From Saigon with Love

This wedding dress was sewn by Beverly O'Shea, from fine silk bought by her husband Mike in Saigon before their stateside wedding. (M.C. Farrington)

By Alicia Pullen
HRNM Educator

The newly opened exhibit at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum (HRNM) titled “The Ten Thousand-Day War at Sea,” houses a display case of a simple, yet elegant wedding dress. Like many of the artifacts, oral histories, pictures, and captions within the exhibit, each demonstrates the U.S. Navy’s involvement in the Vietnam War while sharing their own story. The wedding dress, in particular, reveals a story about love that was challenged by the American war effort in Vietnam. Moreover, the history of this artifact is unknown to the public and deserves its place as a compelling narrative in understanding the lives and sacrifices of those who served in Vietnam. 

In 1963, Mike and Beverly O’Shea met at the Naval Station Newport Rhode Island Hospital. Beverly was a corpsman nurse and treated Mike who had been sent to intensive care. Mike’s situation was precarious as he suffered from bleeding ulcers and was in a coma for quite some time. When Mike recovered, he was released back to duty. Following Mike’s recovery at the hospital, the two began dating. Many of their dates were in the morgue, as Mike worked at the Naval laboratory in pathology. During that same year, Mike proposed to Beverly. Prior to that time, neither of them had confessed their love for one another, which made the moment even more of a surprise. About half a year later, Beverly accepted Mike’s proposal.

A close up photograph shows the intricate weave of the silk fabric Mike O'Shea bought while serving as a Navy Corpsman in Saigon. (M.C. Farrington)

During their engagement, Mike transitioned to the reserves and went to Vietnam, while Beverly remained on active duty back in Rhode Island. Mike was stationed at the Naval Station Hospital in Saigon working in the lab. He was in Vietnam from 1964-1965, witnessing the changing scene as the American involvement increased. The hospital in Saigon was very busy with many patients treated for different conditions, so Mike was kept occupied. For instance in March 1965, Mike and his friend were driving back from the exchange, where military personnel could purchase personal items, when they witnessed a Viet Cong car bombing near the U.S. Embassy. Mike immediately jumped out of his cab and ran to help people. Mike recalled seeing many people run out of the embassy covered in glass and seeing chaos on the streets of Saigon. Although they had been very close to the site, Mike and his friend were fortunate not to have been wounded in the explosion. 

In preparation for their wedding, Mike purchased silk and lace fabric in Saigon and mailed the items to Beverly so she could sew her own wedding dress. This type of fabric was found in Saigon due to the French colonial rule that had recently ended in 1954. Beverly recalled being excited when she received the fabric but had never sewn before. This was a task she was eager to take on, and it took Beverly about nine months to sew the dress and a wedding veil. Once Mike’s enlistment ended, he returned to the United States to begin college and start a life with Beverly.

A wedding portrait of Beverly O'Shea in the silk dress made from fabric her groom Mike brought back from Saigon.(Courtesy of Beverly O'Shea)

The wedding took place in Marshall, Michigan, Beverly’s hometown, on August 28, 1965. The ceremony was small with mostly family in attendance, and the wedding reception took place in a barn with food and cake. For Mike and Beverly, their wedding day was memorable as they shared it with friends and family. A year later, Mike and Beverly had their first child. They now have four children, two daughters and two sons, as well as many grandchildren. Looking back, Beverly remembers these years in the Navy as a special and romantic time. The O'Sheas donated Beverly’s wedding dress to the Hampton Roads Naval Museum for visitors to learn about its connection to the Vietnam War.

On opening night for the exhibit, The Ten Thousand-Day War at Sea, in October 2019, HRNM Volunteer Coordinator Darcy Sink talks with Mike and Beverly O'Shea after they found Beverly's wedding dress on display near the exhibit's entrance.  (M.C. Farrington)