Reunion USS KIRK - Washington August 9, 2006

PRESS RELEASE
From: Adam Koltz
1125 Oceanic Drive
Encinitas CA 92924
(760) 436-8533

A Cross-Cultural Phenomenon

The USS KIRK (DE/FF-1087) Association is holding a reunion in Renton, WA from August 9-13 that will definitely be different. While most reunions of former U.S. Navy
ship’s crews focus on maintaining friendships and reliving camaraderie established years ago at sea, the USS KIRK crews also will be celebrating a unique relationship with many former South Vietnamese refugees who evacuated their country during the fall of Saigon to communist forces. In April 1975 the USS KIRK was there to carry them to freedom.
This year’s reunion will be held at the Holiday Inn Select, One South Grady Way, Renton WA 98055-2500. The reunion will allow many former South Vietnamese to meet and thank their rescuers from 30 years ago in the South China Sea.
During the first USS KIRK reunion in San Diego, CA in 2004, several former sailors reminisced about April 1975 and the incredible events that unfolded during the evacuation of Saigon. One question was foremost in the mind of each man: Is it true that one of the young pregnant Vietnamese women rescued then named her baby after USS KIRK? And if so, where are mother and daughter now? Due to a miraculous effort spearheaded by former KIRK crewman James Bongaard, mother and daughter were
found living in Long Beach, CA. At the KIRK’s 2005 reunion in Orlando, FL, mother Lan Tran and daughter Tran-Nguyen Kirk Giang Tien (Baby Kirk) were reunited with their rescuers of 30 years ago. Lan thanked the USS Kirk crew members for “guiding us out of the danger zone and leading us to a land of peace, freedom and happiness”. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house. Since then, other “children of Kirk” have identified themselves and similarly thanked their USS KIRK rescuers.
This reunion encouraged and enabled numerous other Vietnamese to come forward and similarly thank the USS KIRK crewmen for their efforts of so long ago. Many additional emotional “reunions” are expected in Renton in August. This will certainly be a grand celebration of two cultures and their historic meeting many years ago, as well as an emotional get-together of crew members from the entire career of USS KIRK (still operating as Fen Yang, a unit of the Taiwanese Navy) . Mr. Richard L. Armitage,
former Deputy Secretary of State, the USS KIRK leader of the rescue of over 18,000 Vietnamese, will provide a video to the attendees of this year’s reunion.

Reunion Contact: Terry Schultz, 1021 Rich, Spokane WA 99207 (509) 487-4611 or [email protected]
www.kirk1087.org

Official Website: http://www.kirk1087.org