Nguyen,Van Toan (Andrew)

Nguyen Van Toan recalls his childhood in North Vietnam and his family moving to South Vietnam after the 1954 partition of the country. He was conscripted into the army at the age of twenty while he was in college. He lost both of his legs in a land mine explosion during a battle near Saigon. He later escaped by boat to Thailand and describes the harrowing obstacles the refugees faced at a makeshift shelter, including sexual assault. He escaped once again with a group to international waters and found a refugee camp.

2012-04-12

Interviewer: Nancy Bui

Videographer: Ted Acheson