Tung Trinh, Bolinao 52 survivor
Tung Trinh resettled in California in 1990 after spending two years in a refugee camp in the Philippines following her harrowing escape. She yearned to return to the town of Bolinao to find her rescuers. Today Trinh works as a hair stylist, a profession she's held since coming to the United States. William E. Cloonan, U.S. Navy (Retired), Eyewitness
Cloonan served as a Chief Petty Officer aboard the USS Dubuque when it encountered the Bolinao 52 in 1988. Cloonan had been involved with two other rescues of Vietnamese Boat People before the Bolinao 52 affair. The Bolinao 52 incident left Cloonan with a deep guilt, but he was glad to meet with survivor Tung Trinh. Cloonan currently lives in Japan. Lam Phan, Tung Trinh’s son
Carlos Cagusaan, Bolinao 52 rescuerLam was only five years old when his mother Tung Trinh took him on a fateful trip. He does not remember much of the trip but is happy that he and his family survived. Phan currently serves in the U.S. Marines. While fishing along the coast of the Philippines in 1988, Carlos “Caloy” Cagusaan and his friend found the Bolinao 52. They took turns rescuing the survivors and brought them to the town of Bolinao. Today, Cagusaan still lives in a hut on the shores of Bolinao where he has been living since 1981. |