Editor, Gazette-Journal:

The Virginia Day-By-Day column by Michael Gleason on the Days Past page of the Gazette-Journal (July 14, 2011) is laden with more camouflage than a soldier in the Vietnam War, in regards to the entry on the death of former South Vietnam police director Nguyen Ngoc Loan.

A major aspect of Eddie Adams’ Pulitzer Prize winning photo of Loan’s summary execution of Viet Cong Captain Bay Lop was that Captain Bay Lop was dressed in civilian clothing—no military insignia, no web gear. This camouflage during the Tet Offensive readily allowed Bay Lop to engage in what today is called "terrorist" activity. Prior to Loan shooting the bound Bay Lop, the VC captain had just killed a police officer and his family.

Former General Loan operated a French restaurant, Les Trois Continents, in the Rolling Valley Mall in Burke, Virginia.

Dr. Robert Warren

Gloucester, Va.

Veteran, Tet Offensive
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