My Freedom Flight to America (April 12, 1982)

 My Freedom Flight to America 

(April 12, 1982) 

The Boeing 747 slowly turned on the runway and quickly sped down it to take off. As it quickly climbed into the night sky of Singapore International Airport, I quietly thought to myself as I heard the hostess say “goodbye Singapore, I wish you well and a safe trip for all the passengers on this route.” I gazed through the window where I was seated, and saw the many stars twinkling on the sky. I looked back at the city of Singapore over its night sky behind all the city lights in the far off distance, then down at the sea with many lonely lights twinkling from fishermen’s boats. On this flight there were mostly Vietnamese refugees from the South East of Asian on the route to America. It is now time 3:17 a.m. on April 12, 1982. I pondered over my many thoughts mixed with anxiousness and a feeling of hope and happiness as I tried to put my past behind me, but I am betrayed by my thoughts because of my past life continuously remaining in my mind. So I tried to suppress it by my hopefulness with  excitement of what the new world was like. I wonder what my new life will be like there.

The plane continued, flying over the South China Sea, toward Japan where the plane had to refuel. About six hours later we landed in Tokyo which was unknown to me. I happened to look out the window in front and back at the surrounding areas. The land was flat and the area was pretty empty. Near the airport I could see the sea water which was very green and the high growing grass. Weeds were blowing in the wind. Seagulls flew up and down in the sky. As I looked in the front, I saw the airport control tower. Behind that I saw the city skyscrapers which looked quiet and peaceful in the early afternoon sun. “Japan,” this word takes me back to memories of history books, written about it during World War II. During that war time, Japan had dominance over this region and it had an early part in the Vietnam War 1941-1954!     

About two hours later, the plane again took off and rose up over the Pacific Ocean. Our new destination was America. Later that evening, after dinner had been served, my thoughts circled and circled around in my mind. I was drowsy. I was thinking over my new life in America and my past life in Vietnam. As I started to think that many of the countries around the world had been involved in the war in Vietnam, especially America. Thoughts and feelings become strained at the mention of it. Because, both countries have deep feelings of personal human loss and betrayal which will probably last forever. Many thoughts ran through my mind that night, and I gradually fell asleep. I awoke and gazed out the window again and saw the shoreline of the West Coast. “San Francisco International Airport,” I heard the hostess announce our arrival over the microphone. She also tells us the time which was 6:15 a.m. local time, on April 12, 1982.

The sky was clear and blue but thick fog covered the ocean The wind stirred it up in frothy foam as we passed over it. The plane reduced its speed as we began to land, then the hostess’ voice came over the microphone and she congratulated all the passengers “Welcome to San Francisco International Airport, United States of America.”

That morning as I stepped off the plane, a soft dew fell on my head and chilly wind blew in my face. I filled my body with new energy, with a great sense of freedom, which I had well earned. I felt I had come from a place of hell to a place of peace, or maybe it’s just a different word filled with the hope of all humanity. Pondering the past, grasping the present and wondering what the next step of my destiny will be!!

San Benito, California

August 14, 2021.