Celebrating 50th year anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War; 50 years of life in America

Introduction

April 30, 1975 marks the end of the Vietnam War and America’s twenty-year military conflict that would leave the once proud and seemingly invincible nation scarred, its countrymen questioning the soul of their nation, and its soldiers wondering why they went to war in the first place.

While the war would leave an indelible mark on America’s consciousness, the end of the war marked the beginning for me and my family’s life in the United States.

Pittman apartments: Vietnamese like my family attempted any way get out of Saigon as the communists converged on the city.

From the chaotic scramble during the fall of Saigon in the last days of April 1975, my parents and siblings were fortunate to capture one of the few remaining flights out, first to Wake Island, then the Philippines, before awaiting to get processed in Arkansas.

At the refugee camp, they were met with constant worry, discomfort, and uncertainty until their prayers were answered as news of a sponsor had agreed to take our family in.

First stop: American sponsors in Missouri

A young couple named Daniel and Sallie Shipley and their growing family in Marthasville, just outside St. Louis, Missouri decided to take action after heeding to the priest’s Sunday sermon to consider helping refugees in need. The Shipleys opened their hearts in sponsoring my immediate family which included my twenty-something year old father, my mother who was pregnant with me, my two older sisters and two year old brother.

Six months after my family’s arrival in America, I was born.

Celebrating our first-ever Christmas in America, 1975.

For six months my parents adjusted to American life by learning basic English words and phrases, working menial jobs such as dishwashers at a nearby restaurant and getting us kids fed and clothed to get through another day.

I can imagine the culture shock my parents experienced as nothing in Vietnam would have prepared them for life on a farm in rural America.

The cultural differences in food must have been challenging. They had to go from their familiar daily staple of rice, noodle soups, fish, and vegetables cooked and served with nuoc mam or fish sauce, a potent condiment used in traditional Vietnamese cuisine, to highly processed foods such as breakfast cereal, sandwiches, cakes and pastries and bland steaks and potatoes.  

As my parents integrated with their new host family, cultural misunderstandings and communication blunders inevitably arose, resulting in funny and, at times, awkward moments.

But despite these miscommunications, the Shipleys and my family were able to get along, tolerate one another, and build a lasting relationship that remains to this day. 

Adapting to American life in Southern Minnesota

As our Missouri chapter was coming to an end, my parents decided to make a move and join my uncle and his family in Southern Minnesota where, despite the cold winters, the people were rumored to be generous and nice and jobs could be had. 

By 1976, with the help of the First Presbyterian church, my family started to lay roots in Mankato where my mother worked as a seamstress and my father trained as a novice welder, while us kids attended Catholic schools.

Adjusting to the first few snowfalls in Mankato, Minnesota.

My parents would continue to work a string of menial jobs until in 1982 they had a chance to open the first Asian grocery store in town, and a few years later, turned it into a small, four-table deli in 1986 serving popular dishes such as fried rice, stir-fried vegetables and egg rolls. 

Vinh Long Tea House in downtown Mankato became a full-fledged Vietnamese restaurant that sustained our family, putting us kids through the Catholic school system and into college.

In Mankato, we kids thrived in academics, sports, and made many friends. There were plenty of birthday parties, sleep overs, movie nights and sports tournaments to attend.

Establishing our lives in Mankato, we felt right at home, ran a successful family restaurant, and were surrounded by kind and supportive neighbors and friends.

Second act in Florida

After a quarter century in Minnesota, in 1998 my parents decided to make a permanent move to Southwest Florida where the tropical temperature resembles Vietnam so they can spend more time outdoors gardening.

Twenty-five years in Florida, just like Minnesota, have been good to them, too. They have successfully run a commercial boat-canvas sewing business, dabbled in real estate and, in retirement, are now running a small tropical plant and garden nursery.

My parents never seem to stop and are always finding new projects and businesses to start.

What America has meant 

For my parents who came with a few dollars in their pockets and no belongings, coming to America with us children in tow, they were forced to adapt to their surroundings for mere survival.

By the kindness of strangers, help from neighbors, and lifelong friends they have achieved their American dream: running several small businesses all while ensuring us kids get a good education.

All of my siblings have had successful careers in their own right. We are college graduates, small business owners and contribute time and energy to making our communities stronger while raising the next generation.

This October, our family will convene on the Shipley farm in Marthasville, Missouri where, 50 years ago, our lives in America took root.

It’s amazing to reflect on how a simple farming family’s seemingly trivial decision five decades ago to open their lives to strangers with an unfamiliar culture a half-a-world away would profoundly change me and my family’s life trajectory for generations to come.