Out of my three Uncles on my Mothers side of the Family, my oldest Uncle was the only person who fought in the Vietnam War. My Uncle, Mai Duc Lien, was 21 years old when he was drafted for the Army.
My Grandmother did not want him to join because she was afraid of losing him. My Uncle however, wanted to help fight against the Viet Cong. He felt that it was his responsibility to defend his nation.
He joined the Army in 1957, when he was 21 years old. After four years of training to be a parachutist he became the Captain "Dai uy", of his team. He was trained and fought in the South. No one in my family knew much about his life in the Air Force. After two years of fighting he became a Colonel, "the TA", of his team. His Captain allowed him to come home and visit his Family.
During his visit, his mother introduced him to a young girl who then became his wife. Both parents arranged the marriage and they were the perfect couple in town. She was a young pharmacist, who was only 24 years old. They spent six months living together in my Grandmother's house.
My Uncle then returned to the Air Force and continue to fight. After eight months his wife had their first daughter. He was allowed to go back home and visit his wife and the newborn child. He stayed with them for another year and they add another son. He was happy but the joy did not last long. He was called to war again.
His wife had a difficult time raising their two children on her own, but she was happy because she was proud of her husband.
in 1967, my uncle and a few friends on his team were killed in Da Lat. His friends told our family that he was shot in his plane and he died instantly.
He died at the age of 31.
It was a shock to our Family, but we knew that death was common in the war. The worst part was that he left behind a wife and 2 young children.

In the 19th-century, the Vietnamese people had to struggle with wars, poverty and Communism.
From 1950 to 1980, there had not been a day where my family could live in peace and harmony.
In this period, my family lost an Uncle and we were separated.
My family was a normal middle-class family in Vietnam.
We originally came from the north, but after the Communist took over the north, my family moved to the south of Vietnam.
My Grandmother thought that our life would be better in the south, but the Vietnam War destroyed our family.
My Uncle was the only member that fought and he was killed.
His death affected my Grandmother terribly and his family as well.
Before the war, each of my Uncles and Aunts had a real career.
They were educated, but the education did not help them much in the war.
A family of six children of my Grandparents was under one roof before the war, but during the wartime they each had to go their own way to find ways to make a living.
My Grandmother was disappointed by the separation but she could not do anything about it.
My Mother stayed back with my Grandmother and took care of her.
Both of my Uncles were trying to find ways to leave Vietnam because they knew that under the Communist government, their lives could only get worse.
In 1975 both of my Uncles left Vietnam on a boat.
It was the biggest risk they ever took in their lives and it was the most horrifying experience.
They moved to America and started a new life.
However, My two Aunts and my Mother were still in Vietnam.
They lived fearfully each day.
They were worrying about their house, food, and their children.
They were afraid of their children being raped and killed on the street.
One of my Aunts decided to take a risk that her brother took.
Luckily she made it to America in 1978.
My Uncles wife was not as fortunate, she left Vietnam in 1980 and was never found.
The news shocked my family and my Mother changed her mind about moving.
She had six children and did not want to lose any of them.
After the war we were the only family who stayed back.
My Grandparents lived with us, but the war affected them emotionally and mentally.
Our lives after the war was difficult and laborious.
My parents had to work many different jobs at once, in order to make enough money to support our Family.
In 1990 the United States government allowed us to come and live with my Uncle's family.
My Mother wanted her children to have a better education and she wanted them to live in a Democracy.
The Vietnam War had a major impact on our family.
It brought us sorrow and fear.
It separated our family and tore us apart.
We lost an Uncle and an Aunt.
As for all the Vietnamese.
We lost our freedom and a Democratic Government.
The war ended 23 years ago, but it has not been forgotten.
There are families here today in the United States who lost a loved one in the war.
They will never forget the Vietnam War.

CHAPTER 53 HOME

MIRA COSTA ESSAY

WEST HIGH ESSAY

NORTH HIGH ESSAY