SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The sun set over hundreds of thousands of fallen soldiers at Miramar National Cemetery, ending Veterans day in San Diego.
It’s a day for many to reflect on stories untold…
"When those veterans die, it’s like a library burning down because they're taking those stories with them,” said Charlie Inot, a Vietnam War veteran.
…and also to tell their own.
“I just want to share my story and hope to help people heal,” said Pha Le, a Vietnamese-American refugee.
Vietnam veterans and their families met at the cemetery to do just that, among them was Pha Le.
“Every aspect of my life has been influenced by the United States being in Vietnam, I am a product of that war,” Le said.
Le says his father fought in the South Vietnamese Navy alongside Americans in the Vietnam War. He says American soldiers eventually helped his family evacuate and move to the United States for a better life. Now, he’s a doctor living in San Diego.
“For me, someone who did not have any freedom growing up, and was brought here by my parents, which I'm so grateful for, I think about that blanket of freedom everyday. That freedom, I never take for granted,” Le said.
Le’s is the story of the American Dream, made possible by those who serve. Le says he now volunteers his time in various veteran programs in San Diego and encourages others to give back to those who gave it all.
