The following information includes resources and contacts that are independent of AVI but supplied here to assist everyone to get connected. If you would like your info added or ammended please email: adoptedvietnamese@hotmail.com and don't forget to check out AVI's New Blogs page VN adoptee blogs on the Internet.
UK People
There are a number of British Adoptees at the AVI egroup:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adoptedvietnameseinternational/
and also see NEW independent facebook group
'Operation Babylift
1975/Project Vietnam Orphans 1975'
Plus...
Ms Safi Thi Kim Felce
UK Adoptee Safi Thi-Kim Felce was adopted in 1974 and is a survivor of the Galaxy Crash. She returned to Vietnam five years ago and was the subject of a documentary "Children of the Ashes". She is interested in hearing from other Vietnam war orphans and can be contacted at email: stkfelce@hotmail.com
Introduction
to Safi Thi-Kim Felce
Kim Browne
Kim is a British based adoptee who is also the co-moderator
of Operation Reunite's Teleconference calls. For more info email:
kimgovap@googlemail.com
Peter Quoc Hendy (UK) born 1969 mailto: PHendy2002@gmail.com
My
name is Peter Quoc Hendy (TRUONG ANH QUOC)born in Vietnam 1969 saigon
Vietnam
This evening I watched the history of the evacuation of the children of
Vietnam
on channel 4 program called secret History. In the Program David
English (Daily
mail) was involved. This reminded me of the time I was watching a
program called
Children of the Ashes. In this program there was a scene in which a
small boy is
riding his tricycle In an Orphanage in Vietnam. It became very clear to
me and
my family that the small boy was myself and what was more amazing the
other boy
in the background was adopted to a family that was very good friends
with my
family (his name was Quo). Interested in hearing from other adoptees.
Viktoria Cowley
Maxine Caswell: Email: maxinecaswell@btinternet.com
In the UK we had a documentary shown last night (article here)about the of the airlift in 1975 - children taken from VN as a publicilty seeking venture by the editor of a national newspaper. As a result a number of children, who had family in VN, were separated from their roots forever. Two young men were featured, one called Minh Le and another called Luong (don't remember the rest of his name). Minh was featured in another doc, Children of the Ashes some time ago and I contacted the producer of the programme in the hope of meeting him. However, the producer never replied. I am wondering if either of these men are in contact with you. I would really like to make contact with them. We have an annual reunion of famlies who have adopted children from Vn in recent years, one adult adoptee takes part in these events. I would love to invite Minh and Luong. Their stories are tragic and we have a lot to learn from their experiences, I also feel some of the parents could offer some meaningful friendship to them. So if you know them, or have any idea how I can find them, I would be really grateful if you could let me know.
Gemma (UK) gemmaanthony@hotmail.com
I was born in Vietnam in
1974 and came to
England in 1975. I'd like to have some more contact with people who
share a
similar history to myself. Look forward to hearing from you.
Philippa Sharp email: Pippa.Sharp@sth.nhs.uk
I believe I was on the Daily Mail airlift out of Vietnam in 1975 to England. I would be interested in contacting any of the other Vietnamese people who came out too. I would also be interested in a list of names of those which came on the flight to find my name. My Vietnamese name was Bui Ti Ngnoc I think. My new English name is Philippa Sharp .
Claire McFarlane
Born in Danang 1970 and adopted by family in UK. Lives in London with her husband.
In June 1998, she attended a Vietnamese Reunion in Switzerland where I met up with other adopted Vietnamese adults from England, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg. Link here
History - UK Vietnamese Orphan Babylift 1975
http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/S/sh01/orphans1.html
Mercy mission or cynical journalism? The debate still rages about the airlifting of orphans from South Vietnam in April 1975, just weeks before the country fell to the North Vietnam army. Daily Mail editor David English certainly overcame formidable bureaucratic and logistical obstacles in bringing 99 children to the West, but for many his motives were more about self-publicity and snatching a morsel of moral victory from bitter military defeat. The programme talked to those involved in the airlift.
For many of the babies a new life began with an adoptive family, but among the older children some were found not to be orphans at all and are haunted by their feeling of loss, and many have had problems adjusting to an alien culture. Despite a return visit to their country of birth, only two of the children have re-established contact with their families.
UK ORGANISATIONS
Association for TransRacially Adopted People (ATRAP)
c/o REU (Racial Equality Unit)
Unit 35
Kings Exchange
Tyle Yard Road
London N7 9AH
General enquiries:
Tel: 0207 619 6231 (Mon & Tues, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
Fax: 020 7619 6230
Email: enquire@atrap.org.uk and www.atrap.org.uk
Stories on the Web:-
Replay:Vietnam War
Tan Son Nhut: Vietnamese orphans evacuated: GV of airport; children taken onto plane many of which had to be carried as they were injured; plane en route to UK ; interview with helpers on condition of children, almost all are suffering from scabies; London: helpers and children disembarking; children being looked after and given food by helpers.
The long road from Saigon to Suffolk
By Lisa Baxter From the Evening Star May 15 2000
THE WORLD’S press swarmed to meet Ipswich chef John Nuttall when he landed at Heathrow in the arms of a charity worker 31 years ago. Abandoned as a seven-day-old baby in the war-torn streets of Saigon, the motherless toddler was the first Vietnamese orphan to escape his stricken homeland to the care of adoptive British parents.
WAR ORPHANS
I WAS BOUGHT OVER TO THE UK IN 1975 BY THE DAILY MAIL MERCY AIRLIFT. IN 1997 I WENT BACK TO FIND MY PARENTS. ALL RECORDS WERE DESTROYED AND THE NUNS WERE SWORN TO SECRECY. THE ONLY GOOD THING WAS THAT I MET THE MAN WHO BAPTISED ME. BOGUS NAMES WERE USED TO GET THE BABIES OUT OF VIETNAM & FOR ME & MY FRIENDS THIS WAS THE MOST TRAUMATISING EXPERIENCE OF OUR LIVES, FOR YEARS WE HAD GONE BY THE NAMES ON OUR RECORDS, THINKING THEY WERE OUR MUMS.......ALL THEY WERE, WERE NAMES.
MAI-HOA
1974
UNITED KINGDOM