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Rescue Photos
Long Journey from Vietnam
As Told By: Cuong Le (aka Wayne)
I escaped from Vietnam in May 1981 at 14 to journey to Singapore along with 85 people on a small fishing boat. We departed from Vung Tau and were picked up by the American submarine (USS Barbel) three days later. We stayed onboard the submarine overnight and transferred to an oil tanker (USS Hassaympa) to take us to Singapore. I was at the refugee camp in Singapore for 1.5 months and refugee camp "Galang" in Indonesia for another 1.5 months before heading to the United States to stay at an orphanage in Peoria, IL. I was then placed in a foster family to start my new life in America. I have done a YouTube video to document that journey, the rescue, and the reunion with those who did the rescue.
Journey
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My Story
I escaped from Vietnam in May 1981 at 14 to journey to Singapore along with 85 people on a small fishing boat. We departed from Vung Tau and were picked up by the American submarine (USS Barbel) three days later. We stayed onboard the submarine overnight and transferred to an oil tanker (USS Hassaympa) to take us to Singapore. I was at the refugee camp in Singapore for 1.5 months and refugee camp "Galang" in Indonesia for another 1.5 months before heading to the United States to stay at an orphanage in Peoria, IL. I was then placed in a foster family to start my new life in America. I have done a YouTube video to document that journey, the rescue, and the reunion with those who did the rescue.
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