Face of the Enemy: An American Asian’s War in Vietnam and at Home

“…this book brought back and is still bringing back some old remembrances and feelings. War does that. The book is wonderfully written and Doc’s story is one that should be on everyone’s reading list.” – Kregg P.J. Jorgenson, Vietnam veteran and Author “In places, the narrative is heartbreakingly tragic and bleak, and in others, inspirational and life-affirming.” – Andy Johnson, British Army veteran and Author “Face of the Enemy” is the compelling life journey of David O. Chung, an American Asian veteran of the Vietnam War. His story challenges perceptions, inspires courage, and demonstrates the resolute spirit of those who have faced adversity and emerged stronger. Faced with prejudice on the streets of Chicago where he grew up, as well as from his own family, Chung rarely found relief from the bias due to his Asian heritage. Yearning to escape from his mother’s traditional Chinese rules, where as the second son he was destined to be practically a slave to the family, it was the military draft that finally gave him a way out. Advised “not to come back to this mess of a family,” by his own father, Chung struggled with a new environment in the Air Force where he had chosen to serve. The military became his new family and after learning the ropes of being a Transportation Specialist, he found himself deposited in Vietnam in late 1971 when the Vietnam War was supposed to be deescalating. Attached to the 1st Marine Air Wing, 12th Marine Air Group, their unit was Detachment 1, 377th Air Base Wing. What should have been a low-key mission to train the South Vietnamese as part of “Vietnamization,” Chung was instead caught up in North Vietnam’s Easter Offensive in the Spring of 1972, finding himself stranded in An Loc where some of the fiercest fighting occurred and many lives were lost. Chung’s is a story of escape and avoidance from family, discrimination, physical and emotional trauma. It is also the story of resilience, perseverance, and the transformative power of activism. Working with a fledgling company called Federal Express provided healing through meaningful work when FedEx was growing at an incredible pace. Through his participation in organizations such as the Vietnam Veterans of America, and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation, Chung discovered that recovery starts when you help others. In his case, the journey of recovery took him all the way to the Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary’s Office for Minority Veterans where he was appointed as a program analyst and advisor to the Congressional Committee on Veteran Affairs. “Face of the Enemy” will give you inspiration and hope that you, too, can recover from significant trauma. Chung will tell you that he is an ordinary man, nothing special. Yet his story is one of extraordinary conviction and persistence to follow his heart in order to help others like him. Outstanding! AT EASE! Veterans Magazine highly recommends Face of the Enemy, An American Asian’s War at Vietnam and at Home is an excellent and emotional read! –AT EASE Veteran’s Magazine, Winter 2023 issue