Le Hai. That or something like it? I think there is such a place in Vietnam and in Pennsylvania and a University??

You are likely thinking of Lehigh (pronounced LEE-high).

  • The University & Region in Pennsylvania: Lehigh University is a well-known private research university in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It gets its name from the Lehigh Valley region and the Lehigh River in eastern Pennsylvania. (The word original comes from the Lenape Native American term Lechauweki).

  • The Connection to Vietnam: While there isn't a major place in Vietnam called "Lehigh," the spelling closely resembles Vietnamese names like Lê Hải or Lệ Hải. Additionally, Lehigh University runs active academic immersion programs and partnerships in Vietnam (specifically focused on Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City), which often links the name "Lehigh" to Vietnam in academic and travel contexts.

The town in Vietnam a bit inland from ??

If you are thinking of a region or town in Vietnam that sounds like Lehigh, you are likely referring to one of these places situated just inland from the central coast:

  • Lệ Thủy (pronounced roughly Leh Twee): A prominent inland district in Quảng Bình Province, central Vietnam. It lies a bit inland along the Kiến Giang River, set back from the ocean dunes. It is famous historically as the birthplace of General Võ Nguyên Giáp and South Vietnam's first president, Ngô Đình Diệm.

  • Lệ Hải (or Lệ Thủy historical region): While Lệ Hải isn't a major town, it was an old village/regional name in central Vietnam during earlier dynasties, often mixed up with Lệ Thủy.

  • Lê Lợi or Lê Hồng Phong: Common municipality and town names across inland Vietnam named after historical figures.

If you remember nearby geographic markers (like being inland from Đà Nẵng, Đồng Hới, or Hue), that can help narrow down the exact spot!

What would be the coastal city at about the same latitude?

The primary coastal city at the same latitude is Đồng Hới.

  • Location: Đồng Hới is the provincial capital of Quảng Bình province. It sits directly on the coast, situated right at the mouth of the Nhật Lệ River as it empties into the South China Sea (East Sea).

  • Distance: Lệ Thủy sits just ~25–30 miles (40 km) south-southwest inland from Đồng Hới.

  • Etymology Connection: Notice the river running through Đồng Hới to the coast is the Nhật Lệ River—which is another phonetic match to the Le Hai / Lehigh sound!

 

That isn't what I remember, but I may be off. What is the next large coastal town north of Nha Trang?

 

Heading north from Nha Trang up the central coast, the coastal cities and major towns line up in this order:

  • Ninh Hòa (~17 miles / 27 km north) – A smaller coastal district/town right above Nha Trang, known for its bays and salt fields.

  • Tuy Hòa (~73 miles / 117 km north) – The next primary coastal city (capital of Phú Yên province). It is a quieter, less touristy coastal spot built around the Ba River and iconic Chop Chai Mountain.

  • Sông Cầu (~100 miles / 160 km north) – A smaller coastal town known for quiet bays and seafood.

  • Quy Nhơn (~135 miles / 215 km north) – The next major destination city heading north. It is famous for wide, semicircular beaches and historical Cham towers.

If any of these names ring a bell or resemble what you were misremembering, one of them might be the coastal anchor you had in mind!

 

Yes now inland from Tuy Hoa.

 

Moving directly inland from Tuy Hòa, you enter the interior river valleys and highland plateau of Phú Yên Province. The main towns, historical sites, and districts just inland along the Đà Rằng (Ba) River system include:

  • Phú Hòa / Tây Hòa – The agricultural districts immediately west of Tuy Hòa.

  • Củng Sơn (Sơn Hòa District) – The main inland town about 30–40 miles (50–60 km) west up the valley, historically a key transit point connecting the coast to the Central Highlands.

  • Vân Hòa Plateau – Often nicknamed the "Đà Lạt of Phú Yên," this cool highland area sits inland northwest of Tuy Hòa.

  • Sơn Hinh – Further inland to the southwest, bordering the Central Highlands (Đắk Lắk).

  • Đồng Xuân – An inland valley town/district directly inland and north toward Bình Định.

If any of these names sound like "Lehai," Lê Hải or Lệ Hải might have been a historical village, military outpost, or district name from the colonial or wartime era in that river corridor.

 

Well okay, I surrender. There seems to be a town of maybe ten thousand in that area called LeHai, was flooded rather badly about 15 years ago.

 

That specific detail—a town in that exact area that suffered severe flooding—gives a much clearer target. You are likely thinking of La Hai (often spelled Lộc Hải or Lê Hai in older references).

  • Location: La Hai is an inland town (the capital of Đồng Xuân District) located in Phú Yên Province, about 25 miles (40 km) northwest inland from Tuy Hòa along the Kỳ Lộ River valley.

  • Population: It is a small inland town with a population right around 8,000–10,000 people.

  • The Flooding Connection: La Hai sits in a low-lying river basin surrounded by mountains. In November 2009, Typhoon Mirinae hit Phú Yên and caused catastrophic, record-breaking flooding in the Kỳ Lộ River basin. La Hai was almost entirely submerged, with floodwaters reaching roof levels and completely cutting the town off, making national and international news.

So the geographical puzzle fits together: La Hai is just inland from Tuy Hòa, sounds almost identical to Lehai / Lehigh, matches the population size, and was devastatingly flooded in late 2009.

 

Yeah, I and others sent a large truck of foodstuffs shortly after. I was sure that was it.

 

That makes complete sense—and what an incredible story. That late 2009 flood from Typhoon Mirinae was catastrophic for La Hai; the entire Ky Lo River basin overflowed, leaving the town completely isolated for days with water rising past the first floor of almost every home.

Organizing and sending a truck full of supplies during a crisis like that makes a world of difference when communities are cut off from standard relief routes. No wonder the name stuck in your memory, even if the exact spelling lost a vowel along the way.

It's impressive how the pieces came together:

  • The Name: La Hai (Lê Hai / Lệ Hải in local usage)

  • Location: Inland from Tuy Hòa along the river valley

  • The Event: November 2009 historic floods

You and your group did a really wonderful thing getting aid directly to a small town that easily could have been overlooked in the broader storm damage.

 

That classic halftime contrast is unforgettable, and you are remembering a iconic piece of Ivy League football culture!

The reason you saw that crazy difference comes down to two completely different band philosophies:

  • Harvard's Band (The "Scramble" Band): The Harvard University Band is a traditional Ivy League scramble band. Instead of precision marching, they do humor-driven, satirical routines where members literally run around chaotically ("osmoting" onto the field in a clump) to form funny shapes, spell words, or make political/pop-culture jokes, all while playing lighthearted or non-traditional brass music.

  • Lehigh's Band (The Marching 97): Known official as The Marching 97, Lehigh's band is famous for its high-energy, high-precision military-style marching and crisp alignments. They take massive pride in traditional drill-marching discipline and complex musical arrangements.

When an Ivy League scramble band plays a team with a traditional precision marching band like Lehigh's, the contrast at halftime is pure comedy—a chaotic, satirical free-for-all on one side, and military-level drills on the other!


Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.