Doan Van Nong

1931-2010

His Life

Mr. Nông Văn Đoạn was born on November 25, 1931 at Cốc Cưởm village, Thất Khê District, Lạng Sơn Province to Mr. Nông Văn Tho and Mrs. Bế Thị Uông. Mr. Nông is the youngest of the three children.

Mr. Nong’s father, Mr. Nông Văn Tho, has been District Chief of Thất Khê for a while, but he resigned after the Japanese invaded in Vietnam in 1945. From 1945-1948 his family became a target of the Communist insurgence, therefore, Mr. Nong had to move to live in the city of Lang Son. His father was murdered by the Communist insurgents. His brother, Mr. Nông Văn thăng was also imprisoned from 1950 until 1975.

At Lạng Sơn, Mr. Nông received training as a medical technician at the Military Medical Center in Lạng Sơn in 1949, and joined the French Army in 1951. Since then he grew up with the vicissitude of the country while developing a strong discipline for self-learning and good characters. He married Mrs. Trịnh Thị Ngà in 1953 and his little family moved with the French Army to South Vietnam after Vietnam was partitioned in 1954. His first daughter, Nông thị Kim Thu, was born in Đà Nẵng a few months later. His family, as of now, consists of 10 children (5 boys and 5 girls), 30 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

Military Career

During military career, Mr. Nông has served in Division 5 from 1954-1964. In this period, he attended Special Officers Training School at Lương Sơn in 1955. Also during his 10 years with Division 5, he attended several other trainings both at home and abroad such as “Jungle and Swamp Operation” at the US Army Ranger School in Malaysia, 1961; PsyWar (Đà Lạt); Forward Air Control; Staff College (1965), and Company Commander Course (1970). He was wounded twice in combat within 6 months in 1964 at War Zone D and War Zone Hố Bò.

In 1964, Mr. Nông was transferred to Division 10, later renamed as Division 18, and served as the Assistant Chief of G.3 in 1964-65. Later he was transferred to Support Group 924 (previous name of Unit 101-Military Intelligence) and attended the U.S. Army Intelligence School – Pacific in Okinawa, Japan. During his 10 years in 101, he conducted intelligent operations in provinces in the highland and areas along the border with Cambodia. He was promoted to the rank of Major in 1970 and transferred to Tây Ninh province as Assistant Chief, then Chief of Group until 1975.

In his almost 25 years of military services, he was decorated with the followings: 2 Purple Hearts, Cross of Gallantry, National Order of Vietnam Fifth Class (1969), and U.S. Army Commendation Medal, 1971.

After the Fall of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN)

Together with thousands other military officers of RVN, Mr. Nông was imprisoned in the so-called re-education camps in the North such as Sơn La, Hoàng Liên Sơn, and Thanh Hóa. In the 10 years of hard labor, he has been so seriously sick that he thought he would die in the jungle and never see his family again. But he has survived those challenging times by the love and care of God.

In 1978, disaster again befell his family when the Communist regime confiscated his house and wealth and forcefully relocated his wife and children to the so-called New Economic Zone (NEZ) in Cà Mau, the southernmost province of Vietnam. After receiving permission to visit him in the re-education camp, his wife, the oldest daughter and the youngest son visited at Thanh Chương Camp. At this brief reunion, she asked his permission to take his children to seek for freedom by boat. They made it to the U.S. in November, 1980.

After being released in 1985, he was still under house arrest because he was stil classified as a “political target.” Under the Communist pressure and harassment during 1985-1987, he made 3 unsuccessful escapes by boat. Finally, he made his escape by walking across Cambodia to Thailand. Although he was able to prove himself as an intelligent officer of the RVN and his family was already nationalized as American, he had to stay in the refugee camp for almost 2 years. He came to the U.S. on April 18, 1989, asfter 14 years of separation.

Reunion

After his reunion with family, he began to take care of his wife and work with her in running the family business. His children had grown up and most have their own families, but the big family still gather together almost every weekend in the past 20 years.

On April 3, 2010, Mr. Nông văn Đoạn had departed this world and come to rest in eternal peace at 7:15 PM. He will forever be remembered by his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends.