When Big Blue Went to War ─ A History of the IBM Corporation Mission in Southeast Asia During the Vietnam War (1965?975)

Why would a unique group of IBM Corporation bachelors choose to leave good stateside jobs and risk their lives to work in a war zone? What are their stories during and after the war? This book describes a U.S. military sponsored mission, gives insight into the business side of war and relates the adventures of dedicated professionals. Read about how data processing was used to monitor and manage the air and ground war.

This is the story of IBM's role in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War and of the men who laid their lives and careers on the line to support a war that was fought with the help of extensive onsite data processing. Approximately 250 IBM 'wild ducks' were handpicked for these overseas assignments. They worked with, lived with and played with the military while installing and servicing IBM equipment utilized by all services throughout South Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines. Some IBMers remained overseas after the war, some brought Vietnamese brides home and some returned to traditional IBM careers. All felt a deep patriotic duty to the United States and its intended role in Southeast Asia. They all learned about wartime chaos, danger, love, life and death.

IBM's mission escalated and de-escalated in parallel with that of the U.S. forces. By 1973 most US Nationals had withdrawn along with the military's computing equipment. In 1975 the author took part in an interesting but failed effort to assist IBM Vietnamese employees escape the communists during the Fall of Saigon. The story of how our own US Embassy held these IBMers hostage in Saigon is told for the first time.