SPC THAI VUE
127th Military Police Company
709th Military Police Battalion
18th Military Police Brigade
V Corps
Army
Spc. Thai Vue, Age 22, of Willows, California;
Assigned to the 127th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police
Battalion,
18th Military Police Brigade, V Corps, Hanau, Germany;
Killed June 18, 2003 when a mortar round hit the motor pool where he
was working in Baghdad.
(www.militarycity.com)
FIRST FALLEN HMONG IN IRAQ
Hmong Today
By TK Thao
(http://www.hmongtoday.com/displaynews.asp?ID=1661)
Published
Thursday, July 01, 2004
With only one more week in Iraq, Spc. Thai Vue, 22, of the US Army, was killed when mortar struck a group of vehicles where he was working on Friday 18, 2004.
Coming from a family with a long tradition of military duty, Thai Vue’s enlistment in the Army was to turn his life around, family members said.
Thai Vue was supposed to come back and start a new life with high school sweetheart, Nancy Lee, 21. As Nancy was studying for an organic chemistry exam around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Thai phoned her from Iraq. They spoke briefly, and Lee told him to be careful.
Before being shipped off in April, Thai Vue felt it would be his last meeting with Lee. They were both crying and Lee recalls the situation, “..he said he was afraid that this time, when he left me he wouldn’t be coming back.”
Later that evening, Lee learned of his death.
Thai Vue had an excellent record during his service. He along with two other recruits were the only ones promoted leaving boot camp. He was promoted twice shortly thereafter.
Thai Vue was also following a long family tradition of serving the US. His grandfather and uncle both fought in the Vietnam war for the U.S. Thai Vue’s older brother, Thor Vue, served three years in the Navy. Alan Vue, Thai’s younger brother, is considering enlisting for the armed forces as well.
The Vue family has always felt a sense of loyalty and honor to serve for the United States. Thor Vue states, “There’s a sense of duty”.
With only one more week in Iraq, Spc. Thai Vue, 22, of the US Army, was killed when mortar struck a group of vehicles where he was working on Friday 18, 2004.
Coming from a family with a long tradition of military duty, Thai Vue’s enlistment in the Army was to turn his life around, family members said.
Thai Vue was supposed to come back and start a new life with high school sweetheart, Nancy Lee, 21. As Nancy was studying for an organic chemistry exam around 1:30 p.m. on Friday, Thai phoned her from Iraq. They spoke briefly, and Lee told him to be careful.
Before being shipped off in April, Thai Vue felt it would be his last meeting with Lee. They were both crying and Lee recalls the situation, “..he said he was afraid that this time, when he left me he wouldn’t be coming back.”
Later that evening, Lee learned of his death.
Thai Vue had an excellent record during his service. He along with two other recruits were the only ones promoted leaving boot camp. He was promoted twice shortly thereafter.
Thai Vue was also following a long family tradition of serving the US. His grandfather and uncle both fought in the Vietnam war for the U.S. Thai Vue’s older brother, Thor Vue, served three years in the Navy. Alan Vue, Thai’s younger brother, is considering enlisting for the armed forces as well.
The Vue family has always felt a sense of loyalty and honor to serve for the United States. Thor Vue states, “There’s a sense of duty”.
CALIFORNIA SOLDIER KILLED IN IRAQ
Associated Press
(www.militarycity.com)
WILLOWS, Calif.
— Spc. Thai Vue was killed in a mortar attack in Iraq, where he was
serving with a military police unit, Defense Department officials said
Monday.
Vue, of Willows, Calif., died Friday when a mortar round hit his motor pool. He was assigned to the Army’s 127th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, based in Hanau, Germany.
Vue was born in the Philippines and moved with his family to California in 1984. Vue was the third of six children born to his father, Chou Vue, and mother, Chia Thao.
“Having lived through a war and all that, having lost family members before, you’re proud in a sense, but at the same time you know there are risks,” his older brother, Thor, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Vue’s enlistment was originally supposed to have ended June 24, according to his family. But the Army extended his tenure and shipped him back to Iraq in April for eight more months.
“We were crying, and I said, ‘Why are you crying?”’ his girlfriend, Nancy Lee, told the Chronicle. “And he said he was afraid that this time, when he left me he wouldn’t be coming back.”
Vue, of Willows, Calif., died Friday when a mortar round hit his motor pool. He was assigned to the Army’s 127th Military Police Company, 709th Military Police Battalion, 18th Military Police Brigade, based in Hanau, Germany.
Vue was born in the Philippines and moved with his family to California in 1984. Vue was the third of six children born to his father, Chou Vue, and mother, Chia Thao.
“Having lived through a war and all that, having lost family members before, you’re proud in a sense, but at the same time you know there are risks,” his older brother, Thor, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Vue’s enlistment was originally supposed to have ended June 24, according to his family. But the Army extended his tenure and shipped him back to Iraq in April for eight more months.
“We were crying, and I said, ‘Why are you crying?”’ his girlfriend, Nancy Lee, told the Chronicle. “And he said he was afraid that this time, when he left me he wouldn’t be coming back.”
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