Alexander Rentschler
Robbinsville, New Jersey
2010 NJVVMF Scholarship Winner
If not for the brave Americans who fought in the Vietnam War, I would be picking rice in the paddies of South Vietnam instead of looking forward to my first semester of college in the United States.
My mother, Vu Ti Minh Ha, was born into a farming family in South Vietnam in 1974. One of a set of triplets, she and her siblings were sent to a Saigon orphanage because the Vu family was already too large to care for three more children during wartime. At age 15-months, my malnourished mother and uncle (their sibling died) were sent to the United States as part of the Vietnam Baby Airlift of 1975. They were adopted by my Caucasian-American grandparents and live a typical American lifestyle. Then I came along – a first generation America of a Vietnamese mother. I also am living a regular American life with my grandparents. Unfortunately, the further we get away from the war, the less we talk about my family’s origins. That is why I took the challenge of this essay.
My trip to the New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial is something I will never forget. Walking into the Memorial was striking; the black granite was plain in color but yet very powerful. Even though I did not know any names on the wall, it sill made an impact on me. Seeing that almost all 366 panels had a name of a deceased soldier was upsetting but at the same time it made me thankful. I am thankful that these men fought for the Vietnamese families in need and in danger and that my mother was chosen for the airlift. I cannot imagine myself living a communist Vietnamese lifestyle today.
Before going to the Memorial, I certainly did not fully appreciate what those soldiers did for us as much as I do now. Seeing names on a wall does not seem like it would affect me very much, but it was very moving. Many of these men were very young, maybe eighteen, nineteen, or twenty years old. I am almost eighteen and to think about going to war and possibly dying is scary.
I went to the Memorial on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon and the atmosphere there was amazing. My grandparents and I were the only visitors present and it gave me time and peace to reflect on what this Memorial really means to me. It is not just a memorial like it is to most people. This Memorial has everything to do with my heritage and why I am here today. I have a caring family, a great education, and endless opportunities that I would not give up for anything. The soldiers whose names are on the panels gave up their lives for my mother’s, my uncle’s and my life. They deserve our gratitude and respect, as I appreciate their selflessness.
It was an unforgettable visit; it is a place I will visit again.