Wife of Imprisoned Officer

Narrator: Mrs. Dinh Nguyen 
Place of birth: Hải Phòng, Vietnam 
Occupation during the War: Wife
Year arrived in US: 1994

Interview Date: September 20, 2014
Interview Location: Louisville, KY
Interviewer: Thao Tran & Linh Biscan
Photographer: Frank Bui

Mrs. Nguyen, the widow of a former South Vietnamese officer, sat down with Moving Voices to share the story of a charmed life changed dramatically after the fall of South Vietnam in 1975.  Shortly after the Communist Government took over, her husband of five months was ordered to a "reeducation camp" along with her father, brothers, and in-laws.

During the ten years of her husband's absence, Mrs. Nguyen grew from a privileged, demure girl to a cunning business woman in order to help her family survive.  She talked about working and taking bribes for the communist commerce agency, achieving success in starting a business, and losing everything to help her siblings escape Vietnam by boat.

Mrs. Nguyen's narrative is one of growth, sacrifice, and the will to triumph over adversities in a post-war Vietnam and a foreign new home in Kentucky.

To hear the full interview, please contact Moving Voices via email at movingvoices.ky@gmail.com.