This morning my phone rang. The person on the line said: "I watched your film BOLINAO 52 and I'm in it." I paused. Then he proceed to tell me that the archival video I used in the film was his own rescue and he wanted to know if there are more. Doan Ha was 5 years old when his boat was rescued by the USS Wabash.
He recently revisited that part of his history and found the men who rescued him. Doan first found a doctor who gave him an examination onboard the USS Wabash when they got rescued. Richard Bosshardt, MD described his perspective on the experience here.
Then Doan proceed to find the commander of the USS Wabash who made the decision to rescue them. Captain James Ryan who will turn 83 later this year made the trip to California to meet his family.
They had a reunion of course.
I met with Doan and he shared his story with me. Many times, I viewed the people in the images of my film BOLINAO 52, I thought to myself, what'd happened to these people. It was one of those days that reaffirmed the work that I do. It is the magic of memories which connect people to their past and push them toward reconciliation. It was a moment that I live for.
1 comment:
Vic Salas I just saw this thread, searched for it after a friend mentioned "Bolinao 52". I was the medical coordinator of the Philippine First Asylum Camp in Palawan island, where the people rescued were brought after Bolinao, so I am sure I met many of them...we were doing medical screening, treatment for TB and other diseases at the WESCOM Hospital just across the camp, over the airstrip. I recall that it was quite an infamous incident and there was an investigation, a court martial, and some people were being held in a makeshift jail right in the camp. I hope this film brings some form of closure to those who were on the boat and who have survived to this day. I was involved in several other harrowing rescues, such as the Liminangcong 84/118. So many other stories are needed to be told. I actually recall working with one of those on the boat, who we assigned to help out in the medical clinic and help care for patients, as part of "rehabilitation". I hope to see the full film in the future. There is also actually a facebook page, "Palawan our Second Home" where many former boat people as well as various staff of the First asylum Camp share their stories.
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