Michelle Hằng My - Ái nữ Thiếu Tướng LÊ MINH ĐẢO (1933-2020)
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April 30 – Commemoration Speech
by Michelle Hằng My
Good morning,
It is with deep respect
and gratitude that we gather today—alongside Vietnam veterans, veterans of the
Republic of Vietnam, my family, and honored guests—to remember, to honor, and
to ensure that history is never forgotten. I especially hold in my heart my
father, Major General Le Minh Dao of the Republic of Vietnam, and my
brother, who are now in heaven, along with all the brave soldiers who gave
their lives during the Vietnam War.
April 30, 1975—the
fall of Saigon—is known to many Vietnamese as “Black April,” Tháng Tư Đen.
This is more than just a
date in history. It is a deeply emotional - a mix of pain and anger that many
South Vietnamese and Vietnam veterans carry, one they will never forget.
It was a day of darkness
and overwhelming loss— not only for my family, but for millions of South
Vietnamese families, here in the US and around the world.
Over 254,000 soldiers of
the Army of the Republic of Vietnam gave their lives.
More than 58,000 United States service members also made the ultimate sacrifice,
alongside allied forces from South Korea, Australia, Thailand, New Zealand, the
Philippines, and Taiwan.
These were men and women
who believed in freedom— who stood, fought, and gave their lives to defend it.
And beyond those who made
the ultimate sacrifice—are countless others who carried the cost of war…wounded, displaced, and forever changed.
We, remember the sound of
Huey helicopters flying overhead.
The echo of gunfire
across Saigon.
We remember the chaos,
the screaming, the panic, the looting, the desperation in the streets.
We remember the images —
families rushing to the U.S. Embassy, hoping to escape on the final flights out
of Vietnam… Thousands more running toward the ocean, trying to climb onto naval
ships.
For my family, that day
was filled with fear and uncertainty.
We waited desperately for news of my father, Major General Le Minh Dao, who was
then commanding the 18th Infantry Division of the Army of the Republic of
Vietnam.
My father and his brave
men fought fiercely in the last Battle of Xuân Lộc - one of the last and most intense battle to save South Vietnam. These men fought
with everything they had—their blood… their sweat… and their honor. Alongside them were the 1st Airborne
Brigade and Ranger units.
They held the line
against North Vietnam communist forces for as long as possible buying time for the last
Americans to evacuate and giving South Vietnamese civilians a chance to escape.
The surrender
announcement, by the interim president Dương Văn Minh on April 30, 1975 shattered everything.
Life in South Vietnam changed in an instant.
What followed was not
peace. The Vietnam communist regime-imposed control through fear— on South
Vietnamese families.
They began targeting
South Vietnamese military personnel, government officials, and anyone
associated with the United States.
Homes were confiscated.
Families were forcibly
displaced.
Books, clothing, and
personal belongings were burned.
Violence became part of
daily life.
My oldest brother was
brutally beaten, like so many south Vietnamese…
Humiliated, and in some
cases killed— under circumstances the communist Vietnam later labeled as “suicide".
Next came what they
called “currency exchange”—in reality, it was daylight robbery.
Strip away the name, and it was nothing less than theft. The Vietnam communist robbed
the citizens 3 times.
Families were forced to
surrender their cash, gold, and valuables— receiving only a fraction in return…sometimes as little as two hundred dollars. And they told us… it was generous.
Education became a tool
of control.
At first, we were barred
from school. When schools reopened, we were subjected to political
indoctrination—forced to show loyalty to their dictator Ho Chi Minh and other communist
leaders.
One of the many brutal
policies was forced relocation, the communist called this “Kinh Te Moi”
in which the communist Vietnam translate to the world “New Economic Zones”
Between 1975 and 1980 - Close
to a million of South Vietnamese were sent to remote, undeveloped regions.
My oldest brother, Le
Minh Dam, was forced there into this horrific area.
These areas lacked food…
medical care… and basic infrastructure.
Starvation, disease, and
forced labor, led to the deaths and disappearances of hundreds of thousands
south Vietnamese.
At the same time, around 300,000
thousand to 1 million South Vietnamese were sent to so-called “re-education
camps.” But in reality—they were
HELL prisons.
Systems of imprisonment…
torture… starvation… and death.
My father was one of the
prisoners. He was held for 17 years.
He endured torture… starvation… and constant humiliation. Yet he never
surrendered his spirit. His faith sustained him— he remained steadfast,
trusting in God.
Faced with persecution
and hopelessness, estimated 800,000 to 2 million South Vietnamese chose to
escape.
The “boat people” exodus
became one of the largest refugee crises in modern history.
They risked everything to
escape by sea.
Half a million families
were lost to the sea. They starved, stranded on broken boats that eventually
sank beneath them. Women and young girls were violated, kidnapped or killed by
Thai pirates. They never lived to see what freedom looked like.
We were one of the boat
people. Our family tried six times.
The first time, we were
captured and imprisoned.
Every night for three months, from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., the communist guard
tortured my mother.
We, as children were
abused… and forced to endure unimaginable conditions.
But we did not give up.
On the sixth attempt—after months of facing horrors meant to break us—we
finally made it to United States the land of the free and the home of the brave,
in November 1975,
We survived. But survival
came at a great cost.
And that cost… was the price of freedom.
I close with deep
gratitude to the Vietnam Veterans, and the veterans of the Republic of Vietnam—
whose courage stood for freedom in its darkest hour.
Their legacy is not only
written in history— but carried in the lives of those who came after them.
We remember the millions who
risked everything in search of freedom by boat— and those who never reached
safe shores. They are not forgotten. Their
stories live on.
To the bright and
resilient Millennial, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha generations:
Seek the truth of April 30, 1975, fall of Saigon.
Look beyond what you are
told; Within your own families are voices— of those who served… who fought… who
endured. Their stories are still there— waiting for you to ask… and to truly
listen.
History cannot be erased.
But it can be passed down, taught with care, and used to guide and protect
future generations.
Thank you. May God bless
the brave men and women of the United States who have protected our freedom,
and may He also bless South Vietnamese American veterans and communities around
the world.
We remember. We honor.
Forever in our hearts.
MICHELLE HẰNG MY
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