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| Major Dalat poses with members of the USS Ranger Reunion Association in San Antonio, Texas |
Major Dalat explained that in 1981, as a 14 year old boy, he fled Vietnam with his mother, sisters and brother, in a boat that obviously was not prepared to handle the 138 refugees onboard. Major Dalat said that after 15 days at sea, people were dehydrating and starving. Imminent death is all around him.
He explained that hope was dwindling for him and his family’s survival, when a tremendously large “boat” rescued them. All of the surviving refugees were taken aboard this “boat” and immediately taken below decks, and provided care.
It wasn’t until days later, when this “boat” arrived at Subic Bay, Philippines that the refugees were allowed on deck (air operations were obviously over). At that point, Lan could not see the name of this “boat”, but did see a large number (61) painted on the “side”. (As we all know, carrier hull numbers are painted on both sides of the carriers “island”) He explained that this “number” was forever embedded in his memory.
Lan and his family spent 6 months on an island called Palawan, in the Philippines, at a refugee camp until they was processed, and eventually immigrated to Orange County in California.
Some time later, Lan remembers going into an army navy surplus store, and discovering a blue baseball cap with a ship on it with the number 61!!! It was at that time, that Lan discovered that the “boat” that rescued he and his family and the surviving refugees was, in fact, the ship the USS RANGER!!! He bought that hat and has it to this day! That Ranger hat has been the key to unlocking many mysteries in Lan’s life.
(We’ve got to keep in mind that in the mid 80’s there was no such thing as the internet, and Goggle, and “search engines” that today, open our eyes to the world and can provide the answer to any and all of our questions!)
Lan went on to say, that he completed High School in Orange County, and decided that since this country had been so good to him and his family that he wanted to do his duty to help “pay back” for the freedom that this country gave him. He said, jokingly, that he joined the Army “because I never wanted to be at sea again!” For the first time, the silence was broken, when the Ranger attendees roared with laughter!
Lan explained that he served his time as an enlisted man and was ready to further improve himself and enhance his opportunities, he needed to go to college, and did so. While in college, he was accepted to the Army ROTC program. He was determined to find the commanding officer of the USS RANGER that rescued him back in 1981 to commission him. (Again, without the Internet, what would you have done to find this out??) Lan contacted the Navy Department in Washington, D.C. He communicated by letter with Public Affairs Officer, Navy Ensign Wendy Snyder. He explained to her, the need to first: find out who that Captain was, and second: to locate him today!
Evidently, some real big “buttons” were pushed, as Lan said that the next thing he knew was that he was on ABC’s “The Good Morning America Show”, and he met Captain Dan Pedersen, for the first time, in front of million of television viewers!!! Captain Pedersen was thrilled to meet up with someone that had touched his life, and all those aboard the USS RANGER back in 1981. He quickly agreed to do the “pinning” and at some point that was accomplished.
Major Lan Dalat served in Korea where he met his wife, now a US citizen. They were married, and as part of an Army assignment, they were stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Landstuhl, Germany, Naples, Italy where his youngest daughter was born.
While serving in Germany, a Navy Officer came into Major Dalat’s office and noticed the baseball cap that said “USS RANGER”. He demanded to know why an Army Officer would have such an item prominently displayed in his office. After the Major told the Navy officer about his rescue by the USS Ranger he received a remarkable story, in return, from the Navy officer. That officer told him that he was aboard the Ranger in 1981 as a helicopter pilot, and was flying the actual “chopper” that was hovering over Major Dalat’s boat the day he was rescued.
To further test the limits of remarkable coincidences, this same Navy officer went on to tell Major Dalat that he was married to an Army officer of Major Dalat’s current command.
At the end of Major Dalat’s talk to our group that night, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience --- (I probably couldn’t have seen one, for the “moisture” in mine).
He profusely thanked all of us, for he and his families rescue. He thanked us for giving him the opportunity to become a citizen of this country. He thanked us for helping him become what he has become today. He thanked us for listening to his needed acknowledgement of our heretofore-unknown involvement in his life.
The truth be known, it was we, the Ranger shipmates and families that were so grateful that he came forward to tell one more reason for us to be so proud of the ship with whom we served or were associated! At the end of his “Thank you”, practically all of the people in attendance either came up to shake his hand, or give him a hug or have their picture taken with him.
My wife and I were lucky enough to sit next to Major Dalat during the BBQ and she asked him if he’d ever been back to Vietnam since escaping. He said that he has been back to his village twice, with his son Dan, who was named after the Skipper and two daughters Daisy and Hanna! He joked, that since he was Vietnamese, his wife Korean, and his daughter’s being born in Italy, he wanted them to see their “roots”.
My wife explained that she has been to Vietnam twice, and before the first visit was told all kind of tales that she wouldn’t be treated O.K. and that the Vietnamese would hate her for being an American. Major Dalat smiled and asked her about her experience with the Vietnamese people. (He seemed to already know the answer). She was treated wonderfully, and that’s what prompted her second trip back.
As my wife learned, 75% of the people today, alive in Vietnam, were not around during the “American War” ----as they call it.
What a night! I’m sure, like me, anybody connected with the Ranger will never forget that truly amazing story. I believe all of us cherish our experiences we shared aboard Ranger, throughout her career from 1957 to 1993. Major Dalat added another heretofore unknown chapter in Rangers final history, and gives us one more reason to try to keep her memory alive. We were all so grateful for Major Lan Dalat coming forward to share his story with us.
Joe Maxwell (1961-62)
At the end of Major Dalat’s talk to our group that night, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience --- (I probably couldn’t have seen one, for the “moisture” in mine).
He profusely thanked all of us, for he and his families rescue. He thanked us for giving him the opportunity to become a citizen of this country. He thanked us for helping him become what he has become today. He thanked us for listening to his needed acknowledgement of our heretofore-unknown involvement in his life.
The truth be known, it was we, the Ranger shipmates and families that were so grateful that he came forward to tell one more reason for us to be so proud of the ship with whom we served or were associated! At the end of his “Thank you”, practically all of the people in attendance either came up to shake his hand, or give him a hug or have their picture taken with him.
My wife and I were lucky enough to sit next to Major Dalat during the BBQ and she asked him if he’d ever been back to Vietnam since escaping. He said that he has been back to his village twice, with his son Dan, who was named after the Skipper and two daughters Daisy and Hanna! He joked, that since he was Vietnamese, his wife Korean, and his daughter’s being born in Italy, he wanted them to see their “roots”.
My wife explained that she has been to Vietnam twice, and before the first visit was told all kind of tales that she wouldn’t be treated O.K. and that the Vietnamese would hate her for being an American. Major Dalat smiled and asked her about her experience with the Vietnamese people. (He seemed to already know the answer). She was treated wonderfully, and that’s what prompted her second trip back.
As my wife learned, 75% of the people today, alive in Vietnam, were not around during the “American War” ----as they call it.
What a night! I’m sure, like me, anybody connected with the Ranger will never forget that truly amazing story. I believe all of us cherish our experiences we shared aboard Ranger, throughout her career from 1957 to 1993. Major Dalat added another heretofore unknown chapter in Rangers final history, and gives us one more reason to try to keep her memory alive. We were all so grateful for Major Lan Dalat coming forward to share his story with us.
Joe Maxwell (1961-62)
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