Yung Krall

I owe my life and liberty to the US military veterans who served in my country of birth, Vietnam. At the age of nine years old my father joined the Vietminh cadres who were desperately trying to free Vietnam from the French Colonization. The Vietminh were supported in their efforts by the National Liberation Front (NLF) who had deep roots and a storied history with communist rulers in China and Russia. What was common among all men who joined the Vietminh, it that they all originally wanted the same thing - a free and unified Vietnam.

However, over the course of time and through the campaign for "hearts and minds" the NLF convinced many Vietminh fighters that Vietnam would be best served as a government led by Socialists and Communists. Unfortunately, my father subscribed to this belief and became devoted to the NLF and their Communist ideals. However, my mother and 5 siblings could not subscribe to such an ideology and chose to pursue democracy and freedom by joining those in South Vietnam. I would not see my father for more than 20 years.

In those two decades, I married a US Navy pilot, moved to the United States, and became a US citizen. At this same time, my father rose in the ranks to become a high ranking communist official as Hanoi's Ambassador to USSR. When the fall of Saigon was imminent in 1975, I pleaded with my husband (who was now a US Naval Commander working in Intelligence) to please help get my mother and sisters out of Vietnam before the North Vietnamese Army raided Saigon and took control of the country. Despite advice to the contrary, my husband took 30 days leave and used his wits and CIA contacts to help my mother and sisters get out safely to live in freedom with us in the United States.

In gratitude, I told my husband to let his friends in Naval Intelligence and those at the CIA that I remain forever indebted for their help and would repay their kindness in any way they thought I might help. It was only weeks thereafter that my husband and I were invited to meet with a CIA official, once they learned I was the daughter of a high ranking Communist official. In short order I was recruited to work as a double agent espionage spy for the CIA.

Through my espionage work, I learned of a US born citizen with top level clearance within the US Information Agency (USIA now known as the State Department) who was selling classified secrets to his communist intermediary in this country, who in turn saw that the information got in the hands of the Hanoi government and Russian officials. My role was transferred for me to work undercover for the FBI under the code name Keyseat in Operation Magic Dragon. After several months of undercover operations I was able to help build a case that resulted in the only espionage case brought about in relation to the Vietnam War. Mr. Ronald Humphrey and his contact, David Troung were both convicted and sentenced to serve 15 years in federal prison.

Although it took me two years of fighting the CIA and a court order to allow me to publish my autobiography, it was well worth it. For each and every Vietnam Veteran that tried to help my country maintain freedom, I thank them at every opportunity possible. Vietnam Veterans bore the brunt of a well orchestrated propaganda war but over time, the truth has come out as to why the US was so desperately needed to try and help save South Vietnam from becoming over-run by the North Vietnamese. Although it took several years for the real truth to come out about how heroic and noble Vietnam Veterans performed their missions and did so with dignity, we as Vietnamese will never able to thank them in a most deserving manner.

Thus, for you, the Vietnam Veterans and families that supported them, and especially to the 58,000+ names on the Vietnam Memorial Wall and their families, please accept my thanks. You gave us protection, hope, and a chance at living lives of freedom. Hence, I dedicate my book "A Thousand Tears Falling" to all of you as a measure of appreciation and so others will know the true story of why you were there to fight on our behalf - for now, the truth if finally beginning to emerge. On behalf of my South Vietnamese compatriots, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.