Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
10:23 | After the communist invasion of South Vietnam, Thien Van Huynh was forced to work many hours without pay or food. He knew the best solution for both him and his family was to escape to America. However, this would prove to be the most difficult task for him yet.
Keywords : Thien Van Huynh Vietnam Communism escape America family interpreter prison bail out refugee camp Hong Kong teacher English Africa refugee Des Moines IA Barry McAlpine
Thien Van Huynh grew up in Nha Trang, Vietnam, where he went to high school and eventually started his family. Then everything changed with the start of the Vietnam war, when north and south chose opposing sides.
While the Vietnam war was going on, Huynh signed up to become a Vietnamese to English interpreter for the South Vietnamese Army. In order to do so, he had to take a good many tests and attend many classes.
After passing language school, Thien Van Huynh was assigned as an interpreter in South Vietnam. While he was never part of a combat troop, his job was no less dangerous.
After serving as part of the 9th Cavalry, Huynh was appointed to the unit known as MAC-V, or Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. It was during this time that America decided to withdraw its efforts from the Vietnam war, which unfortunately left him and the south to fend for themselves.
After successfully migrating to America, Huynh was finally able to transport his family over 4 years later. In the years following the war, he was able to acquire a few jobs in the states, where he worked until retirement. Now and then, he returns to Vietnam and pledges donations to his home town and its people. To conclude, Huynh has a few words of advice for future generations that hear his story.
