Vietnam: Complete line-up and program descriptions
Maryland Vietnam War Stories Part 1: Escalation
Tuesday, May 24 at 8pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Tuesday, June 15 at 8pm & on MPT-2 Wednesday, May 25 at 8pm & Thursday, June 16 at 8pm
Escalation looks at the growing U.S. involvement in Vietnam from the late 50s and early 60s, told through veterans’ stories of slogging through rice paddies, flying the planes and copters, and cruising up the Mekong Delta in search of an elusive enemy.
Maryland Vietnam War Stories Part 2: Turning Point
Wednesday, May 25 at 8pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Wednesday, June 16 at 8pm & on MPT-2 Thursday, May 26 at 8pm & Friday, June 17 at 8pm
Turning Point recounts the increase of American forces to 500,000 troops by 1968 and how the intense battle of Khe Sanh and the massive attacks of the Tet Offensive eroded the support of the American public. This second installment also features soldiers’ recollection of their "R & R's", rare moments of romance, and ways they found to beat the boredom.
Maryland Vietnam War Stories Part 3: Draw Down
Thursday, May 26 at 8pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Thursday, June 17 at 8pm & on MPT-2 Friday, May 27 at 8pm & Saturday, June 18 at 8pm
Draw Down focuses on the "Vietnamization" of the war -- turning the battle over to South Vietnam forces. This third and final part examines the real cost of war and the reception a divided American public gave vets when they returned home.
Direct Connection: Vietnam Special
Monday, May 23 at 7:30pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Monday, May 23 at 11:30pm & on MPT-2 Sunday, May 29 at 6am
An examination of the largest, most comprehensive initiative in MPT history: MPT Salutes Vietnam Veterans. Jeff Salkin discusses the ongoing project, including the two-day LZ Maryland event in June and MPT’s original documentary, with Vietnam Project Coordinator Fred Shinbur and Executive Producer of Maryland Vietnam War Stories Ken Day.
Your Money & Business: Veterans Special
Thursday, May 26 at 7:30pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-2 Sunday, May 29 at 7:30am
A feature on veteran money and business, including an interview with Bow Rodgers, President & CEO of Vet-Tech, a startup accelerator which finds, develops, and funds veteran companies. (Second guest TBA.)
Into Harm’s Way
Sunday, May 29 at 5:30pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-2 Friday, May 27 at 8pm
An honest and unflinching look at the shadow the Vietnam War continues to cast on surviving members of the West Point Class of 1967. Compelling interviews, archival photographs and footage, animated sequences and contemporary clips chronicle the men's experiences - from their challenging first year as plebes to the fierce hand-to-hand jungle combat to their post-Vietnam lives. A collection of West Pointers poignantly share, sometimes with great emotion, their first-hand stories about the carnage of war, the war's impact on their lives and beliefs, and their enduring bonds of brotherhood.
America’s Veterans: A Musical Tribute 2015
Sunday, May 29 at 7pm on MPT-HD
A salute to the men and women in uniform from all branches of the military. The United States Air Force Band, featuring its rock group Max Impact, performs an array of patriotic and popular songs from the Vietnam era.
Escape from Firebase Kate
Tuesday, June 14 at 9pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Wedneday, June 15 at 1am & on MPT-2 Thursday, June 16 at 9pm
The compelling story of 26 US soldiers who were forced to abandon Firebase Kate and escape through a jungle full of thousands of NVA soldiers during the Vietnam War in 1969. It is also the subject of a book written by Captain William Albracht (retired) and Marvin J. Wolfe titled "Abandoned In Hell."
My Lai: American Experience
Tuesday, June 14 at 10pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Wedneday, June 15 at 2am & 4am & on MPT-2 Thursday, June 16 at 10pm
What drove a company of American soldiers --ordinary young men from around the country deployed to liberate a small foreign nation from an oppressive neighbor -- to dehumanize and murder more than 300 unarmed civilians? Were they "just following orders" as some later declared? Or, as others argued, did they break under the pressure of a misguided military strategy that measured victory by body count? Today, as the United States once again finds itself questioning the morality of actions taken in the name of war, Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Barak Goodman (The Lobotomist, Scottsboro: An American Tragedy) focuses his lens on the 1968 My Lai Massacre, its subsequent cover-up, and the heroic efforts of the soldiers who broke rank to halt the atrocities. This film draws upon the eyewitness accounts of Vietnamese survivors and the men of the Charlie Company 11th Infantry Brigade and recently discovered audio recordings.
Last Days in Vietnam: American Experience
Wednesday, June 15 at 9pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Thursday, June 16 at 1am & on MPT-2 Friday, June 17 at 9pm
During the chaotic final days of the Vietnam War, North Vietnamese forces closed in on Saigon as South Vietnamese resistance crumbled. With the clock ticking and the city under fire, an unlikely group of heroes took matters into their own hands. Directed and produced by Rory Kennedy.
Lucky Few: The Story of the USS Kirk
Thursday, June 16 at 9pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Friday, June 17 at 1am & 4am & on MPT-2 Saturday, June 18 at 9pm
Recounts the dramatic rescue of over 30,000 South Vietnamese refugees as the nation fell to the North Vietnamese Army in April 1975.
Long Road Home
Thursday, June 16 at 10pm on MPT-HD
Rebroadcasts on MPT-HD Friday, June 17 at 2am & on MPT-2 Saturday, June 18 at 10pm
Exploring the impact of wartime Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),LONG ROAD HOME offers compelling stories of Pittsburgh-area military veterans of Vietnam, Korea and World War II still coming to terms with the emotional wounds of war. The film explores successful therapies and documents the promising research underway at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where doctors study the sleep and brain patterns of PTSD sufferers and examine the reasons why women are twice as likely as men to develop the disorder. The program concludes on a hopeful note, with a visit to a weekend retreat for veterans dealing with PTSD and combat stress. United by their experiences, the former servicemen and women discuss their feelings, their struggles in civilian life, their need for closure and their optimism for the future.