If you stayed in this camp, we need your story. Any information is highly appreciated. If you see it here, we'd still like to hear from you. Corroboration is important. We will always need more information.
Please email us at vt268tengah@gmail.com
I do not know the exact time we left, but I was only 9 year old when we escaped in 1981.
We left with 50 souls on board from Y Bridge in Saigon River under the cover of the night during gale force wind condition.
The local militia captured us at the entrance of the river and escorted us in. They let us go after we donated our valuables and exchanged for taking 5 of their people.
We considered ourselves very lucky. When we departed in the open sea, three more patrol vessels gave chase, but they gave up while we were in gale force sea (10-15 ft sea).
We decided to set course for international shipping lane off the Vietnam coast and stayed in position for 4 day and 5 nights, waiting for ships to come by.
All I knew that there two ships passed us by and decided not to pick up, but the third one, the USS San Jose, circled around us. Initially, they decided to drop foods and supplies, after they considered us "seaworthy".
My father ordered a his trusted crewmen to set a control fire on deck, which turned the situation into a "distress" call. The Captain of the ship said afterward that was all he needed - a reason to pick us up.
