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Vanilla 1.1.5a is a product of Lussumo. More Information: Documentation, Community Support.

Other Refugee Camps »   Pulau Galang-Boat Number: TR040876--(1981-1983)

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    TR-040876 which consisted of 76 people on board and we landed at Terumpa Island in 1981. We were transferred to Kuku after one rainy night on our boat as the local and polices refused to let us get on land. We were at Kuku for two weeks and then onto Galang I.

    Thanks goodness for those opportunities and the people of Indonesia, we are now in the US...leading a successful life and have a great family to tend to.

    If you have any information about anyone on that boat, please post it here. I would like to reconnect with everyone on that boat. THANKS!!!
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    To be fair and be as realistic as it can be....most, if not all, people would not reach out to search for friends or companions who once shared the same fate, on the same boat... Of course, I am talking about people on TR-040876 who arrived first at Tarumba, Indonesia in early 1981 and then was transferred to Kuku for a two-week stay before headed to Pulau Galang I. At the same time, most of those with the same age then are now in the early 40 meaning they were under 15 then. With being just 15 then, they would not recall much of what happened then with an exception of one who started this forum and who has an incredible memory...really a wonderful treasure to keep.

    Let's connect!!! I am eager and anxious for a pulse. :=)
    • CommentAuthorCarina
    • CommentTimeJul 7th 2009
     
    Hi Thuc,
    It would be wonderful, if someone on TR-040876 finds you on this forum.
    Meanwhile, I am glad that we all connected because we were on the same 'boat' some 30 years ago. To be honest, although I remember many things about my journey then, there are things that just escaped my mind completely. I hope to bring back some old memories from exchanging our experiences through this forum.
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    Hi Carina,

    YES. I am very glad that I came across this site. It is the forum to make new friends, share experiences, and relive our past.

    That will be fantastic to reconnect with some old friends. Thanks to your efforts and heart/dedication that we all have a mean with a step forward/closer to one day we will achieve our objective.
    • CommentAuthorCarina
    • CommentTimeJul 11th 2009
     
    Mate! I am loving it, making the connections with old friends and make new friends who share something in common is wonderful. In addition, there are people who found this website and able to make their wish (of decades) come true is tremendous, it is so much more than I ever anticipated. UPDATE: Another person (15 years old when he escaped to Indonesia) just contacted me because he found the website, he lost his father and younger sister when their boat flipped over...what a painful experience he had to suffer in addition to his 'boat people ordeal'. I am privileged to be able to assist him to ease part of his pain. Will keep you all updated on this.

    C
    • CommentAuthordeau
    • CommentTimeAug 5th 2009
     
    Yes, after so many years living in Australia (24 yrs) but my memories of the journey, Kuku, Galang are still there, they were bad and good memories but I have to say that, the memories provided me with strength and they were my luggage to bring along my life. I plan to go back to Galang next year with the group called Van Kho Thuyen Nhan VN. You can register your name at www.vktnvn.com or www.vnbp.org

    I also hope to connect with friends that I know in Galang since 82 to 85, specially friends at minor barracks. I only remember first names like Thong, Tuan, Loc, Tri Men, etc

    De
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    Hi De,

    You might know me then but I played pingpong again Minor barrack in Zone 1. All of them knew me well and called me "MASTER" because I beat them badly in any of the games. We played in tournaments and I always got the first prize.
    • CommentAuthorCarina
    • CommentTimeAug 6th 2009 edited
     
    hi De,
    if you like some pictures I took from Kuku/Galang, send me an email to carinahoang@gmail.com
    • CommentAuthordeau
    • CommentTimeAug 7th 2009
     
    Thuc,

    Yes I will. I did not take many pictures in Kuku or Galang, so I will love to see those pictures and I may recognize some faces in the picture or your face. I am not very good of remembering names but my memories are full of pictures of Galang and KuKu
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    De,

    Please send me an email to davidthuctran@gmail.com and I will send you some pictures I took while in Galang I

    Thanks

    Thuc
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    I promised to upload those memorable pictures I took with friends at Galang time and again but to date I have not been able to do so...One last promise is that I am going to get them uploaded this week. :=)

    Thuc
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    I have just established a new topic labeled "Galang Pictures Repositories". Please check it out for pictures of 30 years past...
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    Thuc,

    I have a few friends who were in Terumba, Kuku, Galang 1, and then Galang 2 but I don't know their boat number. They arrived to Galang 1 around May 1981. I arrived to the camp by myself when I was 15 as an unaccompanied minor and also had lived in Galang 1 and Galang 2 for almost 18 months from March 1981 - July 1982. I was in Barrack Nha Tre 12 (zone 1) and knew some other minors in Nha Tre 32 (zone 2) and Nha Tre 68 (zone 3). Anyone who had lived in Barrack 12 during that time must have known me, Nguyen Phu Liem. However, I don't recognize you at all and don't have any recollection of you ever played pingpong against any of us nor always won the first prize in the tournanments, at least during my time there. Attached is a picture of some minors who used to live in Barrack 12 and one of them won the first prize in pingpong tournanment in 1981. If you played pingpong in every tournanment while you were there you must have recognized him. Cheers!
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    Hi Phu Liem,

    It is so great to finally get a response for this post. I was 14 when I arrived at Terumba, then Kuku (for two weeks), then onto Galang I and then Galang II. While I was there at Galang I in early 1981, I represented Zone 1 to compete in Ping Pong. To receive this privilege, I had to compete with everyone in Zone 1. The majority of the players at that time was from your barrack (Barrack #12). All those players at that time named me the "Master" because none could get more than 5 points out of 21 from me. :=) The competition for Zone 1 was played at a Barrack near the restroom on the outermost and also near the path to the stream where we took shower. The guy who organinzed the tournament was the one who lived near there and he also was a player who used to be in a team in Saigon who seriously competed for a living. Well, when I was in VietNam, I used to compete as well and also appeared on television a few times in Qui Nhon.

    In 1982, I moved to Barrack 87 after I reunited with my family (who came later). Then I represented Zone 4 and we won the first prize as well. In team competition, we got 1st place and in single competition, I got the 1st place for kids under 16.

    I think I noticed a few in the picture you posted. Most noticably is the guy standing on the left most. My recollection was that the guy who played great Ping Pong and also was the organizer of the tournament in our zone (Zone 1).

    I have attached a picture of me here to see if you can recognize me...

    Please pass on the word and let your friend knows if they can recognize me.

    Thanks and I am really happy that you came onto this site and posted a response.

    Also, my older brother and I did not live in the "Nha Tre" even though we were underaged.
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    Here is a story I wrote...Please enjoy: http://www.vietthuc.org/?p=3055
    • CommentAuthorleanh
    • CommentTimeMay 17th 2010
     
    Hi everybody !

    I was in Kuku on may.1981, and after 4 weeks I was transfered to Galang and I stayed there until march.1983. I was only 14 in 1981. My name is Le Anh and My older brother Le Ngoc Dao, who is 2 year older than me. We were minors during that time, and we stayed in barrack 68 (khu 3), and barrack 12 (khu 1).


    Today I live in Norway, and I do love to reconnect with people who know me and my brother.
    Tran Dinh Thuc, maybe I know who you are, but I am not sure. I played also pingpong, but I did not compete in any tournement.

    Anh
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    Hi Anh,

    I was also 14 at the time and my older brother was 16 at the time as well. We chose not to live in those barracks because of being minors. I played quite a bit of pingpong against almost everyone in Barrack 12 during that time and they called me the "King" and "Master" at the time. No one there could beat me at that time. I competed against about 15 guys there during one tournament and no one came close or even get more than 5 points against me. :=)

    I lived next to the Catholic church. I believed Barrack 21. I lived there until 1982 and then moved to Barrack 87 to unite with my parents who came later and then onto Galang II shortly thereafter. I came to Kuku in 4/1981 and stayed at Kuku for two weeks before transferred to Galang I. I left Galang in 3/1983. What a coincidence of the time you came and left the camp. Yours and I were pretty much at the same time. :=)

    My pictures were posted up there and do you recognize me. I think 30 years passed and our memory is no longer it is used to be :=)

    Thanks and welcome to this Site!

    Thuc

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