sharing your story. I too would like to share it with my daughter when she
is old enough to understand.
Robin
11/24/03
Vicki Lamb
Grand Junction, CO
Dear Tracy,
My husband was killed in Vietnam when I was pregnant with my son. He so regrets never
having known his father. He was so little while my grief was fresh that I didn't share my
memories of his father with him. As time went by, I put it all away and went on with my
life.
After we watched your documentary which he'd asked me to view, we spoke for a long time
and I shared many of my memories of the real man who Dan Jordan had been, not just the
hero he'd heard so much about from his grandparents.
Thanks for opening the door to a refreshing discourse; both my son and I profited from
your story. Thanks to your mom too who was brave to open old wounds.
11/21/03
Jared Green
Spokane, WA
Thank you for your amazing story. I just happened to by up late on Sunday night studying
for class when the documentary came on. I was immediately enthralled because my dad is a
Vietnam vet and I enjoy learning as much as I can about an important chapter in his life.
The first thought that came to my mind, which brought a tear to my eye, was that I would
not be sitting here watching your film if he had not come home safe from Vietnam in 1971
(I was born a few years later).
As a member of a generation that has virtually forgotten the heroes of Vietnam, I am proud
to say that I was deeply touched and inspired by your work. I wrote my dad a short note
and told him how much I appreciate his years of military service (he ended up serving 30).
I feel honored to be the son of a Vietnam vet. As should all sons and daughters of
veterans.
I read from commentators who applaud you for the anti-war message your mother carried, and
the light you shed on an �unnecessary� war. It is sad that those individuals miss what
your film conveys. It is not about politics, movements, or policies, but individuals
facing realities. Peace is not the antithesis of war. Soldiers will die and leave infant
daughters behind. Your work will be a beacon for those individuals to find direction and
inner strength.
11/21/03
Judy
Omaha, NE
Dear Tracy,
This is written to share a thought or two about your dear father, Donald Glenn Droz. Don
was a senior the year I moved to Rich Hill, MO. He and D.W. Hall were the two top
seniors, but Don stood out because of his good looks, great sense of humor, and easygoing
personality. He was active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship and that was the place I
remember him the most, in fact at the end of the summer '63; Don was leaving for his
second year at Annapolis and he asked to take me home. He invited me to come to MD for
the Homecoming Ball, but being from a lower economic family, I had to decline. Later, I
heard that he married the girl he took instead of me, obviously your mom. I want you to
know that he was of the finest calibre. He was revered at the hometown high school as
something of a god. In fact, my own brother followed him to Annapolis and in a small way,
we felt that Don led the path for another small-town Missouri boy to compete with the
city-bred young men. Your story, which I caught by chance, was so well done, he would
have been very proud of you.
11/21/03
Marlene Fields
San Diego, CA
I was very saddened by your documentary. I too, lost a dear one to that stupid war. My
best friend died in Vietnam under suspicious circumstances. I heard of his passing in a
long distance call from my aunt. I have never recovered from that call. I found out from
his family very little about what really happened to him. The information was very
secret. They tried very hard to find out before they passed away but to no avail. All I
know is that for some reason his name is not on the "Wall". I was very shocked by that
when I went there to visit and leave a momento. I know I will never know what really
happened since his family is gone now. I just watched your film and was amazed at your
courage to find out so much. I have never written to anyone about a TV show and how it
affected me. I cried watching it because I grew up during this horrible era. I
volunteered at a VA hospital and saw first hand the effects of this war. I just wanted
you to know that I have a son born on April 12, 1969. I was blown away by the fact that
that was the day your dad died. I want you to know that someone very good came into this
world on that very bad day for you and your family.
11/19/03
Walt Viglienzone
Pensacola, FL
Tracey
Nice job in your search for and sharing of details about your dad.
I met your dad, Don Droz, in the 3 weeks training all Navy and Coast Guard guys went
through before going in country in May 1968.
We developed a great friendship. I was stationed down south and he in Cam Ranh Bay, so we
didn't get to see each other much in country-- but I remember well how proud he was to
show and tell me of his new born girl. I'd always thought about seeing your mother and
you to share a few positive memories. After viewing your movie, I believe I have shared
some.
Your Dad's name is one of 4 that I look for and remember memorialized on the wall,
whenever I visit. If any of his writings ever mentioned a Coastie, it was probably me.
Have a great life --- you all remain in my thoughts and prayers.
11/19/03
River Ray White
Portland, OR
Tracy,
I am 36 and never in my life have I been compelled to respond to something I saw on TV. I
just want to thank you for your documentary about your quest to discover who your father
was. You fostered my appreciation for those who are still with me.You expanded my love. I
became a more beautiful person after watching your film.The ripples of your heart quest
reached me.You have made the world a better place.Thank you so much.
Sincerely,
River
11/19/03
Sheila Keener
Rich Hill, Missouri
I grew up in Rich Hill and my whole life I was told the story of our hometown hero that
died in Vietnam Donald Droz. His mother was a school teacher that every student wanted
and hoped they got when they reached the 4th grade. She was kind of like royalty in our
town and every one loved her. My dad grew up and graduated with Don and he would tell
stories what a bright intelligent leader he was all through school. Dad always said if Don
hadn't got killed he would be in Washington. What a shame that these stories were common
in my household and Tracy never got to here them growing up. I am glad she has got to
hear them now... I am a school teacher in a nearby school and I showed her documentary in
my classes and the kids were surprised to see local information and learn about this
wonderful family who has to struggle through years of grief and heart ache. The Droz
family has been my friends and neighbors for years, and even though I never got to meet
Tracy, I am proud of the job she has done on this film. I plan to share this with future
students so they will know that this area has a rich history with real heros.
Sheila Keener
11/19/03
Steve Mann
Monroe, MI
I saw this Sunday night, sitting on the end of my bed, wife asleep as I wept at the
suffering that you and your family felt and at the suffering we as a nation feel about
Vietnam. Your reflection of humanity in your film was captivating and haunting. I am in
reluctant support of the current war,we are facing an ememy that has struck us on our soil
and has no desire to negotiate. (I was born in 1964 and have a son that is due to complete
his Army MP training in December)
Your father served our country and I am grateful for it. I am not grateful for the
politics that put our citizens in that horrific blunder. For all the "pro war" speakers
and pundits I wish they may see your film to help keep in mind the individual human cost
spent in war. Yet we cannot shrink from our duties to our nation and it's citizens when
confronted with an unrelenting enemy that will not allow a common ground for peacefull co
existence.
The beauty of humankind - our love, our arts, our compassion, our varied cultures that
make our time here so wonderful and interesting are to be treasured and sought.
I wish we knew how to stop the anger and violence.
May you find peace.
11/17/03
Carol
Michigan
Tracy, I went to bed last night and wasn't able to sleep. I turned on the TV and watched
your film. I was deeply moved by your work. As a student nurse, I worked in the
Veteran's Hospital in the early 70's. Many of the men there were destroyed either
physically or emotionally from Vietnam.
Be proud of your work, and of your Dad for serving our country.
Regards,
Carol
11/17/03
Janet Delude
Tracy,
After watching the story about you and your father I felt I needed to write to you. In
1999 I discovered a story about my father and WW11. Sometimes I feel I have the passion to
write about dad but I can't seem to get his story down on paper. I also don't have any
support from family to give me information about dad and the man he really was. After
listening to you I know I will eventually begin to write.
In 1998 my husband Jim was watching a war movie. A ship was blown up in the water. I
stopped and thought, that happened to my dad and no one has ever talked about it. I only
remember when I was around the age of 7 him telling me about a ship he was on in the
Mediterranean, that was hit by a bomb and how he survived in the water for 13 hours
before being rescued. He also talked about a metal plate in his head. Dad died in 1982 at
the early age of 60, a very sad man.
After seeing this war movie I decided to find about this ship. I went to my brother Tim's
house in Flagstaff, AZ. and looked through dads military trunk. I discovered a water
canteen. On this canteen dad etched all the information about the sinking of the HMT
Rohna. I eventually got on the computer and learned for the first time what dad had tried
to tell everyone all his life. On November 26, 1943 1,0l5 American troops died when the
Rohna was hit by a remote-controlled glider bomb. One of the first released by the
Germans. Britain and America didn't want the world to know Germany had this technology so
it was kept secret for over 50 years. Mothers and fathers died never knowing the fate of
their loved one. My father was severely wounded and suffered the rest of his life. He
tried to tell anyone who would listen but eventually his drinking made his story more
unbelievable.
I'm sending you our web site. I would love to hear from you and look forward to watching
your movie.
Sincerely, Janet Delude
WWW.rohna.org
11/17/03
Juliette
Newton, MA
Dear Tracy,
We've just shown the film. I can't tell you how profoundly moving it is -- and how deeply
touched our students and faculty were by it. Never in all my years of teaching have I
seen/heard students exit silently at the end of a presentation. The girls were hushed,
reverent, moved as much by your and your mother's emotional courage, perseverence, and
honesty as by the specifics of your journey to know your father.
It is life-saving how we find life in the stories people keep in their hearts. It makes
me realize how what we define as our "selves" is often a kind of patchwork piece of our
own memories, others' memories of our lives, and our memories of the people who have
touched us. It's all organic.
Thank you very much for sharing your journey with all of us, and for modelling what hard
love and real relationships look like in action. The motto of our school is "courage and
confidence." Our Head of Upper School introduced the film saying that its three main
characters -- your father, you, and your mother -- all bring that motto to life in
inspiring, and different, ways.
I'll let you know more as I get feedback from our students.
Thank you once more.
Best,
Juliette
11/17/03
Mike Klempin Jr., Sgt.
West Frankfort, IL
Tracy,
I really enjoyed your story on "60 Minutes II" last week and will tape the PBS broadcast
next week.
I'm a USAF vet who just turned 40, on September 29th, yes the same birthday as your
father......so the day he turned 20, I was born....pretty neat I thought.
I'm a big reader of Viet Nam history and have TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS respect for the men
and women who served there. And of course, the brave soles who gave their lives. I have
several VNVet friends who still today don't talk much about it.
If you haven't visited, you MUST go to Chicago to see the www.nvvam.org .. You Dad's dog
tag is hanging from the ceiling and is incredible. It would be great if could add this
link.
Thanks again for shaing your journey and the advice on greiving.
Regards,
Mike Klempin Jr., Sgt.
West Frankfort, IL
11/17/03
Douglas M. Smith
Bainbridge Island WA
I stumbled on Be Good Smile Pretty one night when I couldn't fall asleep. I was
overwhelmed by the raw human emotions that I witnessed. Tracy's mom has done a remarkable
job raising her daughter and Tracy's dad is lucky to have been loved by so many people and
to have touched so many lives. Tracy told a gut wrenching story that unlocked the deep
pain and suffering of so many people close to her dad. . . suffering that had not faded
with the passage of time.
Vietnam was tragic mistake that affected so many lives.
11/17/03
Kip Van Blarcom
Lancaster, PA
I really feel inadequate to the task of describing what I gained from this film, because
it was so honest and eloquent. Much more inspiring than anything I could say. I
instantly felt a connection with the story, because I'm the same age as Tracy, and my dad
was a Naval officer in the late '60s. The difference was that he was stationed in
Iceland, rather than Vietnam -- and he survived. But there are plenty of ghosts in our
family's closet, too. Although they can't be compared to the Droz family's loss, the
emotions are similar. It's so much easier not to talk about it, and yet silence is such a
burden.
I couldn't help but be reminded of the stories that are unfolding in Iraq right now. Just
this morning, I saw a woman who was engaged to be married next June, and her husband died
in the recent Blackhawk collision. After seeing how overwhelming the Droz family's
experience has been, it seems unbelievable that new stories like that are being written as
we speak. Every day. Tracy's story, and that of every other family that experiences that
kind of loss, is so much more powerful than any rhetoric about defending freedom. It's so
easy to remember that a death in war is more than instantaneous -- it's a life-changing,
life-long experience for a constellation of other people.
I'm going to be haunted by the recording of that 1969 ambush for years to come, even
though I don't know a single person in that film. When I heard that recording, I felt
less connected with the men involved than I did with the family whose lives were going to
be affected for years to come, all because of that instantaneous event. It's as if I
heard Tracy and her mother crying out, rather than the soldiers. That's both a testament
to Tracy's talent as a filmmaker, and to her honesty as an individual. No documentary
about American battle tactics will ever be as convincing as this film.
11/17/03
Springfield, IL
Tracy's story was the most moving I've ever seen. I cried for her father, I cried for her
mother, I cried for her and I cried for all the other separations and senseless deaths in
unnecessary wars. The film surely had an even greater impact as American lives and
resources are being spent in Iraq......another unnecessary war.
11/17/03
john seels
chicago, illinois
i sure hope none of my tax money went to pay for any of this. we all have stories to tell.
what sham PBS is.
11/17/03
Bob Matlin
Encinitas, CA
I just watched "Be Good, Smile Pretty" and felt compelled to write, not because of any
similarity to anything I've gone through, but because of the amount of suffering that the
people shown in the story are going through. In particular, I was left with the impression
that Tracy wonders about things like what she's supposed to feel, how her life should have
turned out, how her mother should act, and so on; I think this is contributing to her
suffering.
I have a friend who often talks about her family - how they treat her, how she reacts -
and it really bothers her. She always brings up something like "my sisters shouldn't treat
me like that" or "I shouldn't let my sisters' comments bother me." At the bottom of it
all, it's the "should" that's causing her problems. Her sisters are human, she's human.
They make mistakes, she makes mistakes. Rather than thinking about what "should" be, she'd
be better off recognizing what is - that her sisters love her and she loves her sisters -
and that all the feelings (both pleasant and unpleasant) are transitory and part of what
it is to be human.
So I guess what I'm saying is that I think Tracy, her family, and their friends would find
their suffering lessened by accepting what they feel as being a natural part of their
humanity. The sense of loss doesn't seem to have been debilitating to anybody in the
story; nobody seems to be obsessing over it. I think they are capable of enjoying life
while recognizing the grief that they feel, perhaps some more so than others; certainly
each has their own way of coping. Tracy's done a wonderful job with the story. I only hope
that instead of being concerned with what should have been, what people should have done,
etc. that she can live with what is, accepting that each person in her life has their own
background, their own abilities and skills, and that they've apparently done the best they
could given their circumstances. Judging from the comments I've read on this site, her
film has done a lot of good for a number of people; I hope that she benefits from it as
much as others have.
11/17/03
Adam Mitchell
Crawfordsville, Iowa
Your movie is great. I am a twenty year old that is trying to understand what is going on
now in our world. I keep hearing of fathers dying in Iraq and people my age and younger
dying. I have read alot about Vietnam, but this documentary showed the himan side of what
happened better than words can ever do. A picture(even moving) really is worth a thousand
words. I odn't know how you, your mother, and grandmother made it through this process.
Also the men who gave their memories of your father must did a great thing. I hope you
continue to learn more a bout the father you lost and that no more fathers and future
mothers and fathers die in war. Peace is great. Thank you for your time.
11/17/03
Dr. Marvin E. Lamoureux
Canada
I found myself sobbing. Not a very male trait.
But through your story I have started to understand the gravity of concern my relatives
must have felt about their children, husbands and brothers who were at war from WWI
through to the Korean War. This is a legacy of my Canadian family. For my wife, it
involves having loved-ones in the Balkens and on the Russian Front (WW2). A legacy of my
European family.
As fate would have it, I was a foreign student at Berkeley during the 1960's; and further
description surrounding the reaction to the Vietnam War need not be re-visited.
However, I now find myself working on education projects in Vietnam and listening to
losses of their loved ones during what they call the "American War".
Few have resentment, for they understand that your country holds the best of opportunities
for all. They only wish that they could participate in the "American Dream" and give their
children (30 years after the end) the opportunity to gain an education in your
country.
I suppose this is the best of all outcomes to conflict.
Yours,
Marvin
11/17/03
My father is a Vietnam Vet and so many aspects of this film reminded me of him. The
stories of Don's friends were like echos of the things that I've heard my father say.
It's not a subject that I like to bring up as I know so much pain is involved in those
memories. Yet I know that the war made him what he is now. Even with his silence, his
experience has shaped my life. Thank you, Tracy, for your journey and the truths that I
recognized.
11/17/03
Cindy Ropos Schrader
Tracy,
My father was in Vietnam,and we were fortunate enough that he came home. The only problem
was that for him, and a lot of the men the war really never ended for them. The
flashbacks and the nightmares were still very real. In June of 1976 when I was 7 yrs. old
my father drowned while my sister and I had no choice, but to sit helplessly and watch.
The words that you said at the beginning of your documentary about not wanting to make
your mom cry still hold true for me to this day. I have so many questions for my mom and
still do not want to make her cry. I taped your documentary and am anxious for my mom to
come over to watch it. Maybe then we'll be able to shed the tears and talk about the man
that we love so much. I have some memories of my dad, but I think that a lot of those
"memories" are just from looking at the pictures that I have. I too, can not remember the
sound of my father's voice. Thank you so much for your touching tribute to your father!!
11/17/03
susan gough(sanford)
sterling heights, michigan
Traci, thank you so very much for putting so many years of my feelings on film. All this
time I thought I was strange and different and that my family was not handling our grief
in the"correct" way. We do not speak of my dad nor about my dad because it is so painful
for my mother and his sister. I have wanted to embark on a journey such as yours since my
children have been born. I was able to keep my grief somewhatlocked up until I had
children. As I watched the relationship between my husband and them grow, I became jealous
and angry that I did not have that experience.
I had never visited the Wall or my father's grave in Arlington until I had my children. I
felt like it was and now is time to unlock the grief that I buried. If you have time,
could you e-mail me with how you started your search? Thanks again for what you did. I
taped your show and am going to try to approach the rest of the family so like you, maybe
we can start the healling process. May God bless you and your family.
11/17/03
Melanie Willette
Clarksville, TN
I watched your movie this evening, having spent the past 8 months alone, with my husband
of a little over 2 years in both Iraq and Afghanistan for 15 months. I have spent precious
little time with the man I love with all my heart and soul. Your film made me cry fully,
completely for your loss, for your father's family's loss. For the loss I fear with all
of my being. I thank you for such a complete and lover in me thanks you for a great
movie. The Army wife in me thanks you for a complete picture of your father that
literally brought me to tears. The Indy film lover in me thanks you for such a complete,
compelling story.
My heart breaks for your loss. My heart breaks for your extreme courage in confronting
this loss so completely. As an atheist, I cannot say God bless you, so I say, peace be
with you. My thoughts are with you. You truly moved me. I know what I deal with every
day cannot begin to compare with what your mother or you deal with on a daily basis, but I
must say that I feel her anxie ty and I feel her distress. On this day when soldiers from
my husband's unit have been killed, my thoughts are with you.
I know it sounds goofy and trite, but I wish I could hug you and say it's alright. Thank
you for a beautiful film.
Best,
Melanie.
11/17/03
Don Durig II
Moundsville, WV
I grew up with television ("cable" came to our town in 1952") and served in the navy
during the vietnam era.
"BE GOOD,SMILE PRETTY" is the most moving program I've ever seen on tv about life and
vietnam.
I awoke at 3:55 am sunday november 16,2003 and sat riveted to this story for 60 minutes
and cried during the entire program. My wife awoke at 4:30 and watched and I didn't notice
that she was awake.
Every father should have a daughter just like Tracy, she's beautiful!
Iam saddened by the thought that iraq is producing more Tracy's.
11/17/03
Ted Ambrose
Fort Worth, Texas
Ms Tracy Droz-Tragos,
I could sense your drive and enjoyed your craftmanship in the BE GOOD, SMILE PRETTY. I
admired your effort to get at the 'truth' or reality and the 'truth' has seemed to set
your family 'free' and brought you all closer together.
Your desire to know about your father must be in the hearts of many people who grow up
fatherless. I have been burden for a number of years to tell a story of a WW II, B-17
bomber crew who died before seeing their children and their childrens' longing to know
their fathers. I completed the first draft of the book, but thought the story would come
across better as a movie...so I wrote the screen play, SENTIMENTAL JOURNEYS (SJ).
SJ is a combination of ROOTS, MEMPHIS BELLE, and GHOST which run through the lives of
several fatherless children, whose fathers' B-17 went down in WW II...but the children,
now fiftish, follow their currosity leading them a reunion in an other demension.
I hope you can fine time to sent an e-mail.
Sincerely, ted
11/14/03
Richard Ford
San Francisco, CA
Tracy, I only wish I knew how to write. I happened upon your documentary on Veterans' Day
evening with a clear sense that I had not touched into the day's sacredness and meaning.
Then your documentary guided me back to my high school and college days in the 60s,
allowing to surface so many memories, thoughts, and feelings (I had been to these "places"
before, but never through the heart of one whose father died there): the sadness I have
carried a long time for all those killed in Vietnam; the terrible confusion of the time;
the heroism of one fellow I knew (a non-combatant medic in Vietnam) who returned and my
admiration for him; remembrances of different fellows who went and of the things they said
and the memories they had when they returned; the feeling of so many unfinished,
incomplete emotions -- the feeling of so much disconnection from the time; the sense that
I did not know how to "place" this whole time in my youth. Then you resurrected your
father, and I know, now, of the real worth of such me , thanks to the genuine goodness and
generosity of you and your family to relate this difficult, difficult journey you took.
Well, Tracy. Thank you for your guidance to that time to the level that I was not able to
go to before and feel and evaluate / decipher. Thank you so much. Though I could not go
into the depth of sorrow of you, your mom, and your grandmother, at least by your going
there, I could follow to a depth I had not been able to go before, and, I think, achieve a
degree of healing that is permanent and deeper than I've known before. Thank you for
allowing me and taking me, and so many others, there. I see now that your father did not
die in vain. I see now that you and yours are not suffering for nothing. I now am able to
carry your dad in my heart as someone known, as one from my youth and generation,a good,
decent, honorable guy. Thanks for leading me to him and allowing me to say "Thank You" to
him. In fact, I'm not able to express just the depth of my gratitude:
I think now I know ho to evaluate that time in my life, and my own place in it. Thank
you. Your father now has a permanent place in my heart for the rest of my life. My nephew,
a senior in high school, wants to go to the Naval Academy -- I am giving him a copy of
this tape to help him as he decides, and to show him the great honor of such a step,
should he decide to take it. Even as I'm writing this, I'm in tears. Thanks for opening
up this place in mine -- our -- hearts. I never realized just how much I needed to heal.
Many Thanks. Thank you for your father, and for all the people who served in Vietnam who
did not return. And please forgive me if this all seems very selfish -- it's guys like
your dad who won't let how I am responding to your tribute remain that way. He -- and
they -- stand before me and say: "Okay. Now look. And do not be afraid of what you see.
It's all right." I'm not going to let them down.
Many Thanks,
Richard Ford
San Francisco, CA
11/14/03
Leigh Ann Whitehead
St. Louis, MO.
Thank you Tracy for telling your story. My father came back from Vietnam, but as soon as
I finished watching your film I called my father tearfully and told him I loved him. I
have always wanted to know more about how the war impacted him, but was afraid to ask
because I didn't want him to feel the sadness that is so obviously "there" when a Vietnam
veteran discusses the war and what they did in it.
Thank you Tracy for being strong and inspiring me to ask the tough questions of my father
so I can forge a deeper closeness to him. Thank you for being the voice of the children
of Vietnam veterans who did come home and those who did not. I know your father is so
proud of you.
11/14/03
Lisa Deol
Kamloops, B.C. Canada
Tracy, I want to thank you for sharing your beautiful story with me. I am studying to be a
nurse and I am currently learning how works of art can influence my practice. Your
documentary illuminated the concepts of grief and loss. It was a true example of artistry
that will enrich my nursing practice. I will always carry your story with me.
Thank you,
Lisa Deol
11/13/03
Richard Silverstein
Seattle, WA
I was DEEPLY MOVED by your documentary. And it is SO TIMELY now that several hundred
American boys have come home to their families in body bags. We can only think in horror
of the decades of agony that the orphaned children of GIs killed in Iraq have in store,
which Tracy described in her documentary.
I was in college during the War and opposed it fullheartedly. Writing the essays that
were necessary to obtain a Conscientious Objector deferment enabled me to clarify much of
my moral and political thinking about the conflict. I found it as abhorrent then as I
still do today.
While I never served and so feel some guilt or restraint in talking about the horror of
the war (after all, Tracy, her mother and her father are the ones who REALLY suffered), I
say to Tracy--you have produced a magnificent testament to your father and the terrible
price that all of society pays (in the shape of the profound suffering of individuals like
you) when we go to war.
11/13/03
San Francisco, CA
At this point, I have seen the film several times. But every time I watch, it still
illicts in me such an emotional response which I have never experienced through watching a
film. I believe that it is because Tracy's story, while intimately beautiful and
personal, is universal. Issues of grief and loss affect all of us whether we choose to
admit it or not. Tracy's story serves to remind us that opening up to that grief can lead
to levels of discovery perhaps otherwise impossible. Tracy, from the bottom of my heart,
thank you for the gift of sharing your journey with the world. With the state of denial
we are all living through right now, such brilliant glimpses of honesty and openness are
all the more meaningful.
11/13/03
Jim Hippard, Jr.
Houston, TX
Like many who have responded, I caught a glimps of your documentary and found myself
pulled deeper and deeper into it. I watched all of it and find myself still thinking about
it two days later. It made me tight in the chest; it gave me a knot in my stomach; and it
brought tears to my eyes. I reacted on many levels and for many reasons.
Now I have read many of the responses on the talkback page and I am struck by the depth
and variety of reactions to your documentary as well as the broad cross section of people
impacted by the many messages it contains.
I believe that meaningful art stikes us all at the deepest levels of our being; and that
we are all connected on that level. Your documentary courses through those ancient and
common tributaries causing us all to recognize and react to the truths that are presented.
I want to thank you for sharing your father with us and for creating this beautiful art.
You should be very proud of both.
11/13/03
Janis McEvoy
Patchogue, N.Y.
I watched this wonderful film with my husband, who was part of the ninth infantry, and who
was transferred to the Riverine force in the Mekong Delta after his unit was decimated. He
and I were overwhelmed by the incisive detail that Tracy provided. Her search for her
biological father made a great impact on us both. I wish that this film, and the other
recent Independent Lens film, Wedding in Ramallah, were available in movie theaters and in
video stores.....both are a tremendous force for understanding our own culture. Your new
programs are amazing. Keep up the good work! My husband is not ashamed to weep over his
time in Vietnam, and neither were the men who were friends with Donald Droz.
Sincerely,
Janis McEvoy
11/13/03
New Fairfield, CT
Dar Tracy, Like one of the other posters, I, too, channel-surfed to PBS right before I
intended to turn off the tv, and found myself mesmerized by your film. I had missed the
beginning, but stuck with it anyway and then could not stop watching. When it was over, I
couldn't stop crying. Thank you for sharing your story and for fearlessly showing your
emotions on camera. I lived through the Vietnam War years as a care-free female college
student, and I'm very ashamed of my lack of involvement. Thank you for holding up a mirror
to people like me. I apologize to all who suffered and died so that I could be here to
write this note.
11/13/03
Meana Corey
St Peters Mo
Tracy, what a brave women you are. I cried as I watched the story of your "search". I
don't think I've ever been so moved. You made the Vietnam War a reality for me and the
pain which so deeply went along with it. I directly went to my computer to find out more
and I've ended up hear. So chin up little one, you are brave.
11/13/03
bill
Excellent documentary.Brought back many memories.God Bless that young lady for doing it.
11/13/03
Larry and Carol Young
Holts Summit, MO
My wife and I watched this the other night and we both cried through the entire program.
It was undoubtedly the most poignant documentary we have ever seen. I guess it affected
us so dramatically because we lived through that era and remember the torment and
frustration it brought. We have a daughter the same age as Tracy. Except for luck I was
stationed in Korea in 1969 instead of Vietnam. It could possibly be my daughter doing
this documentary. I only wish we could learn from our past mistakes.
11/13/03
Pittsburgh, PA
Tracy,
I was eight months old when my father was killed in Vietnam, so I had to watch your
documentary. I think you were very brave to do all that you did.
I, too, have been traveling around the country, visiting not just the men who served with
my father (who was in A Co., 1/502nd Inf, 101st Airborne) but with families of some of the
ten others who were killed in the July 1969 ambush of their company.
I've found, like I'm sure you did, that your family, my family, and other families just
weren't given very much official information. So not only did they lock things away--they
couldn't answer many of the questions they were asked them. And I'm sure they had those
questions themselves.
I hope your documentary encourages veterans out there who have been considering locating
and contacting the families of the friends that they lost to make the move in that
direction. I think it's very healing--not just for the families, but also for the
veterans.
Take care,
Daughter of SSG James C. Doloughty
11/13/03
Diana Yonker
Bluffton, In
I was completely blown away by this story. I was compelled to watch every moment and
moved by every emotion. Thank You. I will never see brown boots without thinking of
Donald Droz.
11/13/03
Laura Vaillancourt
Olympia, WA
Tracy- thank you for your courage. I stumbled onto your film, just as I was going to bed.
I am a 30 yr old daughter of a Vietnam Vet. Even though your father was killed in the war,
we have so much in common- a part of my father died there too. My life has been lived with
so many unanswered questions about the war, and even more so, about my father. Your film
touched me to the core, and it heals so many of us....those who still live with Vietnam.
We weren't even born when our fathers went, but we live with the consequences of it
everyday. Again, thank you, and know that you have reached so many. laura
11/13/03
Sandy Mitchell
Seattle, WA
Dear Tracy -
I want to tell you how much I appreciate your making your film about your loss of your
father. I am a 57 y.o. veteran of the Vietnam era. I was drafted during the Tet Offensive
of '68, and though I was fortunate enough not to go to Vietnam, rarely does a day go by
that I don't think about the tragedy of that godawful, totally unnecessary war, and what
it did to so many young men. You moved me to tears, and I will be urging your film on
everyone I know so they can see and feel the reality of what war does to families. God
bless you.
11/13/03
A moving piece...your search for your father and subsequent findings make the tradegy of
war all the more acute.
So many good people, with good families and great futures were lost in Vietnam. It seems
like such a damn waste.
It looks as if you inherited more than your fathers eyes...perhaps his irrevent nature,
pursuit of truth, desire to push boundries and establish the real record...good for
you.
A living legacy is a powerful force and one you captured quite well in your work.
The memory of Don Droz lives on in a lot more people than you thought...including yourself
and those who saw this work.
Kudos
11/13/03
David Griffith
Snyder, TX
Today I found out what probably happened to my MIA father after 51 years. Then, by chance,
I happened to hit on "Be Good, Smile Pretty" on PBS. It has been a long, emotional day to
say the least. I recognize many of the thoughts, emotions, doubts, fears, etc..... all too
well.
WELL DONE!
David Griffith, Eldest son of: Lt. Jack Walter Griffith, USN, USNA Class of 1944 MIA July
4, 1952
11/13/03
Denetria Neely
Augusta, GA
Tracy, such a profound piece of work. Thank you.
11/12/03
Barbara Norgren
Ashby, Mn
She did an absolutely great job telling her story. I was in tears several times and
sobbing at the end. I have told all of my friends about it and need to have it repeated
soon!! Thank you for the great story, Tracy. My husband continues to have all of his
Vietnam stories inside of him and NEVER brings them up. Even though we have lost several
friends recently and they all needed to share some of the senitive memories with others.
11/12/03
Matthew Ruch
Pittsburgh, PA
Tracy,
Sierra Hotel!
Thanks for keeping the memories alive, too many of our KIA's and MIA's have simply been
forgotten!
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