”Excuses are worthless. Escaping communist Vietnam to Los Angeles, CA; the ambition of a Vietnamese refugee in the United States”, Part 1, with Ret. USMC Fighter Pilot (and WSO), LtCol. ”Charlie” Dinh

On April 30, 1975, the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese Army, effectively ending the Vietnam War. In the days before, U.S. forces evacuated thousands of Americans and South Vietnamese. However, not everyone who wanted to escape, could. With South Vietnam now under communist control, life for those left behind became a completely new and challenging world, One that would eventually lead many to escape by any means necessary. On today’s episode I welcome Retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, WSO, and Forward Air Controller, LtCol “Charlie” Dinh for Part 1 of our 2 part series. We talk about his childhood in communist South Vietnam, how his family eventually escaped, what life was like as a Vietnamese refugee in Paris, France, and how going to HS in Los Angeles not knowing a word of English, is a great motivator to learn a language. Enjoy!