Fall Club Magazine_2022_J_a

Earning Her Stars and Stripes KIM ENG

testament to her awe-inspiring journey through l i fe; f rom war refugee to grateful American.

Escaping the Vietnam War

Born Kim-Oanh Bui , Kim grew up in Vietnam during the turbulent years of the Vietnam War. Just before the Fal l of Saigon on Apri l 30, 1975, Kim joined thousands of other refugees f leeing f rom their homeland via f l ights to the Phi l ippines, Guam, and f inal ly, the United States of America. She made the daunting trip alone, without her parents or any other fami ly member to care for her.

(From left to right) U.S. Ambassador to Singapore Jonathan Kaplan, Kim Eng and Club President Landy Eng with the Engs' treasured American flag during the Club's 4th of July celebration.

items, actions, and events that transmitted information and knowledge to others. Take for instance, the American f lag. Its symbol ism depicts the original 13 colonies and 50 states of the Union, as wel l as the attributes of hardiness, valor, purity, justice and perseverance. To most people, especial ly Americans, the f lag is also a moti f of f reedom, hope, strength, opportunity, and democracy. To Kim Eng, Landy ’s wi fe of over three decades, the f lag stands for so much more - a bastion and

When Landy Eng, President of The American Club, unexpectedly donated a f rayed American f lag to the Club during its 4th of July celebrations, it wasn’ t just a gesture of goodwi l l or largesse; nobody could have anticipated the heartwarming story around it . Since the beginning of time, mankind has used symbols and signs to convey ideas and messages in a way that would be as universal ly understood as possible. When no written language was avai lable, it was graphical representations of

Camp Pendleton Commander, Captain Getlin.

When Kim arrived in the United States, she was situated at Camp Pendleton in Cal i fornia, where she would remain for the next few months. Helmed initial ly by a US Army Major, Captain Lon Getl in who served as Commander of the faci l ity, it was the f irst US mi l itary base to provide a safe

9 THE AMERICAN CLUB SINGAPORE