Thursday marked the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon, an event commemorated by many Vietnamese Americans in Orange County.
Here’s a round-up of stories around the web that marked the anniversary:
Voice of OC senior writer Tracy Wood, who was among the few female combat correspondents to cover the war, told the story of how the corruption she witnessed in South Vietnam shaped her worldview and journalism career.
Meanwhile, Voice of OC reporter Thy Vo explores her struggle, and that of other second-generation Vietnamese Americans, to fully understand the trauma of her parents’ refugee experience.
Los Angeles Times reporter Anh Do, a former editor of the Vietnamese-language daily Nguoi Viet Daily News, interviews Vietnamese Americans about their journey.
“I’m not one of those people who just remember Vietnam on April 30,” said one man, who has been piecing together the facts of his late father’s untold immigration story. “For me, it’s year-round.”
Do also spoke with refugees for another piece about a tent city at Camp Pendleton, where many refugees were processed.
Reporting from Hanoi, Scott Harris of the LA Times writes about the reverse migration of Viet Kieu, or overseas Vietnamese, back to Vietnam.
James Hookway of The Wall Street Journal also reports on the effect of reverse migration as Vietnam transitions toward a market economy.
The Orange County Register launched a new “Little Saigon” section in the lead-up to April 30, otherwise known as “Black April” among overseas Vietnamese.
Register reporter Tom Berg tells the journey of how Vietnamese refugees came to establish themselves in the United States and create a vibrant and complex community known as Little Saigon.
And Register writer Martin Wisckol examines the influence of Vietnamese American voters in Orange County over the past decade.
In the Washington Post, Annie Gowen writes about Vietnam veterans returning to search for their lost loves.
The Guardian reporter Nick Davies looks at Vietnam’s journey from communism to capitalist corruption.
PBS Newshour also interviews Vietnam veterans and journalists about the Fall of Saigon.
The Vietnamese language daily Nguoi Viet Daily News has launched a page for its April 30 coverage, where you can read Vietnamese language profiles of “40 Vietnamese People Under 40” and other articles about the refugee experience.
KQED Northern California Public Radio talks with Vietnamese American writers about fleeing the country and living in the shadow of the War.
WMFE Central Florida Public Radio interviews two presidents of the Vietnamese Student Association at the University of Central Florida, three decades apart.
Did we miss something? Let us know what stories you enjoyed in the comments below.
Contact Thy Vo at tvo@voiceofoc.org or follow her on Twitter @thyanhvo.