Trat Ba Duong

On the snowy evening of December 30, 2021, Duong Ba Trat passed away peacefully at his home with his wife, son, and youngest daughter by his side. A fighter from the beginning of his life and a fighter until the end, he succumbed to the effects of metastatic thyroid cancer after over a decade of quietly battling the disease.

Mr. Duong was born in Saigon, Vietnam in 1939, and spent most of his early adult life as a bomber pilot in the Republic of Vietnam National Air Force, defending the South from the incursion of Communist forces. He advanced quickly through the ranks, and eventually finished his service to his home country as a Lieutenant Colonel. He skillfully flew daily missions under heavy anti-aircraft artillery fire, often returning to base with his A1 Skyraider riddled with bullets. He was valiant and brave, but very humble, and he saved many members of his squadron in the waning days of the war. In the days leading up to the Fall of Saigon, Mr. Duong bundled up his young family and evacuated to the United States. Accepting the kindness of a prior training captain who agreed to sponsor his family, Mr. Duong began the next chapter of his life in his adopted country. His family and he eventually settled in the beautiful Pacific Northwest in the suburbs of Seattle.

Once in the States, Mr. Duong flourished and accomplished his dream of owning his own home and sending his three children to college. He spent many hours outside his home, meticulously landscaping his lawn and attempting to grow the perfect tomato. Even after his diagnosis, he still enjoyed many hours puttering around his garden. He loved to cycle and spent many hours cycling along the Burke Gilman Trail. He was also a man of great appetite and he introduced his children to the wonders of global cuisine. Although he enjoyed eating a variety of food, he always fondly recalled the cooking of his mother, and the simple dishes she made. He remained exceptionally proud and honored of his service during the Vietnam War.

Mr. Duong is survived by his beloved wife of fifty-six years, Anhthu; his three children – Tony Thang, Tina Tram, and Tammy Trinh – and his granddaughter, Carolyn Bao Chi; and his younger brother, Duong Ba Tram. He will join his mother, father, sister, and two older brothers who preceded him in death.

His presence will be greatly missed, but he is free to fly again now. “Death is not the end, but is the final stage of one life to be transformed to another.”