For a Peaceful Vietnam: A Vietnamese Love Story

Rich Allen, 72 years old, currently serves as the Vice President of Veterans For Peace Chapter 160 (VFP 160), shares his continuous story from the time he arrived in Vietnam to serve (from 1971 to 1972).

But it's not a battlefield story. It's a wartime love story. There's happiness, there's sorrow. There's separation, loss, and reconciliation.

Reunion After 40 Years

In 1971, upon arriving in Da Nang, Rich Allen was just 19 years old, assigned to the M48 tank combat crew. One day, Rich met Huynh Thi Huong, a girl his age, and they fell in love from the first glance.

"We got serious. When the day to return to the US approached, we completed all the procedures, documents for Huong to accompany me to the US. But right after that was the tense situation of war [1]; we were ordered to leave Da Nang immediately. After a tearful but hopeful goodbye, I left Vietnam. The US military was almost leaving Vietnam at that time. Upon returning to the US, I had no way to contact my fiancée. Later, I found out that Huong couldn't send me letters, and she also burned all the documents related to the US [2]", Rich recounts.

The image of Mr. Rich Allen in Vietnam War

Unable to contact Huong, Rich became disheartened and desperate. He says his heart yearned to return to Vietnam, and he tried various ways to get orders to return, but all efforts were in vain.

"At that time, I heard the announcement that no one was allowed to return to Vietnam because the war had ended for the Americans. I was extremely disappointed because there I had a love", Rich repeated the phrase "life goes on" many times. He had to continue living. For that reason, he tried to bury his memories of Vietnam.

Forty years later, Rich's mother gave him a letter she had received. It wrote: "Dear Mr. And Mrs. Allen, I hope you read this letter with the same joy as I feel writing it and I so hope you can help me find my father. I was born in Vietnam in 1972…".

When leaving Vietnam, Rich didn't know that Huong was pregnant.

Rich and Huong's daughter was born, named Lena, taking her mother's surname. At the age of 16, Lena immigrated to Texas (USA) under the US immigration policy for Vietnamese children with American fathers (Amerasian Homecoming Act). Although in the US, Lena had no information about her father, except the words "San Jose CA" written behind a photo of Joyce Alice (Rich's mother) that Rich had given to Huong in the past.

Rich flew to Texas and reunited with his daughter. "When we met, there was no doubt about the bloodline, only intense joy. Lena had spent decades searching for her father. But Huong didn't get to see that reunion. Huong passed away 20 years ago from cancer. We never got to meet again. Huong never set foot in the US", he said emotionally.

Mr. Rich Allen reunited with his daughter Lena after 40 years of separation, at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in July 2013

Forty years apart, Rich and his daughter Lena reunited, together returning to Vietnam in February 2016. When returning to Da Nang, memories flooded back into his mind.

"I suddenly felt like I was 19 again. Breathing the familiar air, I felt like I was back home. From then on, my journey intertwined with recalling lost memories and new adventures. I returned to Vietnam a few months later, and since the end of 2016, I decided to stay", Rich said, adding: "My daughter Lena still lives in Dallas, Texas. Meeting my daughter has completely changed my life. I started dreaming about Vietnam, a dream, not a nightmare. People often talk about destiny, fate. I never understood what those words truly meant until I looked back on my life".

Responsibility is not yet over

Living in Da Nang again is also a special experience for him. Rich said the most impressive thing for him is how people treat him with peace, respect, and warmth. During his time in Da Nang, no one criticized him or his country for the war in the past. That peace always reassured him.

"I receive kindness, tolerance. I feel grateful and happy to see the Vietnamese people I meet focusing on the present and future rather than the past. Even the former soldiers from the North whom I met at ceremonies and events, also welcomed me as a brother. We share what happened during the war. The war was truly terrible; there was so much suffering that soldiers and civilians had to endure. As a member of VFP 160, my perspective reflects a belief in the importance of peace solutions rather than war", Rich said.

The VFP 160 team took a commemorative photo at the conclusion event of the landmine clearance project, explosive ordnance disposal at A Bia Hill, H.A. Luoi, Thua Thien-Hue, phase 3 (January 2023)

Mr. Rich shares that he has chosen Vietnam to spend the remaining years of his life and to actively pursue the mission of VFP 160 as a way of giving back. Currently, VFP 160 is focused on promoting peace and addressing the consequences of war in Vietnam, with a particular emphasis on supporting victims affected by Agent Orange and landmines.

"Our organization raises awareness among Americans about these issues in Vietnam. We fundraise and advocate for the involvement of the US government in addressing them. In Da Nang, we spent five years addressing the remnants of Agent Orange. Additionally, we organize an annual tour for veterans. This is to maintain connections and keep reminding people in the United States that we have a responsibility here in Vietnam and that responsibility didn't end" Mr. Rich said.

According to Rich's perspective, the relationship between the US and Vietnam is at its highest level. He believes that future generations in Vietnam will continue to develop their homeland and cultivate themselves into global citizens. 

Passion for gathering and street food

Rich Allen married Dinh Thi Lien and now his small family lives in Da Nang. He enjoys the closeness and bonding of their Vietnamese relatives in general and his wife's family in particular. "My wife's hometown is Ninh Binh, and I estimate about 200 people are relatives. During Tet, we can have lunch at one house, dinner at another, and then lunch the next day at another house," Rich said.

Rich's family

His wife, Lien, used to be a lawyer and a banker. According to him, she cooks very well. He also has his top 20 favorite dishes where bun cha and banh mi rank highest.

"We also love street food very much. There's something magical about the atmosphere in Da Nang, the evening breeze, the bustling streets, and the enticing aroma emanating from food stalls. Moments like these make me appreciate life in Vietnam even more. My life has had many turning points, and all of them revolve around this country", Rich shared.

Pham Thu Ngan / Thanh Nien Newspaper

Footnote:

[1] The Easter Offensive, also known as the 1972 spring–summer offensive (Vietnamese: Chiến dịch Xuân–Hè 1972) by North Vietnam. Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Easter_Offensive

[2] According to Mr. Rich, Huong was sent to a re-education camp after 1975. Read more here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Re-education_camp_(Vietnam)