First Vietnamese American to Command a Navy Destroyer

Cmdr. H.B. Le and family member

Cmdr. H.B. Le and family member

In the NY Times today, there’s an inspiring story about H.B. Le, the first Vietnamese American to command a U.S. Navy destroyer.  The article discusses Le’s history as a boat person, his father’s history as a military man, and his return visit to the country of his birth.

Ever since my grandfather’s passing, I’ve been reading a lot about wars in which my grandfather participated.  I’ve mostly been reading about the Merchant Marine, but since many cargo ships depended on the Navy for protection (when they decided to provide it), I’m also reading about war vessels.  I didn’t realize this, but according to wiki, destroyers are now the largest ships in the Navy since they no longer employ battleships.  So congrats to Cmdr. Le.

I never considered a career in the military, but under a just administration (and assuming you’re not a thief like Ehren Watada), it sounds like a pretty good deal.  You learn leadership, help in international affairs, and get to travel the world.  Maybe in another lifetime.

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2 Responses to First Vietnamese American to Command a Navy Destroyer

  1. Simon Tsui says:

    It’s like every boy’s dream at one point to be the captain of a big boat. He’s living the dream man, I’m proud of him.

  2. jaehwan says:

    No doubt. I’d love to read about their experiences. Maybe he’ll someday write a book.

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