A veteran of the American war in Vietnam has devotedly led a homespun humanitarian-aid program for years in a central Vietnamese province which witnessed mass murder by the American army 50 years ago.

Mike Boehm, 70, has spent 25 years helping impoverished women in rural areas of Quang Ngai Province, where an infamous killing, the My Lai massacre, occurred.

His fund provides financial support for hundreds of local Vietnamese female villagers suffering from hunger and poverty, and builds “compassion houses” from brick and mortar to replace dilapidated wooden huts for seriously disadvantaged women in the area.

Boehm’s original donation of US$3,000 to the fund has since grown to over VND1.6 billion ($70,200) with the help of hundreds of donations.

Boehm has also convinced foreign individuals and organizations to make contributions, which cumulatively amount to tens of thousands of dollars, toward scholarships for students from poor families and provide access to clean drinking water for Quang Ngai Province schools.

The assistance also extends to children affected by Agent Orange, a highly toxic defoliant chemical sprayed by the U.S. military over Vietnamese forests that can lead to disabilities in offspring of exposed victims.

Boehm’s long-standing efforts touched women in the province, who have made him an honorary member of the local Women’s Union, which consists exclusively of women.

Mike Boehm shakes hands with a woman living below the poverty line in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam. Photo: Tuoi Tre

He wishes to be blessed with good health in order to continue his activities and initiate future plans in the area.

The veteran, who abhors the war, returned to Vietnam to heal the wartime wounds and shake off related impressions that used to weigh on his mind.

During the war, Boehm was stationed in Cu Chi, now a suburban district of Ho Chi Minh City. Though not involved in the My Lai massacre, the veteran has become obsessed with helping those affected.

The My Lai decimation devastated My Lai Hamlet of Son My Village, Son Tinh District, Quang Ngai Province, in 1968.

Hundreds of unarmed civilians, including men, women, children, and infants, were killed by U.S. soldiers during the horrific event.

Boehm has made it a priority to attend ceremonies in remembrance of the massacre’s victims over the past 25 years, playing his violin in front of the monument serving as a reminder of the incident.

His arm is still strong enough to carry his tunes into the future, he said.

He also appeared as a violinist in the documentary ‘The Sound of the Violin in My Lai,’ produced by Tran Van Thuy in 1998, winner of the  Best Short Film Award in the 43th Asia Pacific film festival in Thailand.

Mike Boehm receives a medal from the Women’s Union in Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, for his work in assisting local women.

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