By Jenny Lu
There are wars that end on the battlefield. Then there are wars that continue to live in the hearts of those who survived them. For my family, the Vietnam War never truly ended.
Like millions of Americans, I honor the brave men and women who served our nation. But there is another side of the Vietnam War that many Americans have never heard—the story of the South Vietnamese soldiers who fought beside American troops and the families who believed in the same ideals of freedom and liberty.
My father was one of those soldiers. He fought alongside American troops because he believed freedom was worth defending. During a nighttime mission, a land mine explosion killed nearly everyone in his unit. He survived alone until daylight.
I believe God spared his life for a purpose—to build a family, bring us safely to America, and one day allow his daughter to tell the story of those whose sacrifices history has nearly forgotten.
My father’s story is not unique. Many South Vietnamese soldiers later endured imprisonment, persecution, and the loss of everything after the fall of South Vietnam before rebuilding their lives in America through refugee and humanitarian programs.
Before he passed away, my father told me: ‘Always fight for what is right. Never let anyone threaten you into silence. Never back down from defending those who cannot defend themselves.’
I am a fighter because my father taught me to be one. Every day I carry his last name—Lu. It reminds me to fight for those who need help and to be the voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.
For more than thirty years, I have carried the stories of two Vietnamese refugee families in my heart. They came to America legally, made serious mistakes as young people, served their prison sentences, rebuilt their lives over decades, worked, paid taxes, raised American families, and became productive members of society.
This article is not about excusing crime. It is about asking whether decades of rehabilitation, lawful living, and contribution should matter.
I respectfully ask Congress and the President to consider legislation creating a carefully structured pathway for qualified long-term Vietnamese refugees connected to the Vietnam War. The program could provide conditional lawful status and employment authorization for three years, requiring lawful employment, tax compliance, no new crimes, English instruction if needed, civics education, and continued good moral character. After successfully completing the program, participants could become eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence under standards established by Congress and later pursue citizenship through the existing legal process.
This proposal does not erase the past. It requires accountability, rewards rehabilitation, and protects public safety.
Every time I sign my name—Jenny Lu—I remember my father and the promise I made to him: to continue fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves.
I hope America will honor the sacrifices of those who fought beside American soldiers and remember the families who paid the price for standing with us.
History remembers those who fought. Character is revealed by whether we remember those who fought beside us.
The family stories in this article are based on real experiences. Names and identifying details have been omitted to protect privacy.
