Thank you for sharing this up close. I was only 7 years old when Saigon fell into the North Vietnamese. My dad, who passed away several years ago, was a reporter and the last one who witnessed the former President of South Vietnam, Duong Van Minh, to surrender at the Saigon radio station.
Several of us made this exact climb on 3/8/19. We continued up the first ladder to the area below the very top. Somewhat dangerous climbing as there are no guardrails or fencing on the roof area. However, it clearly isn't a tourist site and guides are discouraged from bringing anyone up there so you're on your own. As the camera pans around from the Notre dame cathedral, it stops on the famous Rex Hotel. The rooftop bar, which you can barely see, was a famous hangout for military officials and war correspondents and the infamous daily 5 o'clock briefing was held there daily. It was moving to be there.
It was actually a USAID apartment building owned by the French real-estate investment firm SUFO (Societe Urbaine Fonciere), which also owned the Catinat Building @ 26 Gia Long. The Alliance Francaise private organization also had classrooms and a library in this building.
Just went up there last week. It's an apartment complex now, when entering, the elevator is going to be on your left. Take it up to the 9th floor. Careful with the security guard up front, he'll try to charge you to get up there.
I've been by the old embassy thousands of times, I lived/worked in Viet Nam many years after the war. My wife is from Bien Hoa but wasn't even born during the war, luckily.
Thank you for sharing a part of history. It's good to see that little place of history in close up and its story behind it (even though I've already seen the scene and heard its story). Imagine what went through that little place on that final day of Saigon. It must be a very chaotic, sad and painful scene. I still remember when the communist army rolling through our city, Nha Trang, just less than a couple weeks prior to that. It was tense, nervous and confused. I was just a little kid back then.
I wanted to visit the old US embassy to see this thinking wrongly it was there only to discover the embassy had been demolished. So it's cool to see the famous rooftop still there. I'll be going once the visa restrictions are lifted
The scene of one of the most iconic photos ever taken, but Vietnam, much like the U.S. have moved on from that chapter of history. As much as they don't want to admit it, the former Pittman building is now a rather famous landmark today.
I only just discovered that it is now open to the public, but seem to have gone under the radar a bit. Maybe due to Covid. It's now a cafe named SKY22. However, I'm not sure if it remains in business.
I think this building will get razed for a skyscraper in a few years. And no one knows about it nor care except for the historians and the people who lived through it.
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Thank you for sharing this up close. I was only 7 years old when Saigon fell into the North Vietnamese. My dad, who passed away several years ago, was a reporter and the last one who witnessed the former President of South Vietnam, Duong Van Minh, to surrender at the Saigon radio station.
Thank you for this short documentary. Pretty amazing.
Sergeant Juan Valdez was the last American soldier to leave Vietnam.
Several of us made this exact climb on 3/8/19. We continued up the first ladder to the area below the very top. Somewhat dangerous climbing as there are no guardrails or fencing on the roof area. However, it clearly isn't a tourist site and guides are discouraged from bringing anyone up there so you're on your own. As the camera pans around from the Notre dame cathedral, it stops on the famous Rex Hotel. The rooftop bar, which you can barely see, was a famous hangout for military officials and war correspondents and the infamous daily 5 o'clock briefing was held there daily. It was moving to be there.
It was actually a USAID apartment building owned by the French real-estate investment firm SUFO (Societe Urbaine Fonciere), which also owned the Catinat Building @ 26 Gia Long. The Alliance Francaise private organization also had classrooms and a library in this building.
Thanks for this video, I stood on the street and looked up at it, wished I had tried to find a way to the top.
thanks for making this video - a great effort!!
Amazing ..... please may you tell us ...... how the heck did you get up there? And when exactly did you shoot this footage? ( thank you ... ! )
Very educational mate. Thankyou.
Just went up there last week. It's an apartment complex now, when entering, the elevator is going to be on your left. Take it up to the 9th floor. Careful with the security guard up front, he'll try to charge you to get up there.
That's capitalism for you.
I've been by the old embassy thousands of times, I lived/worked in Viet Nam many years after the war. My wife is from Bien Hoa but wasn't even born during the war, luckily.
Good video. How did you get to go up on the roof?
Thanks for this. I'm going to be in HCM city next month so I'm going to go check this out. Cheers
Thank you for sharing a part of history. It's good to see that little place of history in close up and its story behind it (even though I've already seen the scene and heard its story). Imagine what went through that little place on that final day of Saigon. It must be a very chaotic, sad and painful scene. I still remember when the communist army rolling through our city, Nha Trang, just less than a couple weeks prior to that. It was tense, nervous and confused. I was just a little kid back then.
My mom was a baby when she was on that roof top 40 years ago.
I wanted to visit the old US embassy to see this thinking wrongly it was there only to discover the embassy had been demolished. So it's cool to see the famous rooftop still there. I'll be going once the visa restrictions are lifted
Where exactly is the guard to talk to in order to get up there?
The scene of one of the most iconic photos ever taken, but Vietnam, much like the U.S. have moved on from that chapter of history. As much as they don't want to admit it, the former Pittman building is now a rather famous landmark today.
I'm young and I'll do my best to spread the history of this story
Great video, Is that building accessible to the public?
I only just discovered that it is now open to the public, but seem to have gone under the radar a bit. Maybe due to Covid. It's now a cafe named SKY22. However, I'm not sure if it remains in business.
Great video.
Enjoy watching your videos.
Good show
I think this building will get razed for a skyscraper in a few years. And no one knows about it nor care except for the historians and the people who lived through it.
The roof top of defeat.
Awesome
guys and girls in sandals kicked the us asz.