The Escape

The Vietnamese Boat People

Growing up in New Jersey, Peter Trinh and his siblings would hear endless stories of how his parents fled Vietnam. When the war ended, Peter’s father, Nhung Trinh, a former pilot in the South Vietnam Air Force reported into re-education camp as required by the new Communist government. He thought it would be for a few days, but instead days turned into weeks, into months, into four years. During that time, he was moved to several different remote camps without his family knowing. Peter’s mom, Tinh Trinh, a young woman in her early twenties, would spend the next few years searching for her husband and scheming to plan his escape from camp, and ultimately an escape for them out of the country. Today, Peter reflects on the stories with great admiration for his parents and a desire to fill in the missing pieces.