U.S. Naval War College Students Visit Vietnam to Learn About Conflict, Aftermath

NEWPORT, R.I. — Eight students and five professors from the U.S. Naval War College (NWC) Joint Military Operations (JMO) course embarked on a country trip to Vietnam, Jan. 12-22, 2026.

The trip was part of the Fall/Spring elective titled: “Vietnam: A Long War from Conflict to Country,” and was the first trip of its kind opened to NWC students. One of the course’s instructors is Prof. Albion Bergstrom, a retired U.S. Army colonel who fought in Vietnam more than 55 years ago, earning a Purple Heart for wounds suffered in an attack on March 25, 1971.

In a group photograph taken during the recent trip, the landmark Rockpile – a distinctive karst outcropping that famously once held an Army observation post accessible only by helicopter – can be seen in the background. Bergstrom, a New Hampshire native, has another photo of the Rockpile taken when he was deployed there more than a half century ago, when he commanded an armored cavalry platoon as a first lieutenant.

“That was the first time since 1971 that I’ve been that close, on that river just a mile or two from where I was shot up,” he said.

Bergstrom’s platoon was operating near the demilitarized zone protecting the Route 9 – or QL9, using the Vietnamese language abbreviation – supply route at the time. He recalled interacting with local noncombatants and learning about their culture and language.

“I developed a respect for the Vietnamese people there,” he said. “As a farm kid from New England, I liked their spirit and I liked their independence.”

According to JMO Associate Prof. Matthew Tackett, the purpose of the trip was to instill professional development and understanding of the battles, impacts of those battles, and the aftermath of the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. 

“The feedback we got from the students is that this trip is one of the best experiences they’ve had, not only in their time at the war college, but in their entire career,” Tackett said. “The opportunity to visit these battlefields and museums, and see how a nation the U.S. fought views that conflict, and how we now have a positive relationship, was a really good experience.”

Students and staff visited the cities of Hanoi, Hue, Khe Sanh, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City, where they studied at various museums, paid respects at locations such as the infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” which housed various American prisoners of war, and interacted with Vietnamese veterans of the Vietnam War to learn from their perspectives.

“On this trip we were welcomed every place we went,” said Bergstrom, who arrived at the war college as an active duty military faculty member in 1996, before transitioning into a civilian faculty role. “That conflict was a very complex situation and decisions were made on both sides that maybe in hindsight were not the best.”

The war college students were assigned locations and topics and briefed their classmates when they arrived on-site.

“The biggest thing I hope the students take away from this trip is how to win the peace,” Tackett said. “They know how to close the conflict out from a military perspective, but understanding the other mechanisms the military can support- the diplomatic, economic, and informational efforts- that is how you win the peace. Sometimes our greatest adversaries, like Vietnam, can become great partners.”

The JMO curriculum at NWC prepares future military and civilian leaders for high-level policy, command, and staff positions.

Established in 1884, NWC informs today’s decision-makers and educates tomorrow’s leaders by providing educational experiences and learning opportunities that develop their ability to anticipate and prepare strategically for the future, strengthen the foundations of peace, and create a decisive warfighting advantage.