Blown by the Wind

By Francesca Moran

It's a tale of two families of Irish and English descent and that of Vietnamese , Chinese , and French , dated from 1620 to the present , leading to an unusual love story spanning over several continents . Their lives were met with struggles, hardships, failures , and success throughout , witnessing different political upheavals abroad and at home, adapting to various cultures while sharing their sacrifice and love for each other for their survival.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Oct 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728322926

Francesca Moran

Author Francesca Moran got both French and American education. Her hobbies are literature, music, fashion designing, cosmology, and gardening. Author Ezra Moran displays his passion in music via playing both the piano and guitar, among other wide range of intellectual interests.

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© 2019 Francesca Moran. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 11/04/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-2291-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-2292-6 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2019911757

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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Contents

Chapter I America From 1620 On…

Chapter II Vietnam From 1904

Chapter III Landing In The Us—From 1963

Chapter IV The Us From 1969

Chapter V The Us And Vietnam From 1970

Chapter VI The Us And Vietnam From 1971

Chapter VII Vietnam From 1971 To 1972

Chapter VIII The Us - 1972

Chapter IX The Us 1974- 1981

Chapter X Thailand- 1981- 1984

Chapter XI Germany And Europe- 1984—1987

Chapter XII Canada -1987-1991

Chapter XIII The Us - 1991- 1994

Chapter XIV Thailand - 1994-1997

Chapter XV The Us- From 1997 On….

Chapter XVI The Final Years

Chapter XVII The Final Months

Chapter XVIII Post Funeral

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CHAPTER I

AMERICA FROM 1620 ON…

1620 –The North family in search of religious freedom and economic opportunities boarded the May Flower to America and settled in Connecticut, New England.

Miriam North’s ancestors settled in East Berlin, Connecticut. Graduated with a Bachelor degree in Chemistry in 1929, at 22 years old, she got a job as a librarian in Baltimore, Maryland. While Russell North, her brother remained in Connecticut.

1845- 1852 — Ireland suffered an enormous potato famine. Greg, a very young man, trying to steal a horse, was arrested and about to be hanged. Fortunately, he was able to escape to Dublin, the capital. There, there was a cargo ship on its way to New York, America. Defying again the odds, with the help of his friend, the sailor, he sneaked aboard the ship and hid in the cargo compartment. Half way across the Atlantic, while inspecting the cargo, the captain discovered a real surprise:

–- Well, well! I don’t think you’re one of my crew men, do I?

–No, sir!

–What’s your name?

– Greg, sir.

– What’s your surname?

– Just Greg sir!

Captain Jack yelled out loud to one of the sailors, on the deck:

– John, come down here, and get this guy out of here.

– Aye, sir!

They all went up to the deck. And Captain Jack ordered:

– Give him his last meal. Then tie him up. We’re going to throw him overboard to-morrow.

Followed by another comment:

– Already short of food and water, no need to feed an extra mouth!

The next day, they discovered one of the sailors had just died from illness.

Captain Jack:

– I think we just have to change our plan, (adding) – throw Jim (the dead sailor) overboard, and untie Greg.

After the order had been executed, Captain Jack turned to Greg and said:

– Young man, I’ll keep you, but you ‘d have to work on ship for a total of 3 trips, New York, then New York - Dublin, and Dublin - New York again. I’ll let you land on the last 3rd sailing. Agree?

– Agreed, Thanks Captain!

– Alright! Now get to work!

When the Dublin ship accosted NY, while helping unloading the cargo, Greg Moran sneaked off, headed for the City. He did odd jobs for a while and went homesteading in the Midwest, South Dakota, where he toiled in the fields and started a family. Their descendants continued the farming business until 1930’s when they lost the land and the business during the Depression.

One of the Moran’s descendants, John P. Moran, son of Mary Gordan Moran opened his own barbeshop.

John P. Moran later tied the knot with Martha Helen Graig, daughter of the

Graig’s family. The union brought forth 3 children, Clarence, Leo, and Ruth.

FAMILY TREE

Graig’s family Moran’s family

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Martha Helen Graig married John P. Moran

Their children: Clarence, Ruth, Leo

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Life was peaceful in a small town. While growing up, Clarence after school, used to help his Dad in the barbeshop by sharpening knives used to raze customers’ beards. At home in Winter, he and brother Leo shoved the coal into the coal storage for fireplace use when in need. Ruth helped out her mom with house chores. Like all kids, they grew up: Leo got a bachelor degree in Engineering and also tied the knot with a very beautiful music teacher, Jean for he was a real music fan himself. While Clarence finished his medical school and headed for John Hopkins hospital for his internship where he met his future wife Miriam North at the library.

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After their wedding in August 1935, Clarence, an Irish American took his new British American lovely bride back home, South Dakota. It was a long journey by train, zigzagging across the country. But for the two newlyweds, it was the most exciting experience of their lives!

There, Dr. Moran went into private practice with his cousin, Dr. Tobin.

Back then, the English Americans, being the 1st settlers had had a firm footing in business here, often denied job applications to Irish Americans. A discrimination dated back in their former homelands.

Now being married, Miriam converted herself from a Protestant to a Catholic. And despite the political and social head winds, the Moran’s just led a very religious and a good family life.

Fast forward in World History

World War II began in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland. But the 1st official declaration of the war was on September 3rd, 1939 by France and Great Britain to Germany, due to the treaty obligation with Poland. The US got actively involved only after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, on 12/7/1941. Needless to say everyone was drafted for the war.

As the result, Dr. Moran was called for duty to Hawaii to treat wounded soldiers, leaving his young wife and 3 small kids, John, Margaret, and David on the mainland. Meanwhile his younger brother, Leo was enlisted in the Air force.

It was told that Leo was assigned to fly over England to support the royal Air force one evening, but was called off duty, for the officers had a party in Washington and needed him as a pianist instead. The other American pilot who had gone in his place, unfortunately was shot down by the Nazi planes.

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Not trusting Japanese Americans, the US forced all of them into internment camps. Having three kids, John, Margaret, and David, barely a year old, and with her husband gone, Miriam got some help from a Japanese American lady, which had spared her from camp internment.

1945– World War II ended.

Back home to the mainland, Dr. Moran started a new job at St. Joseph Hospital as a pathologist and Head of the Hospital Laboratory. They moved into a newly bought house of 11 bedrooms, in a classy neighborhood. The Japanese American lady went back to her family, in Hawaii. Now with more children, Kathy, Dodo, Rebecca, and Barbie, they had a new helper, Ono.

Barbie, since she was the baby in the family, got the most attention from everyone. She never fought with anyone, and was the apple in David’s eyes. As for David, among all kids, he stood out as adventurous, eloquent, musically talented, but stubborn and hard for his parents to keep him in line to their standard. But at the same time, they were quite proud of him with his school accomplishments.

Kathy and David had a common hobby which was music. Older brother John, was more into sport, and David into reading and playing the piano, just like his Dad and uncle Leo. As a young boy, around 8, he joined the altar boy group, and loved going fishing by himself down the river. One Summer afternoon, pretty close to dinner time, with him nowhere in sight, his mother began worrying. When he showed up at the door, she asked:

– David, why did it take you so long to come home?

– Sorry, mother! (showing one fish in his bucket) I had to stop once in a while to let the fish swim a bit in the puddles to keep him alive!

It’s fun to grow up with lots of siblings. You never get lonely and always have someone to play with. But on the other hand one can get into trouble as well. That day surely came:

John (10), David (8), and Kathy (4) were playing good guys vs. bad guys .

The trio running around in the family room:

– Get him! Get him David, the bad guy! Kathy shouted.

David jumped right on John and gave him a bloody nose.

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– Mother, David hit me!

Miriam ran into the room, hysterical, phoned her husband at the Hospital.

Rushing home, taking care of John:

– You’re going to be alright John!

Annoyed from being called off work, nevertheless, he said in a very calm voice:

– Miriam, you’ve got to learn how to control the kids!

After finishing High School, David wanted to join the Seminary against his Dad’s advice:

– Now, David, why don’t you finish your college education first, and by then if you still want to enter the Seminary, it’ll be fine.

– Dad, I’m sorry, I stand firm on my vocation choice. I’d be miserable otherwise!

Being in the seminary for 2 months, David began missing home and a normal life. But because of being proud and stubborn for standing up to his Dad, he’d have been so embarrassed to leave the seminary on his own. Then one day came the opportunity: Another seminarian, his roommate brought some beer into their room. The priest found out about it. David took the blame in his place and was asked to leave the institution. That indeed had served his purpose! Now in college, with freedom, he started dating. Quite popular with girls, but nothing was serious.

1962–

The US began getting involved with Vietnam. With the memory of World War II, still imprinted in his mind, Dr. Moran sent David to Germany under an exchange student program for his last year in College. He lived with a German family, in Cologne, while their son came and lived with his folks, attending college as well.

1963–

Having had completed his Bachelor of Art in Economics, he flew home. As soon as he got off the plane and touched foot on US soil, he was notified for a military draft. His father immediately got him enrolled in ROTC.

1964–

After the ROTC graduation, he joined the Army as a Lieutenant and was sent to Ethiopia as an Intelligence Officer, working at his desk only.

Ethiopia is a lovely and peaceful country. Due to its high altitude above sea level, it enjoys a mild and comfortable climate. In addition, the people are very nice and hospitable. It was a smooth sailing place for a military job.

As an officer, David lived off the military quarter. He had some domestic help, Lya, a woman in her 30’s, with 5 kids to feed, and a husband working in the field. She cooked and cleaned the house. Every morning David offered driving her in his military Jeep to the market to buy whatever she would need to cook for the day, for everyone! He just felt so sorry for the family.

Satisfied with his job and new life, but getting itchy with adventures, he went to his boss’s office one morning and knocked on the door:

– May I come in?

– Sure, come on in, lieutenant Moran.

– Thanks sir (accompanied by a salute)

Sitting behind his desk, Captain Johnson looked up at him:

– A new report to be discussed, Lieutenant?

– No sir!

– Then, what’s up?

– Captain, would it be Ok that I get a motorcycle?

– What’s wrong with the military Jeep?

– Nothing wrong Sir! I mean, getting a motorcycle on my own to ride around town on my spare time!

–No, absolutely not, lieutenant!

Disappointed, he saluted Captain Johnson, turned around, and walked out. Still fuming over his boss’s decision, a week later, he submitted his request to be transferred out of Ethiopia.

1966—

Captain Johnson gladly accepted it. Two weeks later, Lieutenant Moran was shipped to Vietnam, a country in the middle of a war. Cooped up in his Saigon office all week, performing his Intelligence task, with no safe place to go, no Concert, no Opera, no Sport, David began feeling homesick

1968 –Tet (Vietnamese New Year)

While he and 3 other officers had a meeting at one of the Hotels in Saigon, all of a sudden, they heard some loud noises. The hotel workers assured them:

– Oh! Just fireworks. That’s the way we celebrate New Year here!

Then, came some more. This time it sounded like an explosion. Everybody rushed out to the 3rd floor balcony to take a look:

– Oh, My Gosh, the Viet Cong (Vietnamese Communists)! Cried one waiter.

Three men in black clothes, below, aiming their rifles up, toward them. Quickly, they all ducked and crawled back inside. One of the officers:

– Captain Moran, Saigon is being attacked!

David Moran:

– We’re being attacked! Hurry up! Let’s get out of here!

David and the 3 officers ran down to the 1st floor and out through the trash room’s back door.

Facing the 1st time the danger of war, he decided to change the course of his career, took a written test sent to him by the State Department while in Vietnam. He passed with flying colors. But it required at the time the applicant to know 2 foreign languages real well. Knowing only German, he would have to learn a second one. But how? Then something came to his mind: Ah! the DLI (Defense Language Institute in California). Since the whole time he was in the military, his work was solely focused on Intelligence. Therefore, his application to attend DLI was accepted without any difficulty. They shipped him to Monterey, California after 1968 Tet offensive for Arabic language training.

1969–

After mastering Arabic, David passed the oral test with the State Department, got an honorable military discharge and joined the new agency.

Fast forward to 1953 in the US and Vietnam

The Vietnamese Resistance under the name of the Nationalist Party led by Ho- Chi- Minh defeated the French. Vietnam got its Independence officially in 1954 after winning the fierce battle at Dien- Bien- Phu. But the country was divided at the DMZ (Demilitarized zone), at Ben Hai river, on the 17th parallel, North latitude.

The North was governed, at first, by the so called Nationalist Party led by Ho-Chi- Minh. It later on took up Communism, which was more affiliated with Maxism.

The South was governed by President Ngo-dinh -Diem, inclining toward Democracy.

1953 - 1961 –

After the French defeat in the 1st Indochina war (Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam), Dwight Eisenhower, the US president, for fear of Communist expansion around the globe, with Russia and China at the helm, started supplying weapons to South Vietnam unofficially.

1961-1963–

John Kennedy, an ardent believer in containing Communism, began the war, trying to stop communism from going South. Despite coming from a well to do family, his domestic policy was inclined more in helping the unfortunate. However, as the 1st Catholic President and of Irish descent, he met real headwinds with his ideology, and was assassinated in November 22,1963.

1964 - 1969 –

Vice president Lyndon B. Johnson succeeded him as the new President and keenly continued his foreign and domestic policy.

As Vietnam, the center of focus, the US was battling on 2 fronts, the military one and the diplomatic one to win the heart of the South. AID, the Agency of International Development, part of the State, was short of people. So any junior FSO (foreign service officer) who just joined the Department was lent to AID and promised for a promotion followed by the end of a 2 year assignment. David fell into that category and was sent to FSI (Foreign Service Institute), in North Arlington, Virginia, for Vietnamese language training.

Among other foreign language classes, the Vietnamese Department was the largest at the time.

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CHAPTER II

VIETNAM FROM 1904

According to my maternal grandma Nguyen- thi- Nu, she came from a very poor family in Bien- Hoa province, 20 miles from Saigon, the Capital of South Vietnam. My grandfather Luong -van- Than was born in Fukien, a Chinese province near Vietnam northern border. He came from a very large family with lots of siblings, too big for his parents to feed all of them. So when reaching his teenage years, he decided to take off and went South, to seek his own fortune. Finally, when he got to Bien- Hoa, he met my grandma. They fell in love and tied the knot. They lived in a small hut with a dirt floor and a thatch roof, built with the help of her relatives.

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He toiled in the rice field for landlords for a while. Then later on, he started collecting glass bottles and sold them back to companies. Saving all his earnings with my grandma’s help, they were able to move into a small house and started a family in Cho-lon, a crowded China Town in Saigon where he then began investing in commercial real estate. As years gone by, he could afford a very fancy spacious house built in Spanish style on Cong- Ly St, a prime residential location, across from the French Boy’s High School, Lycee Jean Jacque Rousseau, and a block from the French girl’s High School, Lycee Marie Curie.

The residence structure was built like a square. On the South side, a large entrance led into a spacious foyer where stood in the middle a big bronze statue of muscular Hercules the Greek God, carrying the Globe on his shoulders. The right side had a spacious living room, and the left side the dining room. Both East and West sides of the house were lined with bedrooms. The North side was occupied by the kitchen, the maids’ quarter and the garage. In the middle of the square resided a garden with a big tree in the middle, surrounded by shrubs and flowers, garnered with white smooth round pebbles. The residence was 50 ft in, from a line of green shrubs served as a fence between the property and the large public paved side walk lined up with tamarind trees.

All the while, they had 2 kids, my uncle Hai and my mother Dung. They gathered a household of helpers, a driver, and an assistant/accountant whom I addressed as Bac Nam (uncle Nam for respect). As inside household help, Grandma had a cook and 2 maids.

Followed by success, he expanded his business into purchasing the horse race track in Phu-Tho, in the suburb of the city, a rock quarry on the Chau- Thoi mountain in Bien -Hoa, in nostalgia of their romantic time in the past.

Then he eyed land in Bao- Loc area where my grandma said its components embedded with reddish color are very fertile, due to the volcanic debris. They acquired numerous acres of land and set it up for a rubber plantation.

As we know it, 19th century brought industrialization to the West, as the result it was seeking natural resources from the East. Britain and France, the 2 super powers at the time were competing with each other to dominate the world economy. With the birth of automobiles in America in 1687, followed by France in 1769, car wheels also took off with the people’s demand for change and improvements. Rubber tires were in the mind of inventors.

Grandpa Than foresaw the future of the world’s need and technical progress. Hence his plantation came at the right time. But in order to export raw rubber to France, he’d need to know the language. So he sent Hai, his eldest son (my uncle) to Sorbonne University in France, but his younger daughter (Dung) to Gia-Long, a Vietnamese High school close to home.

After finishing his college education in law at Sorbonne, Uncle Hai came home with his French wife, Annette. Since Vietnam was a French colony, he had already a job lined up for him as the Judge in Saigon, via his father’s connection. All relatives were elated with welcoming the couple, and especially Aunt Annette who I was told very pretty!

However Grandpa and grandma were not happy with the union, first because he did not ask for their approval, second they feared she would take him back to France and no one would take care of the business and them in their old age. So they caused them misery, and finally aunt Annette left for France. Grandpa and Grandma forced uncle Hai to marry a Vietnamese woman, also very attractive, but he did not love her. With a broken heart, he plunged into a deep depression, admitted into Bien- Hoa mental institution, and ended up dying shortly afterward. That was the saddest moment in my grandparents’ lives, and the 1st big mistake.

There is a saying in Vietnam, one can press for oil, but not for love

Then again, to make up for it, they tried to marry the only child left, my mom to my father, both still in High Schools. The reason was that my paternal Grandma Bien was eyeing the big dowry coming from my mother’s side on her wedding. But it did not meet her satisfaction. After the wedding, they lived with my Paternal Grandma Bien.

That’s the way it was in Vietnam.

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Their first-born baby boy was still born. It brought a lot of sadness to my mother, in addition to her mother- in law’s pressure to have another child right after that.

Following the birth of my sister Ba, for revenge of the unsatisfactory dowry, my maternal Grandma Bien, a well to do widow, tried to separate my parents by sending my Father far away to Hanoi University, North Vietnam. When he got back home, a 3rd child came, my brother Ngan. A year later, fueled by a new found freedom, supported by his mother, he frequented Night Clubs. Eventually he fell farther and farther away from my mother. At one time, my mother confronted him, and he pushed her down the stairs, while she was pregnant with me –- She moved back home with her parents. Meanwhile, my sister Ba and brother Ngan stayed with my paternal grandma Bien.

Things got worse on the home front. Following my birth, my mother fell ill, unable to breastfeed me, she had to rely on the help of the wife of my father’s business assistant (whom I addressed later as Ma Nam) as my wet nurse. A few years later, grandpa Than, got ill and passed away. Grandma Nu got him buried in a mausoleum, on his Chau- Thoi mountain, under the title Ong Huyen Luong-van- Than (meaning Province Chief Luong-van- Than). It was just an emiratus title given to him by the people of that province due to his contribution.

Stricken by tragedies, one after another, Grandma Nu, unable to take care of Grandpa’s business, sold all their assets one by one, even their French car Citroen, except the plantation which was left idle. She, then, relocated to Phu-Nhuan, a suburb of Saigon where she bought a small townhouse, for the 3 of us, in addition to a cook and a maid.

One afternoon, it must have been around 3 or 4, Mother put me on the dining room table next to her and started penning her diary in purple ink, tears running down her cheeks. That picture was imprinted in my mind forever. At the time, I could not fathom why, too young to process beyond that, but distracted by the purple ink vial. In retrospect, probably she sensed her time was near.

Then came one day, Grandma told me softly that Mom was very ill and refused meals. So that afternoon, she told the cook to serve her some Mung Bean congee. Grandma spoon-fed her a bit, then she lapsed back into sleep. A few days had passed, the maid and the cook came into my Mother’s bed room, gave her a sponge bath, dressed her in a long formal tunic, and laid her on the divan in the living room. She looked motionless, eyes open, opaque and still.

The next day came lots of relatives, including Grandma Bien, my sister Ba (11) and my brother Ngan (7). All relatives, one by one stroke my mother’s eyes lids downward to close her eyes, but to no avail. Then I heard a relative whispering to the other:

– I sense she is waiting for Hoan (my father)

– Why is he not here yet?

– No, but the other 2 kids are.

– Then, where is he?

– In Cambodia, buying auto parts for his mom, (short pause) with another woman coming along! They already sent a cable.

The day after, I saw a man coming. It must have been my father. Though my recollection, I had seen him once before, a long time ago visiting my Mother, both facing each other across the coffee table, having a very formal conversation, like 2 strangers. He was oblivious to my presence.

All eyes turned toward him as he set foot in the foyer. After greeting everyone, he walked slowly to where my Mom was, took a look at her without any emotion, closed her eyes which this time remained closed! She had been waiting for him to say her last good bye! As for his part, he did his duty, I guess.

Once in a while grandma Nu would take me to visit Grandma Bien, even the 2 of them were not in good terms with each other, so I could play with sister Ba and Brother Ngan.– My paternal Grandma Bien lived in a fancy townhouse on Tran- Hung-Dao St, but also owned a few in that streak of about 15 properties altogether. There was a big public paved side walk stretching out from those homes to the street curb about 40 ft. where we, kids liked to ride bikes or pedaled brother Ngan’s toy car she had ordered from France. Sometimes, we’d sit on over hanged step, on both sides of her Ford, the American automobile she was so proud of.

Grandma Bien used to complain about the Japanese occupation a few years back. The Japanese officers and their soldiers came and forced all her tenants out, settled in those townhouses of hers. To make up for it, the Officers gave her a whole set of beautiful Japanese blue porcelain dinner ware with exquisite designs. One good thing was they were very respectful of her, due to her old age. –People did not have enough food to eat, so tried to make do with what they had. In addition they had to forgo rice to the Japanese soldiers who would use it to burn for fuel to run trains, shipping their soldiers to China via the South -North Vietnam passage.

World War II had ended in 1945, but its aftermath still lingered in people’s minds, with fear, insecurity and loss for quite some time. They would call their kids in, or hide them under their beds at night at the sound of planes coming.

When I reached 6, grandma Nu enrolled me in a Vietnamese school. I was always by her side, a constant companion, her only love left, her only hope and reason to go on, and she to me.

We spent lots of time visiting relatives, and sometimes for days. One evening, at her cousin’s house, in the living room, I overheard the conversation:

– Chi Nu (sister Nu), you know that Dette (nickname) has gotten to school age now, it would be best for her to live with her father so she could attend a good school, don’t you think?.

– You’re right. I’ve been thinking about it, but haven’t got the courage to do it!

Grandma Nu looked very sad.

One day, she took me in a horse buggy, with a small suitcase of my belongings, to a white villa in Hoa - Hung, a suburb of Saigon. We were greeted by my father, half-brother Sa, half-sister Hau, half-sister Cuc, and his new wife My. Grandma Nu stayed for a little while. When it was time to say good-bye, she cried and me too, our chests engulfed with pain and sadness. Hugging me real hard, she said:

– Sweetie pie, try to be a good girl, and study hard. Promise?

– Yes Grandma! When are you coming back? Wiping off my tears, my voice choking.

– Next weekend, honey.

Her hands let go of my body. She slowly walked to her buggy where the driver was waiting. He helped her get in, and drove away. Alone on the veranda, I watched the buggy and its trotting horse, taking my grandma farther and farther from my sight, and finally disappearing around the street corner.

The next day, my father took me to a French school for girls, named Colette for registration. I started a few weeks later. Suddenly I was thrust into two new unknown worlds in a short period of time, the family I hardly knew, and the school where everybody spoke a language I didn’t understand! But I tried my best to cope with changes.

My father worked on a shift