Events › Our Stories: From Vietnam to Arizona- Stories of Freedom and Hope after The Fall of Saigon

Fifty years ago, the fall of Saigon led to evacuation of U.S. military personnel, Vietnamese families, and the "reunification" of the country under communist rule. In this program, you'll hear the stories of several Arizonans of Vietnamese descent who recall their harrowing and emotional journeys as children from Vietnam to the U.S. We'll also hear about the experiences of two Arizona Vietnam veterans who was present during this tumultuous time. 

Presenters include: 

• Chantal Nguyen Vanklompenberg- Her father was a Naval officer in the South Vietnamese military, and fought with US soldiers. Their family fled in 1975 to the US through the refugee program.
• Stephen Hardy- He joined the US Navy in 1972, and was assigned to USS Okinawa (helicopter carrier), arriving in Vietnam in 1974. He was there during the evacuations and helped with the wounded. He took many photos which he will share.
• Jimmy Tran- His father was part of South Vietnamese Army veterans who fought against Communist rule. Due to the danger to their family after 1975, Jimmy fled Vietnam alone at age 13 (1980). 
• Ted Murray- He joined the US Marines in 1972, and arrived in Saigon in 1974. As part of the Defense Attache Office/ State Department, he helped with evacuations in 1975, and has many vivid memories of this time. 

Registration is not required. 

Our Stories presents diverse speakers who share unique Arizona and local history topics to a general audience throughout the year. This series is produced by the Chandler Museum and the Chandler Public Library, with support from the Friends of the Chandler Public Library.