ANN CURRY: A CHILD OF VIETNAM SEPARATED FROM HER AMERICAN FATHER AND FORCED TO GROW UP IN A COUNTRY WHICH CONSIDERED HER THE ENEMY... CHILDREN LIKE THAT MY AGE, THEY THROW A ROCK AT YOU.

ANN: YEARNING TO TRACE HER FATHER BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE.

WOMAN: I HAVE ONLY ONE PICTURE OF MY DAD.

YOU NEED TO GO FIND HIM?

FIND HIM AND SAY THAT I MISS HIM A LOT.

ANN: AND A 12-YEAR-OLD REFUGEE WHO FLED VIETNAM WITHOUT HIS FAMILY.

NOW HE'S SEARCHING FOR THE TEXAS COWBOY WHO INSPIRED HIM AND MADE HIM WANT TO COME TO AMERICA.

I LEARN A LOT FROM WHAT HE DID.

I SEE A FATHER FIGURE IN HIM.

CHARLIE PUTH: ♪ WE'VE COME A LONG WAY... ♪ ANN: THE TIMES OF HISTORY HAVE THRO HAVE THROWN STRANGERS TOGETHER... PUTH: ♪ I'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN ♪ AND TORN LOVED ONES APART.

PUTH: ♪ WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN ♪ NOW THE SEARCH IS ON... WE'RE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER.

OH, HOW ARE YOU DOING?

OH.

OH.

TO BRING THEM TOGETHER AGAIN.

LOOK AT YOU!

I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU.

PUTH: ♪ WHEN I SEE YOU AGAIN ♪ THE VIETNAM WAR RAGED FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES.

WHEN THE U.S.

PULLED OUT IN 1973, THE FATE OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE HUNG IN THE BALANCE, NOT LEAST TWO SMALL CHILDREN WHO NEVER STOPPED SEARCHING FOR THE MEN WHO GAVE THEM HOPE.

AND WHERE WAS THIS PICTURE TAKEN?

IN THE AIRPORT.

THAT'S YOUR MOM.

YES, THAT'S MY MOM.

SHE LOOKS REALLY HAPPY.

YES.

AND THIS IS... ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA NGUYEN WAS BORN IN SAIGON IN 1970 AT THE HEIGHT OF THE VIETNAM WAR.

HER MOTHER, AN, WAS VIETNAMESE.

HER FATHER, HENRY LAMB, WAS A U.S. SERVICEMAN.

TINA: I WANT TO SHARE YOU THE FIRST ONE THAT I HAVE IS, UM...MY DAD.

THIS IS A PICTURE OF HIM-- OH...

I GOT IT FROM MY GRANDFATHER.

THIS IS THE ONLY PICTURE YOU HAVE OF YOUR FATHER, AND IT'S A LITTLE DAMAGED.

YOU CAN KIND OF MAKE IT OUT.

YES.

YES.

BUT IT'S BEEN TORN.

IT'S SO SMALL, TOO.

YES.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA, LIKE MANY IN THIS ORPHANAGE, WAS ONE OF AT LEAST 100,000 CHILDREN FATHERED BY MILITARY PERSONNEL.

[CHILDREN SINGING] THESE WAR BABIES, OR AMERASIAN CHILDREN, STRADDLED THE TWO VERY DIFFERENT WORLDS OF VIETNAM AND AMERICA AND FOUND THEMSELVES ACCEPTED BY NEITHER.

TINA'S DAD HENRY WAS LIVING WITH HER MOTHER AN IN VIETNAM.

THEY WERE BUILDING A LIFE TOGETHER WHEN TINA WAS BORN.

THEY MET IN THE 1960s.

WHAT DID YOUR MOTHER TELL YOU ABOUT WHY SHE LIKED HIM?

MY MOM FELL IN LOVE WITH MY DAD.

HE IS OLDER THAN MY MOM.

BUT DOESN'T MATTER HOW OLD HE IS, BUT HE LOVE HIS WIFE AND HER CHILDREN.

HE TAKE CARE OF FAMILY.

WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

I KNOW IT'S HARD TO IMAGINE.

YOU WERE SO LITTLE.

YOU WERE ONLY 3 YEARS OLD, RIGHT?

YEAH.

HE COOK THE FRENCH FRY.

FRENCH FRIES.

FRENCH FRIES.

BUT HE ONLY GIVE ME 10 PIECE OF FRENCH FRY.

BUT EVERY SINGLE TIME THAT HE GIVE IT TO ME, HE ASK ME TO SAY IT... 1, 2, 3, AND TO 10.

THAT'S IT.

NO MORE.

"YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER."

AND THE NEXT TIME, HE GONNA GIVE IT AGAIN.

HE TAUGHT YOU TO COUNT...

YES.

USING FRENCH FRIES.

HE TEACH ME.

YES.

THAT'S THE FRENCH FRY.

DO YOU LIKE FRENCH FRIES?

I LOVE IT.

[BOTH CHUCKLING] [BOMBS WHISTLING] [EXPLOSIONS] ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT IN JANUARY 1973, EVERYTHING CHANGED.

THE WAR CAME TO AN END FOR U.S.

TROOPS IN VIETNAM AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE OF CONFLICT AND THE DEATHS OF 58,000 SERVICEMEN.

NIXON: AND TONIGHT, THE DAY WE HAVE ALL WORKED AND PRAYED FOR HAS FINALLY COME.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 12 YEARS, NO AMERICAN MILITARY FORCES ARE IN VIETNAM.

["TAPS" PLAYING] ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA WAS JUST 3 YEARS OLD WHEN HENRY WAS FORCED TO RETURN TO THE U.S., BUT UNLIKE MANY SERVICEMEN, HE TRIED TO TAKE HIS VIETNAMESE FAMILY WITH HIM.

DID HE ASK YOU AND YOUR MOM TO GO WITH HIM?

YES.

WHY DID SHE SAY NO?

MY MOM SAY, "NO, I CANNOT LEAVE MY MOM BEHIND."

HE ASK MY MOM, "HONEY... ARE YOU MARRY FOR YOURSELF, OR YOU MARRY FOR YOUR PARENT?"

AFTER A FEW SECOND, MY MOM SAY, "I'M SORRY.

I KNOW THAT WE ARE LOVE, "BUT MORE IMPORTANT IS MY PARENT.

"I HAVE ONLY ONE PARENT.

IF I LEFT, THEY GONNA BE DIE."

SO EVEN THOUGH YOU'RE SAYING YOUR MOTHER LOVED YOUR FATHER-- YES.

AND WANTED TO GO WITH HIM-- YEAH.

SHE JUST COULD NOT LEAVE HER PARENTS.

COULD NOT LEAVE A PARENT BESIDE.

AND SHE COULDN'T TAKE HER PARENTS.

NO.

ONLY THE WIFE AND THE CHILDREN ONLY, NOT--NOT THE PARENT.

SO SHE WATCHED THE MAN SHE LOVED LEAVE.

YEAH.

YES.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA HASN'T SEEN HER FATHER HENRY SINCE.

AS SHE GREW UP, SHE BEGGED HER MOTHER AN TO CONTACT HIM, BUT SHE REFUSED.

WHEN THEY FINALLY EMIGRATED TO AMERICA IN 1987, AN STILL DIDN'T FEEL SHE COULD INTRUDE ON HENRY'S LIFE.

TINA: MY MOM THINK THAT...

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME SO MY DAD ALREADY REMARRY.

SHE THOUGHT YOUR FATHER ALREADY REMARRIED.

SO, YEAH.

SHE DON'T WANT TO DESTROY ANY FAMILY, MOM.

THAT'S KIND OF A PERSON SHE IS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S NOW 4 DECADES SINCE TINA LAST SAW HER FATHER.

NOW LIVING IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA WITH HER FAMILY, SHE STILL LONGS FOR HIM AND WANTS HER CHILDREN TO MEET HIM.

WOMAN: YOU LOOK HAPPY, HUH?

SHE DOES, TOO.

GRANDMA DOESN'T REALLY SMILE IN PHOTOS-- YEAH.

BUT LOOK IN THIS.

SHE SMILING.

YEAH, SHE'S HAPPY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WITH JUST THAT SINGLE PICTURE OF HER FATHER, TINA'S ONLY FAMILY PHOTO OF HER PARENTS IS THIS COMPOSITE.

IF ONLY WE HAD A PHOTO OF THEM TOGETHER, HUH?

BUT THERE'S THIS.

DON'T YOU WISH WE HAD MORE?

I WISH.

I WISH I HAD A LOT OF PICTURE OF HIM OR [INDISTINCT], BUT WE LOST ALL.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE.

WOMAN: JUST BEING THE OLDEST, YOU KNOW, HEARING MY MOM TALK ABOUT HIM GROWING UP, I KNOW THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT SHE NEEDS IN HER LIFE.

SHE NEEDS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HIM.

SHE NEEDS TO FIND OUT IF HE'S STILL ALIVE.

[PHONE RINGING] HI, JULIET.

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY] ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA IS STILL IN REGULAR TOUCH WITH RELATIVES IN VIETNAM WHO REMEMBER HENRY AND HOW KIND HE WAS... [SPEAKING VIETNAMESE] BUT THEY ALSO REMEMBER HOW TOUGH IT WAS FOR TINA'S MOTHER AN AND HER FAMILY WHEN HENRY LEFT.

TO MAKE LIFE EVEN HARDER, IT WAS DANGEROUS AT THAT TIME TO HAVE AN AMERASIAN CHILD.

TINA'S MOTHER FORCED HER TO TRY TO LOOK MORE VIETNAMESE.

TINA: I HAVE TO STAY ON THE SUN TO BURN MY SKIN MORE TAN.

SO YOUR MOM TOLD YOU TO GO SIT OUT IN THE SUN.

YES.

SIT IN THE SUN.

OTHERWISE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMUNISTS WILL COME TO YOUR HOUSE AND GET YOUR-- YOUR WHOLE FAMILY GO IN JAIL.

SHE WAS AFRAID THE COMMUNISTS WOULD COME TO YOUR HOUSE-- YES.

AND THROW THE WHOLE FAMILY IN JAIL-- YES.

BECAUSE YOU WERE HALF-AMERICAN.

YES.

SO YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR DAD FOR 43 YEARS.

WHAT CAUSED YOU TO START LOOKING AGAIN FOR YOUR FATHER?

I HAVE A PICTURE OF MY DAD, HAVE ONLY ONE, AND I WANT TO SEE HIM.

YOU NEED TO GO FIND HIM?

FIND HIM AND SAY THAT I MISS HIM A LOT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BY THE TIME HENRY LEFT VIETNAM IN 1973, AN UNEASY PEACE HAD BEEN REACHED BETWEEN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH, BUT IT WOULDN'T LAST.

SAIGON FELL ON APRIL 30, 1975 WHEN THE VIETCONG INVADED.

IT WAS RENAMED HO CHI MINH CITY, AND HANOI IN THE NORTH WAS DECLARED THE NEW CAPITAL OF THE SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM.

[PEOPLE SHOUTING] WITNESSING THESE EVENTS FIRSTHAND WAS 7-YEAR-OLD NAM NGUYEN, WHO WAS LIVING IN HANOI AT THE TIME.

HE SPENT ANOTHER 4 YEARS LIVING IN VIETNAM UNDER ITS NEW COMMUNIST REGIME UNTIL HE ESCAPED BY SEA IN 1979.

[SIZZLING] YOU KNOW, AMERICAN FOOD, TO ME, IS VERY WONDERFUL.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW 50 YEARS OLD, NAM ENJOYS A HAPPY LIFE IN SACRAMENTO WITH HIS WIFE AND 4 SONS.

IT'S ALMOST READY!

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S A WORLD AWAY FROM THE LIFE HE KNEW AS A BOY.

IN MAY 1975, NAM AND HIS FATHER EMBARKED ON AN EXTRAORDINARY 900-MILE JOURNEY FROM HANOI TO SAIGON TO RECONNECT WITH FAMILY LOST DURING THE WAR.

YOU WERE 7 YEARS OLD, AND YOU TRAVELED FROM JUST NORTH OF HANOI ALL THE WAY DOWN TO HO CHI MINH CITY.

JUST YOU AND YOUR DAD.

YEAH, MY DAD AND I, YEAH.

AND YOU TRAVELED BY FOOT?

HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU?

I THINK IT TAKE A FEW WEEKS BECAUSE I REMEMBER THE DAY AND NIGHT, DAY AND NIGHT WE WOULD TRAVEL.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WHEN NAM AND HIS FATHER WALKED SOUTH, THEY COULD SEE THE DEVASTATION OF MORE THAN TWO DECADES OF WAR.

NAM'S CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF A WAR-TORN VIETNAM HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SOMETHING HE'S FOUND DIFFICULT TO SHARE WITH HIS FAMILY.

NAM: A LOT OF FREEWAY HAVE BOMB DROP ON THEM.

AND MOST OF THE BRIDGE-- BRIDGES WERE BROKEN.

AT NIGHT, YOU SLEEP ON A ROAD.

AND I REMEMBER ONE--ONE TIME, WE WENT IN-- IN THE CAMP... [NAM CLEARS THROAT] [SNIFFS] MY FATHER WOULD STAY UP ALL--[CRYING] ALL NIGHT.

IT'S ALL RIGHT, DAD.

HE HOLD ME IN HIS ARM... A LOT OF THING I NEVER TELL ANYONE, SO A LOT OF DETAIL I KEPT TO MYSELF.

SO, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU, UM...

WHEN YOU SPEAK ABOUT IT, WHEN YOU TRY AND TELL, BASICALLY, YOU--YOU-- [CLEARS THROAT] YOU RELIVING THAT MOMENT, AND IT VERY HARD TO GO BACK.

AND ABOUT 2 WEEKS AGO...

THIS IS THE STORY THAT THEIR FATHER NEED TO TELL BECAUSE IT'S A LOT OF PAIN, BUT BY SHARING THE STORY, YOU KNOW, IT HELP YOU TO HEAL.

WE BASICALLY GET PICK UP BY A NORTH VIETNAMESE MILITARY TRUCKS.

YOU KNOW, WE WAVING AND...

BOY: IT'S DEFINITELY HARD TO UNDERSTAND WHERE HE'S COMING FROM 'CAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE BOTH GROWN UP IN SUCH DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENTS.

YOU KNOW, HE'S GROWN UP, YOU KNOW, LIVING BY HIMSELF, RAISING HIMSELF, TAKING CARE OF HIMSELF, WHEREAS I AM RAISED BY HIM.

YOU KNOW, HE SHOWS US SO MUCH LOVE, HE'S A GREAT PARENT.

YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST SUCH DIFFERENT WORLDS THAT WE'VE LIVED IN.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BY 1979, 4 YEARS AFTER NAM'S ARRIVAL IN HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM WAS STILL IN CHAOS.

DESPERATE TO GIVE AT LEAST ONE OF THEIR 5 CHILDREN THE CHANCE OF A BETTER LIFE, NAM'S PARENTS MADE THE PAINFUL CHOICE TO HAVE THEIR RESILIENT 12-YEAR-OLD SON SMUGGLED OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

I THINK MY FAMILY WAS HOPING THAT I-- THIS IS A OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO ESCAPE AND GO TO ANOTHER COUNTRY WHERE I WOULD HAVE A BETTER LIFE, AND, UH... AND KNOWING THAT THEY RISKING MY LIFE, YOU KNOW, I THINK THEY'RE TAKING A CHANCE-- I DON'T THINK IT WAS EASY FOR THEM.

I DIDN'T REALLY TALK TO MY MOM.

SHE COULDN'T REALLY TALK TO ME, BUT ALL I REMEMBER WAS SEEING HER TEAR, THEY COMING DOWN FROM HER.

AND THAT'S THE LAST THING I REMEMBER FROM HER.

SO I KNOW IT WASN'T EASY FOR HER.

I THINK AT THAT MOMENT, SHE KNEW THAT SHE WILL-- SHE MAY NOT EVER SEE ME AGAIN.

ANN: IT'S NOW 38 YEARS SINCE NAM BOARDED A SMALL FISHING BOAT HEADED FOR THAILAND, LEAVING HIS FAMILY BEHIND.

NAM: BEING OUT HERE ON THE LAKE KIND OF GIVE ME A SETTING, SURROUNDING TO HELP ME TO REFLECT ON SOME OF THOSE MEMORIES.

AND I FEEL FREE.

YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT A WAVE KIND OF REMIND ME OF SOUTH CHINA SEA, THE OCEAN.

OUR BOAT WAS VERY SMALL, AND IT WAS FULL OF PEOPLE, A LOT OF YOUNG CHILDREN, AND I WAS ONE LITTLE KID.

[WAVES CRASHING] ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT WAS A PERILOUS JOURNEY IN AN OVERCROWDED FISHING BOAT.

ONLY HALF OF THOSE WHO TRIED TO LEAVE VIETNAM BY SEA SURVIVED.

NAM AND THE OTHER REFUGEES SAILED WEST ACROSS THE GULF OF THAILAND, BUT ON THE THIRD NIGHT, THEIR BOAT WAS HIT BY A VICIOUS STORM.

NAM: I COULDN'T SEE THE OCEAN, BUT I CAN FEEL THE HEIGHT OF THE WAVE AND THE DEPTH OF OUR BOAT WHENEVER IT DROP.

AND THE LIGHTINGS AND THUNDERS...

I WAS WET FROM THE RAIN AND WET FROM THE WATER FROM THE OCEAN.

[THUNDER AND LIGHTNING] I WOULD TRY HANG ONTO A STEP OF THE BOAT ALL NIGHT LONG BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THROWN OFF THE BOAT.

I WOULD TRY TO STAY AWAKE BECAUSE I WAS WORRIED THAT IF I FALL ASLEEP...

I--I MAY NOT SURVIVE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BLOWN OFF-COURSE, THE STRICKEN VESSEL WAS EVENTUALLY SAVED BY AN AID ORGANIZATION.

ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO TAKE THE REFUGEES TO THAILAND AND MALAYSIA, BUT THEY WERE TURNED AWAY.

EVENTUALLY, NAM AND HIS FELLOW REFUGEES WERE DROPPED OFF ON THE SMALL INDONESIAN ISLAND OF PULAU BUTON.

NAM: WHEN WE ARRIVE, IT'S JUST LIKE YOU LAND IN REMOTE ISLAND.

NOTHING THERE.

IT'S JUST VEGETATION--TREE AND GRASS, EVERYTHING.

SO OUR FIRST NIGHT, WE SLEPT, YOU KNOW, IN THE GRASS, ON THE GRASS.

AND OPEN SKY.

SO THERE WASN'T A REFUGEE CAMP THERE.

NO, NO.

WE WERE THE FIRST ONE.

SO YOU MADE-- WE MADE IT, YEAH.

YOU MADE IT A REFUGEE CAMP.

THE NEXT DAY, WE ALL GO IN THE FOREST, BASICALLY CUT TREE, CUT WHATEVER WE CAN FIND AND START MAKING OUR OWN HUT.

AND WE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE-- I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF WE HAD ANY KNIFE, ANYTHING.

WE DIDN'T HAVE ANYTHING.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: 12-YEAR-OLD NAM WAS LEFT TO FEND FOR HIMSELF FOR ALMOST A MONTH, SCARED AND WITHOUT HIS FAMILY, BUT THEN HE MET A MAN WHO WOULD CHANGE HIS LIFE.

GARY FERGUSON WAS A CHARISMATIC EX-SERVICEMAN WHO HAD USED HIS OWN MONEY AND RESOURCES TO TRY TO HELP THE REFUGEES.

HOW DID YOU FIRST SEE GARY FERGUSON?

I THINK WHEN I SEE GARY, I SEE THAT, UM...

HE IS SOMEBODY THAT I NEED AT THE TIME.

HE WAS FEARLESS.

HE NOT AFRAID OF ANYTHING.

AND KID LOVED HIM.

AND I WANT HIM--I WANT GARY TO LIKE ME.

I FELT I WANT HIM TO TAKE CARE OF ME BECAUSE I FELT KIND OF HELPLESS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: GARY ARRIVED IN FEBRUARY 1979 AND SPENT AT LEAST 3 WEEKS ON THE ISLAND BEFORE SUGGESTING THE REFUGEES MOVE ON.

HE COMMANDEERED A SMALL FISHING BOAT AND PERSUADED A FEW DOZEN OF THEM TO SAIL FOR SINGAPORE AND A NEW LIFE.

NAM WAS DETERMINED TO GO WITH HIM.

HE SHOW, UH...

THE DESIRE TO HELP PEOPLE, AND I FELT LIKE HE COULD DO IT, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT HE, UM, HE WANTED TO HELP THIS BOAT GET INTO SINGAPORE.

BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ANYONE ELSE THAT CAN LOOK OVER ME, AND GARY WAS THE ONLY ONE AT THAT TIME ON THAT BOAT.

HE'S THERE.

HE'S MY PROTECTOR.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT AS THE REFUGEES APPROACHED SINGAPORE, THEY WERE INTERCEPTED BY A GUNBOAT.

NAM: WAS FIRST THING I THOUGHT WAS, "WELL, AFTER THEY FIND OUT WHO WE ARE, WE'RE GONNA GET RESCUE."

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN SPITE OF THE DANGER, GARY WENT ABOARD.

HE TRIED TO TALK THE SINGAPOREAN AUTHORITIES INTO GIVING THE REFUGEES SAFE PASSAGE.

NAM: WE ARE ALL EXPECT HIM TO COME BACK QUICK WITH GOOD NEWS, AND I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

THEY TOLD US THAT WE HAVE TO GET OUT THE OCEAN.

WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, GET OUT SINGAPORE.

I WAS STUNNED.

I JUST COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

I THOUGHT HE WAS SOMEBODY THAT COULD DO ANYTHING.

HOW COULD SOMEBODY TURN GARY DOWN?

ANN, VOICE-OVER: GARY WAS ARRESTED AND JAILED FOR 2 WEEKS IN SINGAPORE.

THE REFUGEES WERE FORCED TO SAIL BACK TO PULAU BUTON WITHOUT HIM.

NAM HAD NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED TO GARY, BUT THE IMPACT OF MEETING HIM WAS FAR-REACHING.

GARY'S CONFIDENCE HAD INSPIRED THE 12-YEAR-OLD WITH THE COURAGE TO TAKE CHANCES.

NAM WANTED TO BE LIKE GARY AND COME TO AMERICA.

BUT BASICALLY, I LEARN A LOT FROM WHAT HE DID.

I SEE A FATHER FIGURE IN HIM.

THAT'S NOT--GARY REMIND ME OF MY DAD, EVEN THEY LOOK TOTALLY DIFFERENT, YOU KNOW.

BUT THEIR CHARACTER-- THEY HAVE THE SAME CHARACTER.

AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TELL HIM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: UNLIKE NAM, TINA DIDN'T ESCAPE VIETNAM SO QUICKLY.

[SHOUTING IN VIETNAMESE] OSTRACIZED AND PUNISHED BECAUSE OF AN AMERICAN FATHER SHE BARELY KNEW, SHE ENDURED MORE THAN A DECADE OF PERSECUTION UNDER THE COMMUNIST REGIME.

HOW HARD WAS IT LIVING IN VIETNAM HAVING THE FACE OF YOUR FATHER?

[SIGHS] I THINK ON MY CHILDHOOD NEVER HAPPY AT ALL.

YOU WERE NEVER HAPPY IN YOUR CHILDHOOD?

NO.

THEY THROW A ROCK AT YOU.

THEY WOULD THROW ROCKS AT YOU?

YES.

CHILDREN LIKE THAT MY AGE, THEY THROW A ROCK AT YOU.

SO I HAVE NO FRIEND VIETNAMESE AT ALL.

BUT NOT THE CHILDREN TO ADULT.

THEY SAY "DIRTY WOMAN," UH... LIKE A HOOKER, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

THEY WERE CALLING YOUR MOTHER A "HOOKER," "A DIRTY WOMAN."

YES, BECAUSE--BECAUSE YOU MARRY TO AMERICAN MAN.

SO EVERY WOMAN HAVE A CHILDREN AMERICAN MAN, YOU'RE GONNA BE PUNISHMENT FOR YOUR WHOLE LIFE.

DID THIS HAPPEN ONCE?

NO.

MORE THAN ONE.

EVERY DAY.

EVERY DAY?

EVERY DAY YOU GO SCHOOL, YOU WILL HAVE IT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: SUDDENLY, IN 1985, TINA AND HER MOTHER WERE OFFERED A WAY OUT.

THERE WAS AN AMERASIAN ACT, AS I UNDERSTAND IT.

THE U.S. GOVERNMENT DECIDED THEY WERE GOING TO OPEN THE DOORS TO CHILDREN OF U.S. SERVICEMEN IN VIETNAM.

THE GOVERNMENT IN VIETNAM, THEY SAY THAT IN AMERICA, THEY ACCEPT CHILDREN OF SOLDIER, SO MY MOM APPLY RIGHT AWAY WHEN SHE HEARD THAT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER LEAVING VIETNAM, TINA AND HER FAMILY SPENT 2 YEARS IN A REFUGEE CAMP IN THE PHILIPPINES BEFORE FINALLY ARRIVING IN THE U.S.

IN 1987.

MAN: FIRST PLANE BROUGHT 356 REFUGEES.

THEY WERE TAKEN INTO A PASSENGER TERMINAL, THERE TO UNDERGO CURSORY MEDICAL CHECKS, AND TO BE SORTED HOW MOST OF THEM WILL LIVE FOR THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: MANY OF THE VIETNAMESE IMMIGRANTS SETTLED IN CLUSTER COMMUNITIES WHICH BECAME KNOWN AS LITTLE SAIGONS.

THE LARGEST IS IN ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA, WHERE TINA NOW LIVES WITH HER HUSBAND AND 3 CHILDREN AND WORKS AS A CAREGIVER.

SHE HAS NEVER GIVEN UP HOPE OF ONE DAY FINDING HER FATHER.

TINA'S ENLISTED THE HELP OF HER ELDEST DAUGHTER VICKY IN HER SEARCH FOR HER LONG-LOST FATHER HENRY LAMB.

VICKY: I'VE TAKEN ON THAT BURDEN, YOU KNOW, TRYING TO FIND MY GRANDFATHER FOR MY MOM, BECAUSE I KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT SHE NEEDS.

SHE NEEDS TO FIND OUT THIS PART ABOUT HER LIFE IN ORDER TO FEEL COMPLETE.

SO, ROUGHLY BETWEEN 1968 AND 1970, UM...

THEY MOVED TO SAIGON AND THEY BOUGHT A HOUSE.

THEY RENTED A HOUSE.

THEY RENTED A HOUSE.

THEY RENTED A HOUSE.

SO REALLY ESTABLISHED A LIFE WITH GRANDMA.

YEAH.

YEAH.

YEAH.

SO I GUESS THAT'S ALL WE HAVE TO FIND HIM.

MMM... NOT MUCH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN THE HEART OF LITTLE SAIGON, TINA AND VICKY BEGIN THEIR SEARCH FOR HENRY.

THEY'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT HE WAS AN ORPHAN.

NOW TINA'S RELATIVES IN VIETNAM HAVE TOLD THEM HE HAD A DAUGHTER NAMED LESLEY FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE.

THEY ALSO THINK HE MAY HAVE SERVED IN WORLD WAR II.

THEY START BY RUNNING HIS NAME THROUGH A NATIONAL ONLINE DIRECTORY.

THEIR FIRST SEARCH REVEALS 100 POSSIBLE HENRY LAMBS.

IT'S MUCH HARDER THAN IT LOOKS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NEXT, VICKY NARROWS THE SEARCH BY LOOKING FOR A HENRY LAMB WITH A CHILD NAMED LESLEY.

VICKY: SO THERE'S 4...

SO THIS PERSON-- HIS NAME IS HENRY LAMB.

HIS WIFE'S NAME IS LUCILLE, AND THEY HAD ONE...

KID TOGETHER, WHICH WAS A SON, A BOY, SO THAT'S NOT HIM.

LET'S LOOK AT THIS ONE.

"TRUMAN LAMB."

HE WAS 10 AT THE TIME THAT...

THEY MADE THIS.

BIRTHPLACE: IDAHO.

MM-HMM.

WHAT IS THE HUTTON SETTLEMENT?

IT'S AN ORPHANAGE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S AN IMPORTANT CLUE.

IF TINA'S FAMILY IS RIGHT ABOUT HENRY NOT KNOWING HIS PARENTS, THEN IT'S LIKELY HE WOULD HAVE GROWN UP IN AN ORPHANAGE.

IF THE HENRY THEY FOUND IS TINA'S DAD, THERE'S POTENTIALLY BAD NEWS.

A BIRTH DATE OF 1920 WOULD MAKE HIM ALMOST 97.

THAT MEANS HE'S 10, 11 YEARS OLDER THAN GRANDMA.

MM-HMM.

I THINK THERE'S A POSSIBILITY THAT HENRY MIGHT HAVE PASSED AWAY ALREADY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS WEBSITE KEEPS A RECORD OF ALL VETERANS WHO'VE PASSED AWAY.

IF HENRY HAS DIED, THEY'LL BE ABLE TO CONFIRM IT AND LOCATE WHERE HE'S BURIED.

THERE'S THIS GUY.

CAPTAIN IN THE U.S. ARMY.

HE SERVED IN WORLD WAR II, KOREA, VIETNAM, AND HE PASSED AWAY IN 1989, AND HE'S BURIED IN HONOLULU, HAWAII.

SEEMS LIKE, YOU KNOW, HE COULD BE THIS PERSON.

AT LEAST I CAN COME TO SEE ON A GRAVEYARD.

THAT'S--THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT.

I NEED TO GO.

THEN WHEN I COME BACK, I CAN TELL MY MOM WHERE HE IS RIGHT NOW.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: EVEN WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT HER FATHER IS GONE, TINA HAS NO IDEA THAT HER SEARCH IS FAR FROM OVER.

NAM NGUYEN, WHO ESCAPED FROM VIETNAM IN 1979 WHEN HE WAS 12 YEARS OLD AND WAS INSPIRED BY A CHARISMATIC AMERICAN GARY FERGUSON, FINALLY ACHIEVED HIS DREAM OF COMING TO THE U.S. A FEW MONTHS LATER SPONSORED BY A SMALL CHURCH COMMUNITY IN NEBRASKA.

I ARRIVE IN U.S.

IN NOVEMBER 27, 1979.

IT'S, I THINK, AROUND THANKSGIVING TIME.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE CHURCH HAD BEEN MOVED INTO ACTION BY THE PLIGHT OF THE VIETNAMESE BOAT PEOPLE.

YOU GOT A SPONSOR.

YEAH, HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA.

IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA.

YEAH.

WE LANDED IN MIDDLE OF NOWHERE BECAUSE THE AIRPORT IS LIKE NOTHING-- SMALL BUILDING, RIGHT?

I REMEMBER, IT WAS SO-- IT WAS SO COLD, IT FEEL LIKE BURNING, YOU KNOW.

REALLY, REALLY STRANGE.

WHEN THE CAR WOULD DRIVING IN THE DARK WITH HEADLIGHT IN SNOW, AND IT LOOK JUST LIKE YOU IN SPACE, IN THE AIR.

YOU WERE FLYING IN SNOW.

THIS IS MY FIRST AMERICAN HOME.

THIS IS THE HOME IN KEARNEY, NEBRASKA.

THE CHURCH PUT ME IN THIS SCHOOL RIGHT AWAY.

THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH ME BECAUSE I COULDN'T TALK IN ENGLISH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ALTHOUGH MANY PEOPLE HAD HELPED NAM ON HIS JOURNEY, IT WAS GARY FERGUSON, THE INSPIRATIONAL AID WORKER WHO HAD MADE THE STRONGEST IMPRESSION.

YEAH, A LOT OF MY PHOTO LOOK LIKE COWBOY, BECAUSE I, UH...

I THINK IT KIND OF REMIND ME OF HOW GARY USED TO LOOK.

HE ALWAYS DRESS WITH LEATHER BOOT AND A COWBOY VEST, UH...AND HAT.

SO...

I THOUGHT I LOOKED REALLY GOOD AT THE TIME.

HA HA HA!

SEE, I HAVE A FEW OLD ADDRESS BOOK OR NOTES OF CONTACTS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BEFORE NAM LEFT THE REFUGEE CAMP IN INDONESIA, HE WAS GIVEN GARY'S HOME ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER IN ARIZONA.

HE LIVE IN FOUNTAIN HILLS, ARIZONA.

AS TIME GOES BY, I FEEL WORRY.

I DON'T KNOW IF HE STILL ALIVE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NAM THRIVED IN AMERICA, BECOMING A U.S. CITIZEN IN 1987.

HE SPENT TWO DECADES WORKING IN NEWSPAPER GRAPHIC DESIGN.

HE EVEN MANAGED TO REUNITE WITH HIS PARENTS AGAIN IN VIETNAM IN THE 1990s.

EVEN WITH A SUCCESSFUL CAREER AND LIFE AS A HUSBAND AND FATHER, HE HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN THE MAN WHO INSPIRED HIM TO COME TO AMERICA.

A FEW YEARS AGO, NAM APPEALED ONLINE FOR HELP IN FINDING GARY, AND HE HEARD BACK FROM A FRENCH PHOTO JOURNALIST WHO HAD BEEN ON THE BOAT TO SINGAPORE.

THE PHOTO JOURNALIST SENT HIM A SET OF REMARKABLE PHOTOGRAPHS.

NAM: IT WAS A TOTAL SURPRISE THAT I GET TO SEE THESE-- ALL THESE PHOTO, AND THEN ESPECIALLY WHEN I SEE MYSELF ON IT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THERE IS ONE PHOTO IN THIS ASTONISHING COLLECTION THAT STANDS OUT ABOVE ALL THE REST.

THAT'S GARY, AND THAT'S ME RIGHT THERE.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW CLOSE I WAS TO GARY.

IT WAS ONLY A FEW FEET.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THIS PICTURE WAS TAKEN SHORTLY BEFORE GARY BOARDED THE SINGAPORE GUNBOAT.

NAM NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN.

TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT HIS MYSTERIOUS HERO, NAM IS SEEKING THE HELP OF AN ARCHIVIST AT HIS LOCAL LIBRARY.

HE'S UNCOVERED SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION.

MAN: THIS IS THE ARTICLE WE FOUND, OK, THAT'S GONNA COVER GARY'S EXPERIENCE-- WOW, GARY?

AFTER YOU SAW HIM.

YEAH.

GARY?

MY GARY FERGUSON?

YEAH.

SO POST THE LAST TIME YOU SAW HIM, HE ACTUALLY CAME BACK TO SOUTHEAST ASIA AND ENDED UP GOING TO A CAMP IN CAMBODIA.

AND TO HELP THE FOLKS AT THIS CAMP IN CAMBODIA, HE LIQUIDATED SOME $400,000 OF HIS OWN MONEY.

WOW.

HE HAD SIGNIFICANT REAL ESTATE HOLDINGS BACK IN THE UNITED STATES-- WOW.

AND SO HE WENT AHEAD, SOLD THOSE OFF, USED HIS MONEY TO HELP THIS CAMP.

WOW.

GARY GOT THERE.

THE CONDITIONS WERE DEPLORABLE.

IT WAS A MESS.

AND HE QUICKLY WENT AHEAD AND TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS, WORKED WITH THE LEADERSHIP IN THE CAMP AND REALLY TURNED THINGS AROUND FOR THE CAMP.

OH, THAT'S THE KIND OF PERSON I REMEMBER.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

YOU'RE WELCOME, YOU'RE WELCOME, NAM.

THANKS FOR COMING IN.

NAM: WHAT I READ TODAY ABOUT GARY AND HIS SACRIFICE, YOU KNOW, I EVEN FEEL STRONGER ABOUT HIM.

I CAN'T WAIT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GARY'S WHEREABOUTS, AND I'M HOPING THAT HE'S ALIVE AND WELL.

I HOPE I CAN MEET HIM AND I CAN TALK TO HIM ABOUT MY STORY ON THAT BOAT RIDE TO SINGAPORE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AS NAM'S SEARCH BEGINS, 2,400 MILES AWAY, TINA AND VICKY'S SEARCH SEEMS AS IF IT'S COMING TO AN END.

THEY'VE ARRIVED IN HAWAII TO FIND THE GRAVE OF TINA'S FATHER, HENRY LAMB.

THE CEMETERY IS THE OFFICIAL RESTING PLACE FOR NEARLY 60,000 WAR VETERANS.

FOR TINA, THE VISIT IS ALL THE MORE SPECIAL BECAUSE TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HENRY'S 97th BIRTHDAY.

TINA: I'M HERE, FINALLY.

CELEBRATE MY DAD'S BIRTHDAY.

I HOPE HE CAN FEEL IT, THAT I'M HERE TO SEE HIM.

TINA: ROW 7.

LITTLE RAIN.

HENRY... DAD?

[SOBBING] [SNIFFLES] [CRYING] [CRYING] YEAH.

OH, I KNOW, MOM.

I KNOW, MOM...

I KNOW.

IT'S BITTERSWEET 'CAUSE WE WANTED TO SEE HIM IN PERSON.

I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MY MOM REALLY WANTED.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT WASN'T-- JUST--IT WASN'T POSSIBLE.

SO I THINK THIS IS, YOU KNOW, THE CLOSURE THAT SHE NEEDS, AND THIS IS LIKE THAT MISSING PUZZLE PIECE FOR HER LIFE THAT SHE FINALLY HAS.

[TINA SOBBING] [SNIFFLES] ANN, VOICE-OVER: BUT BEFORE TINA AND VICKY LEAVE, THE CEMETERY'S DIRECTOR HAS SOMETHING FOR THEM THAT OFFERS A NEW CHAPTER IN THE STORY.

WHEN YOUR FATHER, HENRY LAMB, WHEN HE WAS BURIED HERE IN 1989, HIS DAUGHTER LESLEY, WHEN SHE RECEIVED THE FLAG AND MILITARY HONORS, SHE DECIDED TO DONATE THE FLAG TO THE CEMETERY.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, HIS NAME WAS INSCRIBED ON A LARGE PLAQUE.

SO, IN APPRECIATION FOR YOUR FATHER'S SERVICE IN WORLD WAR II, KOREA, AND VIETNAM, I WANT TO PRESENT YOU...

IT SAYS, "CAPTAIN HENRY T.

LAMB."

PLEASE.

PLEASE.

MM-HMM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: WHILE TINA'S JOURNEY TO FIND HER DAD IS OVER, THE PLAQUE REVEALS SOME NEW INFORMATION ABOUT HER HALF-SISTER, SOMETHING TINA NEVER KNEW-- HER MARRIED NAME.

VICKY: WE CAN TRY TO FIND HER, NOW WE KNOW HER FULL NAME.

WE HAVE TO TRY AND SEE HER.

I HOPE TO SEE LESLEY.

ME AND HER IS-- SHARE THE--SHARE BLOOD WITH MY DAD.

I THINK--I BELIEVE IT IS THE--ONLY TWO OF US SHARE, SO I HAVE TO SEE MY SISTER.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: ARMED WITH LESLEY'S FULL NAME, TINA NOW HAS A CHANCE TO TRACK DOWN HER AMERICAN FAMILY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AS TINA SETS OUT ON A NEW SEARCH, NAM GETS A PROMISING LEAD ON HIS CHILDHOOD HERO.

I'M IN TEXAS, FIRST TIME IN MY LIFE.

THE LONE STAR STATE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NAM HAS FOUND OUT THAT TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY'S VIETNAM ARCHIVE HAS A RECORD OF GARY FERGUSON.

THE ARCHIVE HAS COLLECTED AND PRESERVED DOCUMENTS AND PHOTOS OF AMERICANS WHO SERVED IN VIETNAM.

I'M VERY HOPEFUL THAT WE'LL FIND SOMETHING ON GARY.

UM...TSK.

SO WE'LL SEE.

PRETTY BIG BOX.

YES, SIR.

THIS IS, UH, THE GARY FERGUSON COLLECTION.

YOU MIGHT RECOGNIZE SOME OF THESE PHOTOGRAPHS AND MATERIALS.

NAM: YEAH, THIS IS BUTON CAMP.

GOING INTO THE CAMP, THIS IS WHAT YOU SEE.

IT LOOKED TERRIBLE, BUT... YEAH?

WELL-- HEH HEH!

AT THE TIME.

NAM: IT'S LIKE A MIRACLE THAT WE WERE ALIVE.

THAT'S WHERE I MET GARY.

HE CAME AND VISIT THE REFUGEES.

AND HE DECIDED TO TAKE ANOTHER BOAT UNIT TO SINGAPORE.

STEPHEN: OH, THERE WE GO.

SO, IS THAT THE GARY YOU KNEW?

YEAH, YEAH.

THIS IS HOW HE LOOKED WHEN HE--WHEN HE...

THIS IS HIM AS A YOUNGER SAILOR.

HE WAS IN THE U.S. NAVY.

HE WAS IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

YES, UH-- FOR TWO YEARS, FROM '62 TO '64.

HE WAS IN THE NAVY, HUH?

MM-HMM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE COLLECTION EVEN INCLUDES AN AUDIO INTERVIEW WITH GARY, RECORDED IN 2014, ABOUT HIS CHARITY WORK IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

NAM, VOICE-OVER: YOU KNOW, THE LAST TIME I HEARD GARY'S VOICE WAS...

UH, 38 YEARS AGO, SO I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR HIS VOICE AGAIN.

HOPEFULLY HE'LL MENTION THE BUTON CAMP, OR EVEN BETTER, IF HE EVEN MENTIONED THE BOAT TO SINGAPORE.

GARY: I WAS READING AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER IN 1979 IN THE COMFORT OF MY HALF-MILLION-DOLLAR HOUSE.

AND IT TOLD ABOUT THE VIETNAMESE BOAT REFUGEES, AND I TOLD MY WIFE, I SAYS, "I WANT TO VOLUNTEER."

I WAS MAKING IT, MONEY ALL OVER AGAIN, AND IT BORED ME.

I WAS GAMBLING, I WAS DRINKING.

I WAS NOT A NICE PERSON.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NAM LEARNS THAT GARY SAW THE REFUGEE CRISIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TURN HIS OWN LIFE AROUND.

GARY: WE GOT OUT IN THE OCEAN TOWARDS SINGAPORE, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN, THERE WAS A GUNBOAT...

YES!

AND IT CAME RIGHT DIRECTLY TOWARDS US.

IT WAS ABOUT--MAYBE 100-, 150-FOOT GUNBOAT.

HAD, UH, INCH-AND-A-HALF GUN TURRETS ON IT.

AND IT CAME STRAIGHT FOR US... YEP.

AND THEN IT CUT OFF JUST AT-- IN THE NICK OF TIME.

I SAID, "MY NAME'S GARY FERGUSON.

I'M TAKING THESE PEOPLE TO SINGAPORE..." OH, MY GOD.

"AND THEN THEY'RE GOING TO AMERICA."

THIS IS-- AND THEY SAID, "NO, YOU'RE NOT. "

THIS IS A MIRACLE!

GARY: WELL, THE SEAS GOT ROUGH AND IT GOT DARK, AND THE REFUGEES, SOME OF THEM WERE SAYING, "LET'S--LET'S GO BACK, FIND THAT ISLAND."

YEAH.

NAM: HEARING GARY'S VOICE-- NOT ONLY THAT, HE'S TALKING ABOUT THAT BOAT JOURNEY THAT LIVED INSIDE MY HEART FOR, LIKE, 38 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, I FELT LIKE, WHEN I HEAR HIM TALKING ABOUT IT, I FELT LIKE I'M IN THAT BOAT RIDE--I MEAN, THAT OCEAN.

YOU KNOW, IT'S LIKE LIVING IT ALL OVER AGAIN.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AS NAM LISTENS, HE DISCOVERS SOME DISTURBING NEWS.

GARY: YEAH, MY WIFE PASSED AWAY, UH, DECEMBER 10, 2010.

OH... SHE WAS TAKING CARE OF ME WITH STAGE-4 KIDNEY FAILURE.

NAM: I'M WORRIED ABOUT HIS HEALTH RIGHT NOW.

FROM THIS INTERVIEW, IT SOUND LIKE HE, UM, HE WASN'T IN VERY GOOD HEALTH.

I'M REALLY HOPING THAT GARY'S STILL ALIVE BECAUSE I REALLY WANT TO MEET GARY.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: BEFORE NAM LEAVES, THE ARCHIVIST HAS ONE FINAL PIECE OF INFORMATION.

YEAH, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYTHING.

THIS IS GARY'S PHONE NUMBER FROM TWO YEARS AGO... WHOA!

REALLY?

AND SO HIS--WELL, WE HAVE HIS CONTACT INFORMATION WHEN HE VISITED US, AND WE HOPE THAT PERHAPS YOU'LL BE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT WITH-- THANK YOU SO MUCH.

WELL, IT WAS AN HONOR TO MEET YOU.

GOOD LUCK.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU.

TAKE CARE.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT I'M HOLDING GARY'S PHONE NUMBER, FINALLY.

I REALLY HOPE THAT HE'S ALIVE.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA'S FATHER, HENRY LAMB, WAS FORCED TO LEAVE VIETNAM IN 1973 AND RETURN HOME TO THE UNITED STATES.

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 12 YEARS, NO AMERICAN MILITARY FORCES ARE IN VIETNAM.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER HENRY LEFT, HIS FAMILY FACED AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE, WITH 3-YEAR-OLD TINA GROWING UP IN A COUNTRY THAT STILL VIEWED HER AS THE ENEMY.

TINA: THEY THROW A ROCK AT YOU.

ANN: THEY WOULD THROW ROCKS AT YOU?

YES.

UH, CHILDREN, LIKE MY AGE, THEY THROW A ROCK AT YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NOW, 44 YEARS LATER, AND AFTER A LONG SEARCH, SHE'S ABOUT TO MEET HER HALF-SISTER, LESLEY GUNDERSON.

TINA, VOICE-OVER: THINK IT'S GOOD FOR ME.

FINALLY, TODAY, THE MOMENT THAT I KNOW THAT I'M GONNA SEE MY...MY HALF-SISTER.

I'M HAPPY AND NERVOUS.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: IN HONOR OF THEIR FATHER'S SERVICE, TINA IS MEETING LESLEY AT SAN DIEGO'S MEMORIAL CENTER FOR VIETNAM VETERANS.

[SOBBING] [CRYING] LESLEY: YOU'RE SO BEAUTIFUL.

THANK YOU.

YOU LOOK LIKE DAD.

YOU LOOK LIKE DAD.

YOU HAVE--YOU HAVE-- OUR NOSE, TOO.

HA HA HA HA!

WE HAVE THE SAME NOSE.

HA HA!

OH!

[SNIFFLES] IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME COMING.

YEAH.

TINA: I WANT TO KNOW ABOUT DAD.

YEAH?

YEAH.

BROUGHT LOTS OF PICTURES.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: UNTIL TODAY, TINA HAS ONLY EVER SEEN ONE PHOTO OF HER FATHER.

LESLEY HAS BROUGHT AN ENTIRE FAMILY ALBUM.

LESLEY: THAT WAS TAKEN AT MY HOUSE IN EPHRATA.

HE WAS HOME FOR CHRISTMAS.

YEAH.

LESLEY: YEAH.

[SIGHS] OH, BOY.

SO MANY PICTURES.

AND THIS IS HIM, LIKE, 3 MONTHS BEFORE HE PASSED AWAY.

TINA: THIS IS MY DAUGHTER.

HI.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

HE KEPT HIS FULL HEAD OF HAIR.

HE NEVER LOST HIS HAIR.

HIS HAIR WAS ALWAYS...

IT WAS ALWAYS BROWN, AND THEN HE STARTED NOT USING GRECIAN FORMULA ON HIS HAIR, SO IT STARTED TURNING GRAY.

DID HE EVER ASK ABOUT MY MOM, OR DID--DID HE EVER BRING HER UP?

YEAH?

YEAH, MM-HMM.

LESLEY: HE TALKED ABOUT YOUR MOM.

AND THAT WAS A YEAR OR SO BEFORE HE DIED.

WE TALKED ABOUT VIETNAM A LITTLE BIT, BUT HE DIDN'T LIKE TALKING ABOUT IT BECAUSE OF ALL THE BAD MEMORIES.

YEAH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: TINA EXPLAINS SHE SPENT YEARS TRYING TO FIND THEIR FATHER, ONLY TO HIT DEAD ENDS.

I WISH THAT I CAN FIND OUR DAD EARLIER.

LESLEY: MM-HMM.

VICKY: SHE WENT TO THE RED CROSS.

TINA: AND, UH... CATHOLIC CHURCH.

YEAH, JUST TO SEE IF THEY CAN-- TO HELP.

GUIDE HER.

AND THEY SAY NO WAY THEY CAN HELP.

LESLEY: WOW...

SO MY--MY DREAM GONE.

AND YOU'RE HOW OLD?

17.

WAIT FOR 43 YEAR... UNTIL NOW.

BUT NEVER TOO LATE AS LONG WE STILL ALIVE.

LESLEY: THAT'S RIGHT.

THAT HAPPY.

YEP.

NEVER TOO LATE.

NEVER TOO LATE.

OH... [CRYING] ANN, VOICE-OVER: AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR, HENRY RETIRED FROM THE ARMY AND MOVED TO HAWAII.

HE WAS IN CONSTANT TOUCH WITH LESLEY UNTIL HE DIED IN 1989.

SHE NOW LIVES IN WASHINGTON STATE WITH HER PARTNER AND 2 GROWN DAUGHTERS.

OK. ANN, VOICE-OVER: SHE'S BROUGHT ALONG SOMETHING UNEXPECTED, SOMETHING TINA THOUGHT SHE WOULD NEVER HEAR AGAIN.

LESLEY: I HAVE A RECORDING FROM 1968 THAT DAD DID IN VIETNAM.

IT'S AN INTERVIEW WITH HIM.

MAN, ON RECORDING: HANK, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN VIETNAM?

HENRY: WELL, I ARRIVED IN SAIGON 22 OCTOBER.

THIS IS 1964.

MAN: BUT YOU HAVE A MESSAGE TO SEND BACK TO YOUR DAUGHTER LESLEY?

HENRY: WELL, I'D JUST LIKE TO TELL HER HELLO, THAT I MISS HER, AND EVERYTHING IS GOING ALONG-- WE ARE GOOD OVER HERE.

MAN: WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH SERGEANT FIRST CLASS HENRY T. LAMB, A KEY MEMBER OF THE MILITARY ASSISTANCE ADVISORY COMMAND IN VIETNAM.

WOW.

LESLEY: I ALWAYS WANTED TO HAVE A SISTER, AND 44 YEARS LATER, I FIND OUT I HAVE A SISTER.

I WANT HER TO MEET MY KIDS, BECAUSE SHE'S MY FAMILY.

OH, THANK YOU.

TINA: I DIDN'T KNOW THAT SHE LOVE ME THAT MUCH.

SHE HAVE TO STAY WITH ME, TELL ME MORE ABOUT DAD.

I WANT TO KNOW MORE.

LESLEY: IT WAS SO HARD TO KNOW THAT MOM AND DAD WERE BOTH GONE.

YEAH.

LESLEY: AND I JUST KEPT ON SAYING, "LORD, YOU KNOW, "WHY ARE YOU KEEPING ME HERE?

THERE'S GOTTA BE A REASON."

YOU TWO ARE MY REASON.

YEAH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: NAM NGUYEN ESCAPED FROM VIETNAM IN 1979 WHEN HE WAS JUST 12 YEARS OLD.

HE ENDED UP AS A REFUGEE ON A REMOTE ISLAND IN INDONESIA, SCARED AND WITHOUT FAMILY.

IT WAS HERE HE MET CHARITY WORKER GARY FERGUSON, SO LARGER THAN LIFE, HE SEEMED A HERO.

THEIR MEETING HAD SUCH AN IMPACT ON NAM'S LIFE, HE HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN HIM.

I WOULD LIKE TO TELL HIM THANK YOU FOR WHAT HE DID THROUGH THE PEOPLE ON THAT BOAT.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THAT WAS 38 YEARS AGO.

THEY HAVEN'T SEEN EACH OTHER SINCE.

NAM: THIS IS SO WONDERFUL, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IT.

AT THE SAME TIME, I'M THINKING ABOUT WHEN IT'S OVER.

I WANT IT TO LAST A LONG TIME BECAUSE I'M FEELING SO GOOD RIGHT NOW.

I'M GONNA GET TO SEE SOMEBODY THAT I BEEN WAITING FOR FOR SO LONG.

OH, MY GOD.

HI, NAM.

IS THAT YOU, GARY?

YES, SIR.

NO WAY!

LITTLE OLDER.

HA HA!

YOU HAVEN'T CHANGED A BIT EXCEPT YOU WERE 12, HUH?

YOU LOOK THE SAME.

MY GOD.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU.

OH, MY GOD.

OH, BOY.

BEEN A LONG TIME, HASN'T IT?

ANN, VOICE-OVER: THE LAST TIME THEY SAW EACH OTHER, NAM COULDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH, BUT EVEN THEN, HE KNEW WHAT HE WANTED TO SAY.

AND I ALWAYS WANT TO TELL YOU 3 LINES I WANT TO TELL YOU: "HELLO."

UM..."I AM NAM."

"I LOVE AMERICA, AND I WANT YOU TO TAKE ME TO AMERICA."

I WAS GONNA TELL YOU THAT, BUT I NEVER HAD A CHANCE.

YEAH, I WAS TAKEN OFF TO PRISON.

HA HA HA!

I DIDN'T KNOW.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

YEAH.

YEAH, I WAS ARRESTED FOR-- FOR TAKING THE BOAT OUT TO SINGAPORE.

UH-HUH.

YEAH.

YOU REMEMBER THE GUNBOAT?

YES, YES, YES.

ALMOST SUNK US OUT IN THE OCEAN?

I KNOW, I KNOW.

I GOT SO EXCITED BECAUSE I THOUGHT THAT WE GONNA GET TO SINGAPORE, AND WITH GARY, THAT THERE'S NO WAY THEY GONNA DECLINE.

WHAT HAPPENED WAS...

WHEN I GOT SO ANGRY AT THIS BOAT, THEY HAD THIS INCH-AND- A-HALF TURRET COME AROUND AND POINT RIGHT AT ME.

THEY SAID, "WHAT IS YOUR DESTINATION AND WHO ARE YOU?"

AND I GAVE 'EM MY NAME, MY SERIAL NUMBER FROM VIETNAM, AND--BECAUSE OTHERWISE, THEY'D HAVE BLOWN ME OFF THE BOAT.

DID YOU SEE ALL THE SAILORS WITH-- THEY ALL POINTING RIFLE AT US, YEAH.

YEAH, AT YOU AND AT ME AND EVERYBODY.

I THOUGHT WE GONNA GET BLOWN UP.

IT LOOKED REALLY SCARY.

YEAH, YEAH.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: GARY NEVER LOST INTEREST IN HUMANITARIAN CAUSES.

AFTER HIS 2 WEEKS IN JAIL IN SINGAPORE, HE WAS RELEASED AND SPENT NEARLY A YEAR HELPING REFUGEES ACROSS SOUTHEAST ASIA BEFORE HEADING HOME TO RAISE A FAMILY IN 1980.

HE NOW HAS 4 GROWN DAUGHTERS AND LIVES IN TEXAS.

WELL, THAT'S YOU!

YEAH, YEAH.

OH, YEAH!

SAME SHIRT, SAME SHIRT.

YES, YES.

I WATCHING YOU LIKE-- YOU USED TO GO AROUND-- YOU USED TO FOLLOW ME AROUND, DIDN'T YOU?

HUH?

YOU KNOW WHAT THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE, WHAT THEY CALL YOU?

HMM?

CRAZY.

CRAZY AMERICAN COWBOY.

HA HA HA!

NAM: HE STILL SO PASSIONATE ABOUT HELPING PEOPLE.

HE STILL A KIND PERSON.

I'M VERY HAPPY I GET TO MEET HIM.

I'M VERY THRILLED I GET TO TALK TO HIM AND SHARE WITH HIM MY STORY.

SO HE'S CRAZY AMERICAN COWBOY, LIKE PEOPLE CALL HIM.

WELL, GARY, I WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I'M VERY FORTUNATE THAT I GET TO MET YOU IN PERSON TODAY AFTER 40 YEARS.

OH, ME, I FEEL THE SAME.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

YEAH, AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I'M VERY, UM...GRATEFUL, THAT I ENDED UP COME TO AMERICA, AND I HAVE A WONDERFUL LIFE IN THIS COUNTRY.

IT WASN'T EASY.

NO.

I HAD A LOT OF, UM... UM, DIFFICULTY IN THE BEGINNING, BUT I NEVER FORGET.

I'M VERY LUCKY THAT I'M AMERICAN.

YEAH.

I LIVE IN THIS WONDERFUL COUNTRY, AND MOST OF ALL, I'M VERY PROUD THAT I GET TO KNOW YOU.

THANK YOU.

ANN, VOICE-OVER: HISTORY BOUND THESE PEOPLE TOGETHER WITH TIES STRONG ENOUGH TO SURVIVE DECADES OF SEPARATION.

NOW THAT THEY FOUND EACH OTHER, A NEW CHAPTER CAN BEGIN.

NAM, VOICE-OVER: I NEVER EXPECT THIS.

I MEAN, I ALWAYS DREAM OF MAYBE I GET TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO GARY; I DIDN'T EVEN THINK IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE IF I GET TO MEET HIM.

TINA, VOICE-OVER: WE ALL OPEN OUR HEART TO LET EACH ONE GO IN THROUGH.

LESLEY: IT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING IN THE WORLD.

I JUST HOPE AND PRAY THAT WE'RE TOGETHER FOREVER.

- [Announcer] Next time a survivor of 911 seeking the stranger who showed him the kindness he needed.

- Emily said you need a hug and I needed a hug.

- [Announcer] And an Army Chaplain at the Pentagon whose darkest hour was lightened by a fellow chaplain.

- I just went into a dark corner and just wept.

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