I have given this a lot of thought over the years of investigating Dietrich and one thing is particularly troubling to me and that is Dietrich's contempt toward his parents.
Dietrich's father George left a prized duty station as a Petty Officer 1st Class (E-6) Storekeeper in Taiwan in February 1963. He left behind Dietrich's mother who was 8 months pregnant with his elder sister Joyce who was born on March 2, 1963.
Douglas has never revealed when his parents were married, but knowing what I do about George Dietrich, I would bet that they were married well before he departed for his next assignment to the USS Midway (CV-41). It just makes perfect sense that he would have made certain they were well provided for, and the Naval Base at Taipei would have ensured that. This would also have provided time for them to prepare documentation with assistance from the US Navy to eventually enter the USA.
I also know that neither Douglas nor his sister was born aboard the Naval Base as they were not Citizens of the United States when they arrived in San Francisco in 1968. But his father did not desert his mother and returned to Taiwan following his retirement in August 1965. Dietrich was born in October 1966 but has never publicly disclosed this part of his own story. Why?
George Dietrich remained in Taiwan as a retired USN Sailor until returning to the US with his new family in September 1968. From my experience overseas as a military dependant and US Marine, I can honestly say that the cost of living overseas, especially as a retiree may be much less, but I have interviewed many Veterans who chose to return to Taiwan, or the Philippines, etc and things did not work out well for them. George Dietrich appears to be the exception. He was able to handle the logistical nightmare and bring a wife and two small children to the US.
What is confounding to me is that Douglas has never demonstrated an ability or desire to improve his situation or escape from San Fran. In fact, he seems to have made every effort to remain and to have researched and then made use of a system that keeps him where he is. Douglas has created his own bizarre world and he has no one else to blame but himself.
