He escaped war-torn Vietnam as the US left the country and the communist government took control. For a teenage Marc Hung Nguyen, the escape not only potentially saved his life, it set him on a path that would take him to a career in the US Coast Guard and a new life in America.
Nguyen shared his story of struggling for survival, rebuilding his life and dedicating it to serving his new country and other people, with guests at the Veteran’s Day meeting of the Seal Beach City Rotary. It’s a story that was told in a recent book, From Sea to Service – a Vietnamese Refugee’s Incredible Journey to Honor his Promise.
A gratitude for the US soldiers who fought for democracy in Vietnam, and who helped him escape the falling country, had a profound impact on him. Seeing the fate of some who were not so fortunate, is also something he could not escape.
“What I saw in my own escape is forever seared into my soul,” Nguyen said.
One such memory he shared was that of a woman holding onto the cargo net of a boat and her baby at the same time. After a while, the baby slipped from her arms, and shortly after she followed. The sea claimed them both, Nguyen said.
Nguyen would eventually land in Eglin Air Force Base, in the Florida panhandle, at a refugee camp, before eventually setting up in New Orleans. Everything was unfamiliar and the language barrier made things more difficult. Local children saw him as an outsider and it made things tougher for him to feel safe.
He would later move to Boston, where an American family took him in and he began to find his footing in high school. Suddenly, the idea of joining the armed forces came into view. He admits it was a path that he didn’t even know existed. He applied to all five service academies, and one by one, rejections arrived.
But one left a sliver of hope. The Coast Guard Academy invited him to continue the application process, but warned that if he was accepted, he would have to become a US Citizen. With an 8-10 year backlog, it seemed his dream might die in sight of the finish line. But with the help of Senator Ted Kennedy, he was able to gain his citizenship, just nine days before he was scheduled to begin the academy. Despite a few obstacles at the Academy, Nguyen would eventually graduate and embark on a 20-year career in service. Retired Commander Nguyen, now resides in Orange County with his family and serves on the Board of Directors for the Project Vietnam Foundation, which helps bring medical service to those in need in Vietnam.
Nguyen’s promise to serve others was made in response to the service that helped him escape danger and he recognized that with a moment of thanks to the veterans who were in attendance at the lunch.
“Because of your courage, I was given a second chance at life and the opportunity to serve others,” Nguyen told the veterans. “Your legacy will live on in every life you have touched and I carry that gift with profound gratitude,” Nguyen said.
For more about the Seal Beach City Rotary and its upcoming events, visit sealbeachcityrotary.com.
