Thus, President Tran Van Huong resigned after less than one week of assuming the responsibility of the presidency of South Vietnam. "That’s a short speech," I thought, "but longer than that of President Nixon of the United States!" Brother Michel and I listened carefully to the resignation speech of President Tran Van Huong, and we shared with each other our opinions.

Michel said, "That guy Duong Van Minh! That’s the one who overthrew President Ngo Dinh Diem, in the Coup d’Etat on November 1963, and European journalists gave him a nickname ‘Big Minh,’ isn’t it true?" I replied, bitterly, "Oh yes, that’s that guy! And now, he received another nickname - not given by European journalists but by his ‘Boss,’ by his President: ‘student!’ Isn’t it ironic! It’s a shame for our country!"

"Student" President Duong Van Minh assumed the President Office without any ceremony on the late evening of April 27, 1975. His first act as President of South Vietnam was the historic order for all Americans living in South Vietnam, on early morning of April 28: "... within 24 hours, the American Army and all American citizens must leave South Vietnam. The order is effective from 12:00A.M. of April 29, 1975."

***

At the house in Vung Tau, where the Brothers, the La Salle Sisters and Brother Phong’s family had been staying for several weeks, Brother Phong and his family had purchased a boat large enough for over 120 people (members of his family and his friend’s combined totaled 120) at a reasonable price, paid in 50 gold ounces and more than 10 million VNCH dong. As they had prepared for an unknown journey on the high seas, the news of President Tran Van Huong’s resignation was just the catalyst they needed. Furthermore, the order of "Student" President Duong Van Minh to all Americans to leave South Vietnam within 24 hours on April 29 gave them something like a "coup de grace" which finally pushed them on the boat and ready to flee.

What about the old Brothers and the young Brothers at Vung Tau? Brother Visitor Lucien had appointed Brothers Bernard and Herman "to take care of the Brothers who would like to go to Vung Tau and, if appropriate, to search for ways to flee overseas." But:

. Brother Bernard had spent full time in caring for the La Salle Sisters. He bought a smaller boat, just enough for about 50 persons - the number of La Salle Sisters present at that time were about 30. Brother Salvator jumped into the boat just to test its safety. He could not stand on the swaying boat because of the strong waves. He insisted on going back to Saigon. The problem was, who would drive him back to Saigon? Brother Bernard had to contend with Salvator’s demand by driving him back to Saigon right away, and he was stuck in Saigon on April 29. There was no way to get back to Vung Tau.

. Nobody knows why at this moment the most critical, Brother Herman was not there "to take care of the Brothers entrusted to him." The boat of Brother Phong’s family and his friends had been full of "legal voyager members of the families" and ready to go forward on the high seas. About 20 Brothers asked Brother Phong to accompany them on board with his relatives. Brother Phong was more than happy to welcome them.

Everything seemed well prepared and organized for the voyage, since the boat mechanic and the pilot were members of the family. On the early morning of April 29, the boat carried about 150 boat people looking for the location of the 7th American Fleet that, according to the BBC radio, had been on the international zone of Pacific Ocean "waiting for boat people." Indeed, less than 4 hours after departing from Vung Tau, all the boat people on board of Brother Phong’s family had been rescued along with thousands and thousands of other boat people. They were able to get onto one of several American warships which brought them to Guam.

As for the La Salle Sisters, although the boat was there wait-ing for their embarkation, they were embarrassed, rushing in and out, looking for help from anyone they could find. That was because Brother Bernard was not there since he had been stuck in Saigon enduring Brother Salvator’s demand to get back to Saigon.

The same thing happened for the Brothers who didn’t join Brother Phong’s family on board. About 20 of them, Brother Theophane Ke included, were really embarrassed and anxious, just like a snake without a head. What to do? - Fleeing overseas. But, how? Return to Saigon? - Impossible, because all the roads had been closed. At last, they all decided to join the Sisters for the embarkation on the little boat. The problem was there were no mechanic or pilot. A young Brother Scholastic tried to do his best and finally succeeded in running the engine, but without the pilot, the little boat swung around and around causing panic and terror among then. They were all shouting for help. The captain of a Shell oil ship saw the little boat in danger. On board its passengers were religious men and women crying for help. The captain threw a cord connecting it to the ship, then pulled it onto the high seas, and all religious boat people were taken to an American aircraft-carrier.

"After a storm comes a calm." They were even luckier than the group on board Brother Phong’s family boat since this ship was at sea for more than 7 days before reaching Guam. That one arrived to Subic Bay in the Philippines after 3 floating days, then from Subic Bay they traveled to Guam by airplane. They arrived in Guam 3 days earlier than Brother Phong’s group.

***

The Brothers who "had served the refugees" in Phu Quoc Island were not that lucky! Brother Roger’s nephew, an Admiral, had promised to pick up everyone in an emergency circumstance. Such an emergency circumstance was on April 29. In the very early morning of that date, many people had gathered on the seashore waiting for the ship. The Brothers, old and young as well, stayed together to ensure a place on board.

The ship arrived at least 100m (300 ft) from the sea shore. It couldn’t come any closer. Those who owned a fishing boat, or any other kind of floating piece tried to reach the ship. Some others foolishly ventured to swim out despite high waves and other obstacles. Brother Ignace Chau, nicknamed "Goliath," a name given to him since he had been in the Petit-Novitiate, was among the latter. He could at last board the ship. Two young Brothers saw his successful venture, and jumped onto waters. They went through a lot of trouble diving and swimming and got lost. They forgot that they didn’t know how to swim! Two other young Brothers came to their rescue, bringing them back to the shore.

Other Brothers didn’t know how to reach the ship. They just looked at it with a wishful glance... Brother Roland Anh whose one hand held his bicycle and the other hand waved as if he motioned to the ship to come nearer. In the midst of this chaotic crowd, people pushed against each other and only when the ship had started moving farther away, he realized his bicycle had been stolen!

Although the ship had been out of sight, people on the shore still waited for another ship. They got back to their refuge in late evening, hoping that on the next morning there would be a ship available to pick them up. Oh yes, not only one other ship but also several other ships did come, not on the next morning, but 2 days later, and not to pick them up, but to bring them back to Saigon, Vung Tau and Nha Trang, i.e. from where they had originally left.

***

Brother Constance, Director of LaSalle Duc Minh Commu-nity, and his younger brother Brother Eugene Ly, Director of LaSalle Technical School in Dalat, with Brother Herman Lang, supposedly assigned "to care for the Brothers who had moved to Vung Tau," Brothers Marcel Phuoc and Benilde Tin, had preferred to move to the west coast in Rach Gia, on the day President Tran Van Huong had resigned. Five Brothers "together and by association" left Saigon. They got lost and divided into three different groups:

- Group 1: Brothers Herman and Marcel;
- Group 2: Brothers Eugene and Benilde;
- Group 3: Brother Constance alone.

The two first groups unexpectedly met together in Thailand. Brother Constance became lost again; there has been no news from him from that day until now.

***

On the early morning of April 29, many people, most of whom were women and children, with luggage on their shoulders, moved toward the Thu Duc Market, passing by Nguyen Du and Hoang Dieu Roads, in front of LaSalle Mossard School whose gates had been closed several days before. I discussed with Brother Michel about opening the rear gate of the Junoriate to welcome them. However, we should have gotten permission from Brother Fidele who, even though newly elected as Auxiliary Visitor, still assumed the role of Community Director. With his consent, I opened all three gates, and people poured onto the property. They had left their houses and land in Bien Hoa a day earlier after hearing the order of "Student" President Duong Van Minh.

At about 5:00P.M. Brother Jean Ba’s younger brother, Mr. Tran Van Tu, a Marine captain at Fort Song Than in Thu Duc, came to see me and suggested that all the Brothers be quickly moved to Saigon because "at midnight, the Division of Marine will desert Thu Duc." I informed Brother Fidele of the bad news. He immediately convened all the Brothers of the Community to discuss the problem and urged everyone to give his opinion: "Move to Saigon or stay here at LaSalle Mossard?"

- Some Brothers expressed their indifference about moving or staying, arguing that "Saigon is 13km (about 8 miles) from Thu Duc. What’s the difference?"
- Some Brothers had "no idea!"
- Some other Brothers decided that "we must absolutely move to Saigon for the understandable reason that we lost contact with our Brothers in Ban Me Thuot and in Nha Trang. We must not cause any more anxiety for our Brothers gathered in Saigon."

We didn’t have enough time to discuss as it was really urgent and we had to decide at once. Finally, Brother Director Fidele said, "We all should agree that it would be better to be with other Brothers in Saigon. Firstly, we could avoid causing great concern for our Brothers; secondly, we might have the chance to..." He stopped short, but everyone understood what he had meant. We all agreed to leave for Saigon.

It was 5:45P.M. Brother Fidele suggested that everyone be at the gate at the rear of the Junoriate at exactly 6:00P.M. "You have 15 more minutes to pack up just what is necessary," he said. I returned to my room. One big box full of papers attracted my attention. It was from my oldest brother, Officer of the Department of Police in Tay Ninh, who had sent to them to me to "safeguard them" for him. By curiosity, I glanced at some pages. To my horrific surprise, these papers were his investigation reports on the communist prisoners caught during their previous offensives in Tay Ninh and in the West region. My prompt reaction was "burn them all!"

While I was putting sheet after sheet onto a fire, my two nephews stood behind me, Chau 12 years old and Thanh 11. They each carried a travel case. I told them to help me burn these papers. As they started burning them, Chau said, "Mom told me and Thanh to follow you wherever you go!" Looking at them, I wondered, "How do they know that I’m moving to Saigon?"

As I was picking up some clothes and personal items, I said, "OK! I’m leaving for Saigon for a few days. Both of you return home. Tell Mom to be calm and be peaceful in her heart, waiting for Daddy to come from Tay Ninh. I’ll be back and we’ll discuss this matter with Daddy." They went back home.

Two cars bringing eight Brothers were parked at the gate. It was on time. Thu Duc Market had been unusually quiet. All restaurants and grocery stores were closed. Some Marines holding M16 marched along the road. It was nightfall.

Having passed Phuoc Tuong Phat, an Ice-maker Company, I saw that another car had followed ours. The soldiers barricaded the entrance over a bridge, Go Dua. All cars were stopped. Brother Director Fidele had gotten out, went to meet an officer and spoke with him. The officer went to each car, and looked inside. Perhaps because all of us were wearing black robes with white rabats, he smiled and bowed his head. He then ordered the barricade to be removed and waved his hand toward the direction of the bridge. I turned my head to see the car which had been following us. I recognized it as a model sport car belonging to Mr. Nham, Architect, a parent of one of my students, Tam Anh. It made a U-turned and disappeared.

Arriving near Hang Xanh, about 3km from LaSalle Duc Minh, the traffic was terribly chaotic. Moving slowly, we reached LaSalle Duc Minh at 11:00P.M. After having greeted the Brothers from different communities, I invited the Juniors to go up on the terrace to look at the American helicopters, maybe the last ones, landing or lifting off from the terrace of the American Embassy. In a few more minutes there would not be anymore Americans in the territory of South Vietnam. Indeed, a few seconds before midnight of April 29 or at 12:00A.M. of April 30, the building of the American Embassy at Thong Nhut Boulevard was dark; all lights were out. Finished! It was night not only over there; it was night all over Vietnam. The people’s hearts were sad at the loss of their friends and allies.

***

On April 30 we commemorated the birthday of Saint John Baptist De La Salle (April 30, 1651). To tell the truth, if the Juniors didn’t remind us of Saint La Salle’s Birthday, no Brother would have remembered it!

In the early morning Brothers Gregory Tan, Rogatien Son and Joseph Hanh decided to play basketball as a way of relieving the boredom. While playing joyfully and in a really relaxed way on the court for basketball at LaSalle Nguyen Thong School, a friend of theirs ran in and shouted, loudly, "There is a Marine ship at the Bach Dang Port. People are hastening to get on board. Brothers, do you want to go?" They immediately stopped playing, ran into their rooms, and took whatever they could fit into their travel bag.

Brother Gregory Tan offered to bring them to Bach Dang Port by a Lambro tricycle. Arriving there, there had been a crowd discussing ways to get on board the ship which was ready to take off from the land. Brother Gregory told Brothers Rogatien and Joseph, "Go ahead! Try to reach the ship as soon as possible. I’m returning the Lambro to the community, and I’ll be back to join you."

Gregory came back, but it was too late. The ship had departed. He was sad and dejected, but he felt more or less satisfied because at least there were two Brothers who were saved.

***

On the playground at La Salle Duc Minh, at about 9:00A.M. the Brothers gathered together in groups of five or so, dis-cussing, and talking about everything. Some listened to the BBC radio rather than the Saigon radio which had technical difficulty for a long time. Suddenly, a big sound could be heard, and then an explosion just a few seconds later took place at the junction of Duy Tan and Phan Dinh Phung road. "It’s a 122mm rocket!" shouted Brother Michel. Some Brothers looked for refuge, but nowhere could one be found. In less than 2 minutes, another big explosion took place, only closer. It was at the Huu Nghi Plaza less than 100m (about 300ft) from the LaSalle Duc Minh School. Everyone ran, without knowing where to run. Some just ran around the playground, anxious and terrified.

A few minutes later, everything seemed calm. The Brothers gathered again in groups, talking, and discussing about any possible ways of protecting themselves. The older Brothers suggested that the younger Brothers dig shelter-trenches, but where to dig? Right on the concret playground? But there was no need anymore! Saigon radio announced: "... compatriots, listen to the address of President Duong Van Minh..." It was around 10:00A.M. We all got together around the radio. There was absolute silence. Everyone was holding one’s breath. There were low clouds. It began to rain.

It was still raining... When President Duong Van Minh had finished his address, the Brothers closed their eyes but opened their ears to listen to the radio. One could hear a long breath, accompanied by two words: "C’est fini!" (Finished!).

The Brothers slowly stopped listening and had their own thoughts.

Why yes! It’s finished!

A change of life-style began.