They grasped at American helicopters whirring out of war-torn Vietnam.
They jumped on rickety boats and rowed away on the South China Sea, Saigon — seized by the North Vietnamese — smoking in their wake.
Most of those who survived grueling trips came to America. Thousands made their new homes in Garden Grove and Westminster, a large portion of which is named Little Saigon for obvious reasons.
They grasped at American helicopters whirring out of war-torn Vietnam.
They jumped on rickety boats and rowed away on the South China Sea, Saigon — seized by the North Vietnamese — smoking in their wake.
Most of those who survived grueling trips came to America. Thousands made their new homes in Garden Grove and Westminster, a large portion of which is named Little Saigon for obvious reasons.
Forty years ago today, Saigon fell. The Vietnam War was, for all intents and purposes, over. The capital is now known as Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnamese refugees, many of whom had fought side-by-side with American soldiers, were heartbroken yet hopeful.
"America… it was for our children," said Westminster resident Mai Nguyen, a mother of three. "So they could have a better life. We have not forgotten Vietnam, but the communists took our home from us. We embrace America. We embrace Westminster.
Black April. That's what they call April 30.
Today, Westminster is teeming with Vietnamese-Americans and American soldiers who fought in Vietnam. Forty and fifty years ago, they fought together. These days, they are neighbors.
To show you how divisive Vietnam became, the people still living in the country call today "Victory Day." The immigrants in America call it Black April or "Day of National Resentment."
Some will formally commemorate the historic Fall of Saigon.
Others will try to forget.
But they can't, really. Just like the American veterans can't.
They can only move on, and to do that you've got to keep moving, which they've been doing since 1975. Sadly, more than 58,000 American soldiers and hundreds of thousands of South Vietnamese never got the chance to move on. Some veterans are so scarred by the war they're addicted to alcohol and drugs, some living on the streets.
Others have made their peace.
"It took a long time, but I've forgiven everyone, even myself," said veteran Steve Russell.
Today is a bittersweet day.
