Dearest Suzie Podcast By Alexander Lowie cover art

Dearest Suzie

Dearest Suzie

By: Alexander Lowie
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About this listen

 Welcome to Dearest Suzie, a podcast and photo series that brings to life the personal letters, diary entries, and photographs of U.S. Army helicopter pilot William “Bill” Lowie during his service in the Vietnam War. In this introductory episode, host Alexander Lowie—Bill’s grandson and an anthropologist—sets the stage for a journey through family history and wartime memories. With the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam War approaching, Alexander will share Bill’s experiences in a unique “on this day in history” format, pairing each diary entry or letter with a corresponding photograph. These materials offer a deeply personal glimpse into the war, with over 100 letters to his wife, Susan (“Suzie”), and more than 500 photos captured during his deployment. More than just a historical archive, Dearest Suzie is about discovery, reflection, and connection. Whether you’re interested in military history, personal stories, or exploring your own family’s past, this podcast encourages you to listen, learn, and share your own stories. Join us as we uncover Bill’s memories, one letter at a time.© 2025 Dr. Alexander Lowie Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Episode 105: 1965-06-16 | Flying Sick in Da Nang

    Episode 105: 1965-06-16 | Flying Sick in Da Nang
    Jun 16 2025
    In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes from Da Nang after completing his move north, catching Suzie up on mail, family updates, and a growing sense of fatigue, both physical and emotional. He’s sick with his first cold since arriving in Vietnam but continues flying missions daily due to a shortage of pilots. The letter is full of little domestic concerns, sending a hunting uniform to Al, asking for Bea’s ring size, and teasing Suzie about not sending slides from the camera he mailed her. But behind these day-to-day details is a clear sense of strain. He shares the news that another pilot from Vinh Long has been killed and admits he probably shouldn't have been flying while sick. Set against the backdrop of Da Nang’s rapid militarization in mid-1965, this letter offers a glimpse into what it was like to be stationed there at a pivotal moment in the war. Just three months earlier, Da Nang became home to the first major deployment of U.S. ground combat troops. The city was transforming quickly: more helicopters, more personnel, more infrastructure, and more danger. Popi’s writing reflects that tension. His tone shifts between playful and heavy, the normal and the extraordinary sitting side by side. What’s Covered: - Popi’s arrival and illness in Da Nang - The daily stress of mission flights amid a pilot shortage - Family updates and care packages - A fellow pilot’s death in Vinh Long - Da Nang’s importance in U.S. military strategy during the war 📷 Featured Photo: A helicopter hovers just above the ground, framed by South Vietnamese flags and a local municipal sign. 🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe! I’ll be posting new episodes regularly, sharing letters and stories from exactly 60 years ago, as written by my grandfather. Follow Dearest Suzie on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/ X: https://x.com/DearestSuziePod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast 📧 Have a story to share or want to reach out? Email me at dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com — I’d love to hear from you! VietnamWar #HueyHelicopter #HelicopterPilot #MilitaryHistory #WarLetters #InheritTheStories #FamilyHistory #OralHistory #MemoryAndMyth
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    7 mins
  • Episode 104: 1965-06-11 | Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam Pt. 3

    Episode 104: 1965-06-11 | Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam Pt. 3
    Jun 11 2025
    In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes from Da Nang on June 11, 1965, sharing that he’s finally made the move north after his sudden orders. He’s relieved to see familiar faces and to settle—at least for now—into slightly better quarters with hot water and decent food. But even this small reprieve is colored by uncertainty: mail delivery is unpredictable, orders are slow to catch up, and leave plans are constantly changing. He signs off with warm wishes for Suzie’s trip to New Jersey, a reminder that family remains his anchor in a world that feels increasingly chaotic. Alongside Popi’s letter, this episode continues the fictionalized narrative of “Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam,” a creative reflection that blends fact, memory, and moral reckoning. Drawing on the Stars and Stripes article and George Orwell’s famous essay, this story imagines what it felt like for Popi—or any soldier—to confront the strange orders and expectations of a war fought both in the air and in the villages below. Here, we witness a village’s reaction to receiving elephant meat from American soldiers: the laughter, the confusion, the uneasy gratitude. The narrator wrestles with the conflicting roles—liberator, invader, witness—and realizes how America’s insistence on control often left soldiers trapped in a cycle of expectation and futility. What’s Covered: - Popi’s June 11 letter from Da Nang, describing familiar faces, new quarters, and family updates - Reflections on the uncertainty of orders, mail, and the challenges of staying connected to home - Part three of “Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam,” exploring the uneasy morality of following orders - A meditation on how America’s power in Vietnam was felt—and sometimes resented—by those it claimed to protect - Reflections on how soldiers, including Popi, reconciled duty with doubt and compassion 📷 Featured Photo: A statue of an elephant, likely in a temple or shrine, standing as a symbol of cultural reverence—so different from the image of elephants in the war zone. 🔔 If you’re enjoying this series, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. New episodes post regularly, following Popi’s letters exactly 60 years after he wrote them—and the lives they continue to touch today. Follow Dearest Suzie on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/ X: https://x.com/DearestSuziePod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast 📧 Have a story to share or want to reach out? Email me at dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com — I’d love to hear from you! VietnamWar #FamilyHistory #WarLetters #InheritTheStories #Popi #ShootingAnElephant #GeorgeOrwell #MoralComplexity #114thAviation #Vietnam1965 #OralHistory #CombatHistory #ElephantHunting #DaNang #DearestSuzie #PowerAndExpectations
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    9 mins
  • Episode 103: 1965-06-07 | Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam Pt. 2

    Episode 103: 1965-06-07 | Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam Pt. 2
    Jun 7 2025
    In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes on June 7, 1965, with a heart heavy from homesickness. He had called home that morning, only to be met with the sweet but painful plea from his son Brian: “Please come home.” It hit him hard. But there’s no time to dwell—orders came in suddenly: pack up, move out. By tomorrow he’d be heading to Da Nang for a 30-day assignment, his platoon already on the move. Once again, the realities of war cut short any rest, any time for family calls or small plans. Even R&R plans to Nha Trang are scuttled—rules and logistics make it more complicated than expected. So instead, Popi focuses on the promise of a week in Daytona Beach when he gets home, trading one stretch of waiting for another. This episode also begins the narrative of “Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam,” a piece of creative (non)fiction that explores the unsettling overlap between combat operations and cultural destruction. Drawing inspiration from George Orwell’s famous essay, the story uses a real-life Stars and Stripes article to dig deeper into what it means to be a soldier ordered to kill an elephant suspected of aiding the Viet Cong. In a place where everything felt out of place—from Martha Ray’s USO show to the sight of elephants in a clearing—Popi’s service intersected with moments that blurred the lines between duty and humanity. The piece invites listeners to confront the surreal moments of the Vietnam War that never made the headlines but stayed in the memories of those who lived them. What’s Covered: - Popi’s June 7 letter about calling home, homesickness, and a sudden move to Da Nang - Reflections on the complexities of R&R and the bureaucratic tangles that shape soldiers’ lives - The second part of “Shooting an Elephant in Vietnam,” blending fact, fiction, and lived experience - The story of an elephant shot by American soldiers, and what it reveals about war’s moral costs - A meditation on what it means to bear witness, to remember, and to keep telling these stories 📷 Featured Photo: An elephant in a zoo—perhaps in Saigon, perhaps in Bangkok—stands with an expression that looks almost like a smile. 🔔 If you’re enjoying this series, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. New episodes post regularly, following Popi’s letters exactly 60 years after he wrote them—and the lives they continue to touch today. Follow Dearest Suzie on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/ X: https://x.com/DearestSuziePod TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast 📧 Have a story to share or want to reach out? Email me at dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com — I’d love to hear from you! VietnamWar #FamilyHistory #WarLetters #InheritTheStories #Popi #ShootingAnElephant #GeorgeOrwell #114thAviation #Vietnam1965 #OralHistory #CombatHistory #MoralComplexity #DearestSuzie #ElephantHunting #DaNang #Homesickness
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    10 mins
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