Tôi và anh Hưng cùng nhập ngủ vào mùa hè đỏ lửa 1972 và cùng thụ huấn tại Đồng Đế Nha Trang và cùng về phục vụ tại Nha Kỹ Thuật, tôi ở Đoàn 72 và anh ở Đoàn 71. Đoàn 72 ở phía biển Tiên Sa và Đoàn 71 ở bên kia núi Sơn Chà, những ngày không đi hành quân anh em chúng tôi thường qua Đà Nẵng uống cafe hoạc đi dạo phố. Một hôm tôi gặp anh lúc nữa khuya tại bến đò để qua sông Hàn và về lại Sơn Chà vì quá khuya nên không còn đò và anh em chúng tôi ngủ ngay tại bến đò. Hừng sáng hôm sau mới đi chuyến đò đầu tiên về lại đơn vị. Bây giờ cũng đã 50 năm, mỗi lần nhớ lại cuộc sống lang bạt sau những chuyến công tác hiểm nguy trở về, sau ngày đó cuôc chiến mỗi ngày mỗi bùng lớn thêm, chúng tôi đi hành quân liên tục và ít gặp nhau và dòng đời cứ mãi trôi cho đến 30-4-1975 theo đơn vị di tản qua Phi Luật Tân, rồi đảo Guam, đảo Wake và 2 trại tiếp nhận tỵ nạn lớn nhất ở Hoa Kỳ là Marines Camp Pendleton ở Oceanside và Fort Chaffee Arkansas, anh em chúng tôi chia 2 nơi, một số ở miền tây California và số còn lại ở miền Trung nước Mỹ như Oklahoma, rồi Texas,  sau một thời gian ổn định cuộc sống chúng tôi là có dịp gặp nhau trong các Đại Hội Nha Kỹ Thuật, những lần đi Field Services có dịp ghé qua Houston hay New Orleans tôi thường ghe qua thăm anh và thỉnh thoảng cũng gặp nhau rất thường xuyên khi có dịp và từ đó hâm nóng lại tình chiến hữu. 

Mấy hôm nay trong website này một số các bạn viết về anh Hưng rất chính xác và diễn tả rất xác thực về anh Hưng một quãng đời thật dài sau chinh chiến anh Hưng không bao giờ thay đổi.

Lần sau cùng gặp nhau trong Đại hội 17 tại Dallas và anh em chúng tôi ở nhà Hảo có dịp hàn huyên nhiều và cũng là lần cuối sinh hoạt với nhau, một quãng đời 50 năm trôi qua và là những người bạn luôn nhớ mãi trong đời sống.

To the average passerby, Anh Hưng might have been remembered for the impressive mustache that accompanied the otherwise unassuming humility with which he carried himself. But to those who knew him at all, he’ll be remembered for his patience, generosity and kind heart.

Anh Hưng’s patience was seen every time he’d teach us something new. He taught me to drive when no one else would. He never got mad when I drove too fast or hit the brakes too hard, even though he had to replace them along with his tires after I got my license. He also taught me how to use and maintain a Swiss army knife when he took us fishing. Once, I didn’t have a towel to clean my knife, so I tried to lick it instead, and he ran over, trying so hard to keep me from hurting myself!

His generosity was evident any time my family would visit him and chi Vinh in Angleton. He would make us elaborate meals and always offered the best of whatever he had. We’ll always remember him as such a great cook. To this day, I still keep recipes he shared. Every time we saw them, both him and chi Vinh would make sure we had the best food and the best time possible.

Whenever we came to visit, anh Hưng would take our whole family crabbing. I always had so much fun. I will never forget the car rides to his secret fishing spots. We’d always try to cram 10 people in his car, piling one person on top of another. Every time a cop car would pass by, we’d all yell and duck our heads. We’d burst with laughter, hoping nobody would notice how many of us we’d managed to pack in there, and after we got back there was always a feast. It is such a gift that I get to hold these trips among my most cherished memories.

Thank you, anh Hưng, for all of the memories that you left us with. I know I speak for everyone when I say, we love you dearly and we all miss you so very much.

Anh Hung has been in my life for about 45 years. When I was a boy, he would always correct me when I told people that he was my brother-in-law. In his mind, we were just brothers - not “in law”. That’s how much he loved my family. It was unconditional love.

I spent the night with him and Chi Vinh many times in their apartment when they first got married in Tulsa. I even spent the whole summer with them when they first moved to Angleton. In hindsight, I was 10 years old that summer and think they were just practicing parenting on me so they could get it right with Julie. So I will take a lot of the credit for how well Julie has turned out.

Anh Hung and I did a lot of things together - just us two. I was obviously his favorite in my family of 7 other siblings. He taught me how to fish and play tennis. That summer in Angleton, we played tennis almost every day. Anh Hung bought me my first tennis racquet. He was like the John Daley of tennis, running and hitting that tennis ball with a cigarette in his mouth. To his credit, I’m still playing tennis now and still love the game. In fact, all 4 of my own kids play tennis.

He also took me fishing a lot, but I never acquired a liking to it. I was not as patient as he was. He was a serious fisherman with one of those extra-long poles. I remember one time we were fishing at the Texas gulf when he cast his line and the pyramid-shaped bigger-than-normal sinker hit me in the head. My scalp bled, but he was quick to act and used his military survival skills by putting nicotine from his cigarette on my wound which stopped the bleeding.

That summer Anh Hung and I formed a bond that I never had with anyone in my family. We hung out more than any of my other brothers and sisters. I will cherish those memories forever.

He was the first of many things for me. On one of the days that I spent the night at his apartment as a little boy, he saw me playing with his radio alarm clock. He knew I liked it so he told me just to take it home. He was very generous. He also bought my first bicycle which I used to ride to school for many years. Not long after he bought that bike for me, someone stole it! He actually drove me around the neighborhood and found it in a neighbor’s garage on the next street over. He confronted the homeowner and learned that the neighbor’s son stole it so he was able to get it back for me. I was scared that he was going to get into a fight with this white guy twice his size. His calm and gentleness was all that was necessary. In fact, I have never seen him mad or yell. In many ways, he was my hero.

Not everything he did was perfect. He let me drink alcohol for the first time. We played blackjack, and the loser would have to take a shot of Cognac. It tasted like cough syrup, and I was pretty proud that I could handle it. However, after 3 shots, I quickly got sick and threw up. I was only 9 years old! Like I said, he was practicing parenting so hopefully Julie did not have to experience that. I did learn quickly my distaste for alcohol and rarely drink as an adult. Perhaps that was his plan.

Anh Hung was a humble man. He was kind and patient. These are the best virtues God looks for in all of us, so I know he will be in Heaven. I have learned many things from him. He and Chi Vinh raised an amazing daughter. I am fortunate that he was a part of my life.

I love Anh Hung very much and will miss him dearly. I will always pray for him, and I know he will pray for me. I look forward to seeing him in the heavenly kingdom of God.

Eternal rest grant unto Anh Hung, O Lord,

and let Your perpetual light shine upon him.

May his soul and the souls of all the faithful departed

rest in peace.

St Dominic, pray for Anh Hung.