Leaving Vietnam

In late June 1971, Fred has finished his second assignment at MACV in Vietnam.

During this second tour, Fred was awarded a Bronze Star Medal with combat "V", Joint Service Commendation Medal, and a Combat Action Ribbon.

We're preparing for long trip to America. I was about four months pregnant with our first child. I was very sad and happy at the same time with mixed feeling. Sad because I have to leave my entire family members behind for the first time in my life, and don't know when I'll be seeing them again. And happy because I was with Fred, my husband and my only best friend. We're on our way to a bright and unknown adventure ahead of us.

The 747 jet was full of GIs returning to States after their one-year tour of duty. I think I was the only pregnant female on that plane. Its stopped to refueling at Guam, Hawaii, and finally San Francisco. At left, I took that picture of Fred at Honolulu airport right after we landed. After we've gotten the baggages, then we rented a car and began driving to San Diego.

We drove through the Golden Gate Bridge. I saw it for the first time... so cool and exciting!!! We also stopped at Salinas Valley (often call the salad bowl of the nation, Fred said) for dinner that night. Everything are so new, different than what I've pictured in my head before coming to States... and seem so strange to me, and of course I am already homesick.

Arrived in San Diego, we stayed at the Navy lodge for few days before moving into an apartment at Ward Road. We brought some new furnitures and things to setup our first nest...