Vietnamese American refugees in Philadelphia mark 50 years since the fall of Saigon
Wednesday marks 50 years since the fall of Saigon, a pivotal moment in history that signaled the end of the Vietnam War. Many refugees fled the chaos, and some of them settled in the Delaware Valley.
Anh Ly, a dentist in South Philadelphia, was a child when the North Vietnamese army captured the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon on April 30, 1975.
"It was scary," Ly said. "But at that moment, we knew we just had to leave."
Unable to evacuate by helicopter, Ly and her family of seven risked their lives on a small fishing boat to escape communism. A passing ship rescued her, her parents and her siblings, but her aunt was lost at sea on another boat.
The 50th anniversary of the fall of Saigon reminds her of what she's been through and why she's here now.
"It was unfortunate we had to leave the country, but it gives us another opportunity to be in a free country," Ly said.
Ly is now part of a thriving Vietnamese American community, centered along Washington Avenue, in a neighborhood known as Little Saigon.
"On the weekend, it would be hard to find parking around all the businesses because they have a lot of patronage, and it's growing," Ly said. "It's great."
At the intersection of Washington Avenue and 13th Street is a Buddhist temple with a mural depicting the Vietnamese journey to the United States. It represents the people who left everything behind but who worked hard to create a successful life in Philadelphia.
Victor Nguyen, the owner of Ba Le Bakery on Washington Avenue, is the son of Vietnamese refugees.
"Me being a firstborn American, I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the fall of Saigon," Nguyen said.
Nguyen said the fall of Saigon continues to shape his life.
For many, the 50th anniversary is a day that represents pain, but also hope. Ly is filled with gratitude as she remembers the past while embracing the future.
