12/3/2018: An Unsung Hero

The man in the photo below is one of the unsung heroes of the war in Viet Nam. He wasn’t a soldier, and he wasn’t even an American. He was a Canadian, who, after his retirement, volunteered with his wife to work in Viet Nam, spreading the word of God and trying to ameliorate some of the enormous suffering being inflicted on the Vietnamese. He and his wife lived modestly, and saw little return for their efforts. I was privileged to work for him during the summer of 1967.
Given the rules of publishing, when I wrote about him in my book, I had to use a pseudonym, and I deeply regret that. I want to take this opportunity to, using Facebook rules, tell everyone that his name was PETER WIWCHARUCK (pronounced “witch-rock”).
There weren’t many men—and women—like him in Viet Nam, and the task they faced was insurmountable. They were widespread but tight knit, and it was also my privilege to meet a few others, however briefly.
Peter Wiwcharuck and those like him deserve to be more remembered.