15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Our Story

In the fall of 2017, Michelle received a message from a new match on her Ancestry DNA account inquiring if she was closely related to anyone who served in the Vietnam war. Knowing the only 2 choices were her father or uncle, she clicked on his profile and saw he had also matched with her brother that she grew up with.

While elated to have a new sibling she never knew about, sadness ensued when realizing he missed knowing their father by just 10 months of passing away. Michelle was determined to make up for a lifetime of missed memories. She eventually moved closer to her new brother to form a loving bond with him and his family. Together, they are helping others connect with their own biological families.

Michelle and Dung’s father was just one of thousands of Vietnam Veterans who fathered a child while serving overseas.  The repercussions of the discovery lead Michelle to do more research on other families in similar situations.

Being a 20+ year seasoned Genealogist and Researcher, Michelle’s previous experience with reuniting families were from adoption scenarios. She has successfully reunited dozens or more adoptees and long-lost relatives in the last 20+ years.

It wasn’t until meeting her new brother that she realized the magnitude of children still left seeking their American fathers. From this encounter and experience, Michelle has committed to dedicating her time and talents to help other families reconnect.

Meet the Team

Michelle Reed
Founder & Owner

Starting with her own family tree, Michelle has 20+ years of research and reconnecting families on her resume. She has found and reconnected dozens of families who were from Adoptions and Amerasians.

In her professional life, Michelle is a Graphic Designer, Website Developer, and Digital Marketing Specialist.

In the beginning of 2019, Michelle and her adult son moved from her home state of Michigan to Georgia to be closer to her brother and his family. Her blended family consists of 3 siblings, Dung, Kevin and Donna, (all sharing the same father, but with different mothers).

Their father served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He passed away in 2016, never knowing he had another son out there. RIP Dad <3

Dung Peter Pham
Partner & Vietnamese Translator (and amazing brother to Michelle)

Dung was born in Saigon, Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam War.  His mother discovered she was pregnant and fled into deep jungle territory in hopes of saving herself and her child.  Dung was raised by family in this secluded jungle area.

In early 1990, he and his mother and siblings made their way to American through the Amerasian Homecoming Act established to bring children of American Soldiers to the US. He became a US citizen and met and married his Vietnamese wife, Van. They have 4 beautiful children and also reside in the North Atlanta, GA area.

He often runs into other individuals who are half-American/half-Vietnamese and will share his story. He hopes to find more Amerasians who are in search of their American fathers and families and assists them as liaison and interpreter for WarBabies.

What We Do

Warbabies.org is compiling a database of both American Veterans and Amerasian Children. This database is secure and not to be released to the public or any individual outside of it’s organization. We hold anonymity to a higher standard due to the nature of each individuals experience.

We take every precaution of maintaining an individuals rights and respect their privacy as much as possible.

We utilize several DNA testing companies and comply fully with their terms of service. Upon DNA sample submission, we analyze the results and who they connect with.

If a close match is made, we take steps to try to contact the individuals and conclude how they are related and work towards finding out who the father is or who the child is based on the amount of DNA centimorgans between each individual.  Additional testing with closer relatives may be necessary.

Sometimes luck is on our side and we find that the matches are close, half siblings, parents, grandparents, etc.

Then the real work begins… The Reunification Phase. We act as a liaison between the families until they are both comfortable with the next phase, the Healing Phase.

---

We do not judge circumstances and strongly believe that it is not a shameful or embarrassing situation and that a loving and caring relationship can develop over time.

---

We need your help…

If you would like to join our team, please send us your resume and a bio, with a short essay on how you can help in our mission. We are currently seeking volunteer Grant Writers, Researchers, Communications, Counselors, and Translators that can speak multiple languages.

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

The Great Fire of 1973

It is in my experience that many Vietnam Veterans were told that their Service Records were destroyed in a fire.  Often time, with great persistence, records were found and copies were provided. It is important to note that the branch and years of records that were destroyed in the table below.  If you or your loved one served outside of this time period, don’t let anyone tell you your records were destroyed in a fire!!  Keep pressing for your records!

Branch	Personnel and Period Affected	Estimated Loss
Army	Personnel discharged November 1, 1912 to January 1, 1960	80%
Air Force	Personnel discharged September 25, 1947 to January 1, 1964 (with names alphabetically after Hubbard, James E.)	75%

Complete info can be found here: https://www.archives.gov/personnel-records-center/fire-1973

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Help identify the 55

North Korea Returns Presumed U.S. Remains

“The Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States is incredibly encouraged by the news that North Korea has returned 55 boxes of remains believed to be U.S. service members who have been missing in action since the Korean War,” said VFW National Commander B.J. Lawrence.

“This is a huge step in the right direction that we hope will finally bring peace to the peninsula and closure to American families who have been waiting more than six decades for their loved ones to return home from their war.” The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lists 7,691 missing Americans from the Korean War, with some 5,300 believed to be in North Korea. DPAA also lists 111 Cold War losses in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula.

* POW/MIA DNA Samples Needed.

The Department of Defense wants family members of All Veteran that are MIA to give a DNA sample. The phone numbers are: Army 1 800 982 2490 * Marines 1 866 210 3421 * Navy 1 800 443 9298 * Air Force 1 800 531 5803 * Coast Guard 1 202 795 6637.

When you call have the following information: Your relation to the Veteran (family member). The war they were in. The time period. Where they were stationed. Service number. And approximate time they became missing.

Once this is received they will send out a test kit, with all instructions. Consisting of two cotton swabs for the inside of your mouth. Then send back.This is FREE. The time frame is about two weeks to get the results, if they have the veterans DNA on file. * It should be noted that once all family members become deceased , it is impossible to identify the remains.

* Praying for All Service members and their families!

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Uniting Families Act – House Resolution 1640

H.R.1640 — 116th Congress (2019-2020)

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/1640

Date	All Actions
04/12/2019	Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship. Action By: Committee on the Judiciary
03/08/2019	Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary. Action By: House of Representatives
03/08/2019	Introduced in House Action By: House of Representatives

From the Congressional Record, Volume 165 (2019)

Sponsor: Rep. Ron Kind [D-WI-3] (Introduced 03/08/2019)

CoSponsor: Rep. Brian K. Fitzpatrick, [R-PA-1]

Committee: House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship

A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the admission of certain sons and daughters of citizens of the United States, which citizens served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States abroad, and for other purposes; to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. Kind (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick)

https://www.govinfo.gov/link/crec/165/h/2613

H2613

Summary:

This bill establishes a non-immigrant visa category for an alien who (1) is 18 or older and is the genetic son or daughter of a U.S. citizen who served in the Armed Forces on active duty abroad; or (2) is the spouse or child of such alien and is accompanying, or following to join, such alien.

To obtain a visa, the alien’s citizen parent must petition and receive approval from the Department of Homeland Security. The petition shall include (1) DNA evidence establishing the parent-child relationship, (2) a written statement that the parent will provide financial support until the alien receives lawful permanent resident status, and (3) proof of the parent’s U.S. citizenship and active duty with the Armed Forces abroad.

The period of authorized admission for aliens with the visa is five years, and 5,000 principal visa aliens may be admitted per fiscal year. Holders of such a visa may adjust to lawful permanent resident status after meeting various requirements, such as being admissible as an immigrant.

---

Official Text

116th CONGRESS
1st Session

H. R. 1640

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the admission of certain sons and daughters of citizens of the United States, which citizens served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States abroad, and for other purposes.

---

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 8, 2019

Mr. Kind (for himself and Mr. Fitzpatrick) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

---

A BILL

To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide for the admission of certain sons and daughters of citizens of the United States, which citizens served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States abroad, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “Uniting Families Act of 2019”.

SEC. 2. ADMISSION OF CERTAIN SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES WHO SERVED IN THE ARMED FORCES.

(a) Classification As A Nonimmigrant.—Section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)) is amended—

 (1) in subparagraph (U), by striking “or” at the end;

 (2) in subparagraph (V), by striking the period at the end and inserting “; or”; and

 (3) by inserting after subparagraph (V) the following:

“(W) subject to section 214(s), an alien who—

“(i) is 18 years of age or older and is the genetic son or daughter of a citizen of the United States, which citizen served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States abroad; or

“(ii) is the spouse or child of an alien described in clause (i) and is accompanying, or following to join, the alien.”.

(b) Requirements For Admission.—Section 214 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(s) (1) A visa shall not be issued under section 101(a)(15)(W) until a petition has been filed in the United States by the citizen parent of the visa applicant and approved by the Secretary of Homeland Security.

“(2) The petition shall be in such form and contain such information as the Secretary of Homeland Security shall prescribe, and shall include the following information:

“(A) DNA evidence that establishes that the beneficiary is the genetic child of the petitioner.

“(B) An agreement in writing that the parent will provide financial support for the beneficiary until the beneficiary’s status is adjusted to the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence.

“(C) Information that establishes that the petitioner—

“(i) is a citizen of the United States; and

“(ii) served on active duty in the Armed Forces of the United States abroad.

“(3) The period of authorized admission for an alien admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(W) shall be 5 years, which may be extended for one additional 2-year period.

“(4) The total number of principal aliens who may be admitted under section 101(a)(15)(W) during any fiscal year may not exceed 5,000.”.

(c) Adjustment Of Status.—Section 245 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1255) is amended by adding at the end the following:

“(n) (1) The Secretary of Homeland Security may adjust the status of an alien admitted to the United States as a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(W) to that of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence if the alien—

“(A) is admissible to the United States as an immigrant; and

“(B) satisfies the requirements under section 312, unless the alien is a child described in section 101(a)(15)(W)(ii) who is under the age of 18.

“(2) The numerical limitations of sections 201 and 202 shall not apply to the adjustment of aliens to lawful permanent resident status under this subsection.”.

(d) Naturalization.—Section 312(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1423(b)) is amended by inserting at the end the following:

“(4) The requirements of subsection (a) shall not apply to any person who has satisfied such requirements under section 245(n)(1)(B).”.

---

Now is the time to write your letters to Rep. Kind and Rep. Fitzpatrick so that this House Resolution does not stall!!

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

The Faces of Amerasians

By: a group of Diemmy Mylai poetry in 2014

We are daughters and sons of the Vietnam Veterans

Dear half Siblings, Uncles, Aunts and Cousins,

I am your sister
I am your brother
I am your niece
And I am your nephew

Your father is my father
To make us siblings
Your brother is my father
To make us cousins
Your Uncle is my father
To make us 2nd cousins

During he served in Vietnam
He meet my mother
And they had me…
It make me into your blood lines…
Why you denied me?
What did I do wrong?
And why you hate me?
I am just victim…

I came to America for ten thousand miles
To search for you and my father
And I found all of you in Ancestry DNA
But you all denied me?
Why?

I don’t want any trouble
And I don’t want any help from all of you
I just want to get to know my father
Because I had lost him so many years.
I just want to see my father…
Please don’t close the door on us

I am just a victim
Was born in the war
You should be love me
And bring me home
NOT to HATE me…
And let me go
Why you divided us?
What did I do to make you hate me?
You father made us
Your brother made me
Your Uncle made me
Now we have to deal with….
Don’t be selfish…

Please let me see your father
Because his is my father too !
Please let me see your brother
Because he is my father !
Please let me see your uncle
Because he is my father !

Please don’t close the door on us
I want to see my father
To how my father’s doing?
If you won’t let me see him….
To make sure to tell him that I am here
In America to see him…
And if he died,
Please tell me how he died?
And where?
So I can go there to visit his grave

Please,
Let me have a moment with my father
Once the last Chance
If he is still alive
Please let me see my father
Then you can close the door …
I don’t question you anymore
Because I know who is really I am
And where I came from

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

The Root Cause of How Amerasians are denied US Citizenship.

Johnny Appleseed: Citizenship Transmission Laws and a White Heteropatriarchal Property Right in Philandering, Sexual Exploitation, and Rape (the ‘WHP’) or Johnny and the WHP

Link to the original article

Yale Journal of Law & Feminism, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2019

Blanche Cook
University of Kentucky College of Law
Date Written: October 18, 2018

Abstract

Title 8, United States Code, Section 1409—one of this country’s citizenship transmission laws—creates a white hetero-patriarchal property right in philandering, sexual exploitation, and rape (the “WHP”). Section 1409 governs the transmission of citizenship from United States citizens to their children, where the child is born abroad, outside of marriage, and one parent is a citizen and the other is not. Section 1409, however, draws a distinct gender distinction between women and men: An unwed female American citizen who births a child outside the United States, fathered by a foreign man, automatically transmits citizenship to her child. An unwed male American citizen, by contrast, who fathers a child abroad with a foreign woman has the distinctly male prerogative to either grant or deny citizenship to his foreign-born non-marital child at his leisure.

On the surface, it might appear that § 1409 treats men and women differently because it is easy to determine a child’s mother, as opposed to a child’s father, at birth. In fact, a majority of the Supreme Court has deployed these “natural” differences between men and women to shield § 1409 from three separate gender-based equal protection challenges. Justice Ginsburg, however, has keenly observed, “History reveals what lurks behind § 1409.” What lurks behind § 1409 is a long legacy of white hetero-patriarchy deploying the legal category of citizenship to perfect sovereignty in itself and vulnerability in “foreign” women for the very purpose of sexual domination.

The historical model for this racialized regime of sexual domination is the classic case of Dred Scott, where the denial of citizenship to anyone of African descent further facilitated a white hetero-patriarchal property right in philandering, sexual exploitation, and rape. In Dred Scott, the exclusion of anyone of African descent from person-hood, through the legal mechanism of citizenship, perfected power in white men and vulnerability in racialized others. By excluding anyone of African descent from citizenship, enslaved owners continued to enjoy an unbridled property right in the use and enjoyment of the enslaved. The denial of citizenship to the enslaved facilitated their use as property. Following suit, § 1409 makes citizenship the property of men, through which they can exclude their non-marital foreign-born children from membership in the American polity. Section 1409 vests in these fathers not just a right to exclude their children, but to discard them, leaving them profoundly vulnerable to the sting of “illegitimacy,” ethnic and racial animus, and financial precarity — a form of destruction, while simultaneously empowering these fathers to sexually possess, control, use, and enjoy foreign women. Section 1409 understands all too well: in order to sexually exploit the mother, one must control the status of the child.Suggested Citation:

Cook, Blanche, Johnny Appleseed: Citizenship Transmission Laws and a White Heteropatriarchal Property Right in Philandering, Sexual Exploitation, and Rape (the ‘WHP’) or Johnny and the WHP (October 18, 2018). Yale Journal of Law & Feminism, Vol. 31, No. 1, 2019. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3460194

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Remembering Operation Babylift

Remembering Operation Babylift – March 26- April 27, 1975.

As the NVA closed in on Saigon, President Ford ordered the evacuation of Amerasian and Vietnamese orphans. Over 3,300 were rescued during the operation, to be adopted by families in the US, Australia and elsewhere.

On 4 April 1975, a C-5A departing Tan Son Nhut Air Base with child evacuees and their US caretakers suffered a catastrophic failure after takeoff, losing most flight control. While trying to return to TSN, it crashed, killing 138 including 75 children and infants and 38 caretakers, women from the Defense Attache Office, Saigon.

God bless you, sisters, soldiers and the children. Rest in peace.

Operation Babylift Exhibit at the Gerald Ford Museum

Defense Intellegence Agency – We Remember

Operation “Baby Lift” concludes after flying 2,600 South Vietnamese orphans to the U.S.

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Derivative Citizenship: What you should know about bringing your Amerasian child to the US.

From Special Corespondent, Morris Ramsey (American Veteran father trying to get his Amerasian child into the US).

This is info I gained from my 10 years of trying to get my adult aged daughter to the states. The things I learned may not pertain to other southeast Asian countries because of some immigration laws that did not include the Philippines but for the most part where derivative citizenship and the after effects are concerned it is the same. Derivative citizenship [Derivative citizenship is citizenship given to children through the naturalization of parents or, sometimes, to foreign-born children adopted by United States citizen parents, if certain conditions are met. … When a person gets derivative U.S. citizenship, it happens automatically, by operation of law.] is possible before a child who is under the age of 18, but because this process started for me and my daughter long after she was 18 that will be the part I focus on. I will also talk about how legitimization laws by state come into effect with this process. I am not an attorney so this is only my experience.

First off, I want everyone to understand that after the age of 18 it is virtually impossible to gain derivative citizenship. Even in the immigration law it states it must be before that age. The only slight chance you have is if the fathers name is on the birth certificate, he can show that he has had contact over the years with the child or mother and he can show where he gave financial support. This would be in the form of check or money order stubs.

If a child with an American father and has no current contact with the father, derivative citizenship is not possible even if the child is under the age of 18. Part of getting the citizenship is doing a DNA test. With no father present then that is impossible. If a child of an American father has contact with the father but the father never signed the birth certificate then this is where the legitimization laws come into effect.

Some states have this law and others do not. Basically, if a state has this law then a father can just say this is my child and that child is seen as his daughter. This really doesn’t matter if the child is over 18 but for those under 18 and no birth certificate was signed this can be very important. In my daughters case, the two states I showed I had lived did not have the legitimization law. Because I was stationed for a short period in California, my attorney tried to use their legitimization law but the U.S. State Department said no because the time living there was too short. Even though the immigration law read that I could use that argument, they changed the verbiage in the law so myself or anyone after me could never use that.

There is something I want everyone to really understand and listen to. No matter of a child’s age, but especially if the child is over 18 and the father and child together try for derivative citizenship which will most likely be denied, then you will not be able to apply for or get a green card. At least this is what happened to us and I was given this bad news by the embassy in Manila. I was also told they knew the derivative citizenship would not work but they could not tell me before hand which was pretty crappy. The reason this will keep a person from getting the green card, even if it is just to visit, is because after not getting the derivative citizenship the U.S. government will consider that person a flight risk. Meaning that person would become an illegal alien and not return to the Philippines.

Now lets say because of this info you skip the citizenship way and look at the green card. You may get moved closer to the front of the line because there is an American father present, but all stipulations that goes with anyone else applying for a green card goes the same. You must show that you own property, have money in the bank or maybe you have children that you are not taking on the visit and you will be going back to. Just showing one of these will not work. It probably needs to be all and more. This way the government thinks you have to go back to the Philippines.

I know for most everyone that reads this, it crushes a lot of hopes and I am truly sorry for that. For 10 years, me and my family have had hopes crushed at every turn and it is painful. No matter if you are 18 or 50, none of this is your fault!!!

Whether us fathers lost contact, didn’t contact or just left you behind, this falls on us and the U.S. government. We are to blame. I blame no one other than myself for me and my daughters situation, but I do blame the government for being such asses about it. I missed out on a lot of years with my daughter and it took many of us to grow up from that young arrogant military person to realize that. But again….It is not your fault!

But lets go on to some hope you all may have. The I-130 Petition for alien relative. I will not talk a lot about it because I do not know enough on how it works but even if you have never had contact with your American father this is a possibility for you if you have a relative that resides in the US and is an American Citizen. Its even better if you do have contact with your American father. A family member that is a citizen of the U.S. can petition for a family member to come to the states. I believe once here, you will be able to go through the process of becoming a citizen yourself. I believe you have to do the process in a certain amount of time or you will have to go home. What I am not sure of, in this instance, is how close of a relative you have to be. Meaning do you need to be the child, parent or sibling of the US Citizen.

As far as a father trying this to bring an adult age child (over 18) to the US, this may be your best choice. As you now know, other ways that will not work may very well knock you out of ever bringing your adult child to the states. With the I-130 you will have to do a DNA test, but an American father would be petitioning to bring your child to the US just like a non-natural born citizen can do. This is also $1,000 or so, which is cheap considering the upwards of $12,000 I spent only to be rejected. With the I-130, the citizen will have to show they can support the family member, but the I-130 will work.

There is a catch for American fathers. Part of the I-130 is the child’s birth certificate. If you never signed it, then it can cause some issues. From what I have read on the I-130, it may even stop you from using the I-130.

I will be back in the Philippines late this month and will meet with a Filipino immigration lawyer so I hope I will have more info on if the I-130 is possible.

---

Keep checking back here for updates as we get them! If you have any specific questions for Mr. Ramsey, please email us for his contact info. If you are an American father and have been successful with bringing your Amerasian child to the US, we want to hear from you! Please email us contactwarbabies@gmail.com.

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Amerasian Children – Be Counted!!

Why is this important?

Because for the very first time, the 2020 Census Form can be done 100% online and it has a new option to type in “Some other race”. If we can get a uniformed mention of the term Amerasian counted in the 2020 Census, it will show our government that you exist and could eventually help push along the HR 1640 Uniting Families Act!

Please share this with anyone who is of mixed race with an American Father and Asian Mother who was born as a War Baby. It is vital to #BeCounted!

15 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

Why do most Amerasian’s not know their actual birth dates?

The short answer:
During the time of the Vietnam War, when a child was born that was half-American, there was fear that the VietCong would kill them and their family. So they would destroy any photos or records they had of anything to do with America. They also didn’t keep birth records similar to what we do in the US. So most children born in Vietnam during that time simply don’t know their actual date of birth and one was made of for them. If they were Amerasian, most chose the birth date of Dec. 31st or Jan. 1st and the approximate year they were born.

There was also a major flood the coast of Vietnam shortly after the end of the war which destroyed many homes and buildings that may have held records of birth.

The long answer:
These children were often looked as being less than human. If you have heard of American’s during the slavery periods treating their slaves as less than human with no human rights, this is comparable to the Amerasian child, who was often called “bụi đời” or “Child of dust” meaning their life value was less than that of dust. So they simply didn’t bother giving them a birth date. Many of these Amerasian babies were killed or left to die in fields or thrown out like trash. If they even survived, many were left on door steps for other Vietnamese families to take care of. If they were loved to some degree, Vietnamese mothers would fear so much for their safety, the would take them to orphanages in hopes of them going to America for a better life. If the relationship between a Vietnamese mother and American Soldier father was of love (yes, some soldiers actually married these women), then the mothers would do whatever they could to keep their children hidden, or take them to a deep jungle area away from the war to spare their lives and keep them safe.

These are actual accounts from some of our clients, even from our own family here at WarBabies.

As Americans, it is quite difficult to understand how an Amerasian made it to America without knowing their actual date of birth or having any records. After all, our own government has the social security number system, hospital records, and a plethora of other ways to keep records. But just imagine that during wartime in an underdeveloped country, most of these mothers had their babies in huts and not hospitals, in the swampy fields, in the jungle, in alley ways, in dirty filthy restrooms if they lived in a larger city. If they abandoned these babies with no note or way of knowing when they were born, how on earth could they know their true vital record information???

As a member of an American family who questions this, please understand that it is near impossible for some of these children to know when their birth occurred. They can only guess or make up a date.

These Amerasian children are now parents and grandparents here in the US. They are reaching their 50’s and have been coming here since the War ended to this new life of American Freedom. They only want to know their truth, they only want to be accepted. They are human and not children of dust.

Additional Articles

• Afghanistan isn’t the only war-torn nation whose citizens have chosen Jan. 1 as a makeshift birthday. In Vietnam, Somalia and Sudan, many birth dates weren’t recorded during years of unrest and institutional upheaval. When residents applied for visas or refu­gee status, thousands chose the first of the year — or, in some cases, the U.S. State Department chose it for them. The department has bestowed that birthday upon more than 200,000 refugees since the Vietnam War, according to several estimates.
• Here’s why my parents and a lot of other immigrants have birthdays on January 1
• Birthdays as we know it are only really celebrated in the most urban areas of Vietnam, those cities most heavily influenced by Western Culture. Everyone celebrates their birthday on New Year’s Day in Vietnam, also known as “tet.” Vietnamese tradition is that an individual’s actual day of birth is not to be celebrated. Rather, people become a year older every year at tet, regardless of when they were actually born.
• Jan. 1 a common birth date for many immigrants

14 Jun 2025

Announcements, History

From War to Family: A Story of New Beginnings

Featured in Our Town Magazine By Kristen Eleveld – Gwinette

A few years ago, Michelle Reed was inspired to find out a little more about her family history. Her ex-husband, who was adopted, wanted to see if he could find his birth parents, and turned to a DNA test and genealogy website to learn more about his past. Michelle, who has over twenty years of experience as a genealogist, decided to join in, thinking she might find out some interesting new facts about her own history. What she didn’t expect was to find another member of her family.

In 2017, she and her younger brother, Kevin Brunell, who had also taken the DNA test, received a message that their DNA profile had matched with someone else on the registry, meaning this person was closely related to them. The message was from someone they had never met, and this person asked if Michelle and Kevin had any close relatives who served in the Vietnam War. Both their father and uncle had served, but it was through Kevin’s connection that he and Michelle discovered they had a half-brother, Peter Pham. While their father had passed away a year earlier, Michelle, Kevin, and Peter decided to meet.

Michelle and Kevin flew down to Georgia to spend time with Peter, where they learned more about their newfound family. When Michelle went back to Michigan, she realized that she wasn’t satisfied to have only met Peter – she wanted the chance to know him. And she felt compelled to give that same opportunity to others facing a similar situation.

“This type of thing is a lot more common than people realize,” said Michelle. “A lot of children born during and after the Vietnam War are missing parts of their family, and we want to help reconnect families.”

Now that she realized how prominent this issue was for so many people across the world, Michelle decided to create Warbabies.org, a website dedicated to helping Amerasians find members of their family. She worked to create a specific focus for War Babies – making connections for children of Vietnam War veterans.
Once the website launched, Michelle was immediately flooded with requests and questions from Vietnamese, Korean, and Filipino people who were seeking their American fathers. Many people were asking the same types of questions, and Michelle quickly created articles on her website to guide people through the process.
“It can be painful to talk about, but people want to know the truth,” said Michelle, who is determined to connect as many families as possible. “This is a chance to know your entire family.”

While Michelle’s reunion with Peter was a joyous one, she recognizes that not every encounter will be the same. That’s why she is adding a new element to her website, where both parents and children can seek support and community for those who are going through similar situations.

Michelle’s brother, Peter, was as surprised as Michelle to learn he had siblings – and just as thrilled to meet them.
“When I was a kid, I would ask my mom about my dad, but she didn’t have an answer for me,” Peter said. “As I got older, I decided to look for a picture of him – I just wanted to see if we looked alike.”

Peter asked a friend to help him set up his DNA profile online, and the rest is history.
Moving forward, Michelle and Peter have a dream of creating reunions like these for all children of war veterans who are looking for their families, especially their fathers who may have never known about these children. That’s where the community can help. War Babies needs support to make their dream a reality. You can go to their website to donate a DNA kit, donate to their general fund, or even become a volunteer to help them spread the word on their mission.
“When I came to the United States, I felt very alone. I had trouble connecting with people,” Peter said. “But the last two years have been totally different. I know my father’s family now.”
If you want to learn more about ways you can make a difference for people like Michelle and Peter, head to warbabies.org to find out how they need your help. You can also check them out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

More information at warbabies.org.