My Life In Brief

Phoenix Le is my nickname on FB: 

       https://www.facebook.com/ijkxyz.le

TSL (Thien-Si Le) is my acronym on my Blog:
       tslbloggerpage.blogspot.com/2016/04/about-tsl.html

Some info of my escape out of Vietnam in 1979 is posted on the FB link :
       https://www.facebook.com/BT0405
       (Note: BT 0405 is the registration number of the refugee boat that carried
                 424 boat people out of Vietnam in 6/1979)

     Started doing errand work at 7 years old, I was a top student at all Grade 8 classes, top 5 at High School, entered Naval Academy then joined the Navy due to mobilization in VietNam War in 1970.

     With 2 years of training (1-year learning theories at Naval Academy and another year of on-job-training on different navy ships), I graduated Number 7 in total 282 Midshipmen. After graduation as an Ensign then Lieutenant Junior Grade, I took an oath in the code of Honor, Duty and Country, and fought against the Communists all the way in South Vietnam and twice was assigned on USS Wiltsie DD716 from US 7th Fleet, and USS Hector AR 7 at Guam, and other navy ships such as PCE HQ07, PGM HQ615, MSC HQ115, YOG HQ473.

     With the collapse of Saigon, we lost the Vietnam War on 04/30/1975, and I became a prisoner/reformer doing all hard labor works in the jungle for 3.5 years. During this time, I was a team leader of a group of 30 highly skilled prisoners who repaired military tanks, water pumps, combustion engines, all kinds of vehicles, bulldozers, farming tractors, heavy motors, scavenger machine, heavy machinery, etc. for Communists who won the War.

     Escaped from the concentration camp in 12/1978, I, as a fugitive, spent 6 months rebuilding a 75 ft by 15 ft riverboat and became a captain-by-chance who used this boat to carry 424 refugees (boat people) out of South VN to East Malaysia in 6/1979. In a refugee camp at Pulau Papan, Malaysia, with about 900 refugees, I was elected as a refugee camp leader.   

     After 4 months in the refugee camp, I was sponsored by an 80-years old retired lawyer Ruth Codier and transferred to Lexington, MA in 11/1979. In Lexington and Boston, I worked as a machinist in Watertown, Vietnamese-English interpreter, and learned English 18 hours a day. I was invited to be a guest speaker about boat people’s problems at several forums at Harvard Kennedy School of Government, Cambridge Adult Education Center and USCC (US Catholic Conference) Church. I attended Boston University (BU) in 9/1980 with a scholarship and finished BS in Electrical Engineering. I was offered a full-time job of Test Engineer at a high-tech company Teradyne, Inc. in February 1984 before I graduated in May 1984. I worked consecutively for 30 years at Teradyne then Cambridge Technology, Inc. from various positions: Test Engineer (Engr), Test Development Engr, Factory Engr, System Engr, Applications Engr, Quality Assurance Engr, Software Engr, Senior Principle Engr, Technical Lead, Technical Consultant,… I have traveled to many US Air Force Bases, Navy bases to support Teradyne Systems, Spectrum 9100 on software and hardware for testing many equipment and instruments on US Naval Carriers, Air Force C-17 military airplanes, B2 Bombers, B1B Bombers, F35, etc.

     During working for Teradyne, Inc., I also studied and earned a Master of Science in Computer Science (CS) at BU with tuition paid by Teradyne in 1997. In 2013, I at 64 years old, came back to college and spent 16 – 20 hrs a day in 4 years to earn a Ph.D. in CS then did consultant work, book reviewer, lecturer and supported the family. Note that I also had Engineer-in-training License in MA and took many software courses (tuition paid by Teradyne) at BU, Northeastern U., and the U. of MASS.

     In Martial Arts, I might be the oldest student at Mu Han who has spent 8 years (while other students spent 15 years) in the dojo to obtain 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th degrees in Black Belt in disciplines of TaeKwonDo, KungFu, HapKiDo, Yoga, and weapons (sword, staff). Spending 16 hours a week teaching and practicing martial arts, I am an official Assistant Instructor, Instructor then Martial Arts Master titles certified by Kukkiwon, Mu Han Martial Arts, MoonMooKwan. Currently, I pursue Bushido, Samurai, and Chivalry while my wife Tracy and 3 kids follow Catholicism. Every day, I spend 2.5 hours practicing Martial Arts based on 3 essential elements (Sharp Mind, Strong Body, and Special Techniques).  

     Because of the VN War, I focused only on fighting against the enemies, and I was not sure that I could survive. For that reason, I get married very late. My former sweetheart Collete, whom I met on the refugee boat during an escape of VN, was 12 years younger than I was. After 17 years, unfortunately, this marriage was broken perhaps because I studied and worked too much, e.g., 70 hours a week; and we had no kid. Then, I met my current wife Tracy in 2000. Tracy was 20 years younger when I was 51. Now, at 72 years old, I still work one way to another to support, nurse and guide 3 young kids (at 12, 16, and 19). I love my kids dearly. Therefore, I do not mind doing 95% of the housework, and pay 90% of family expenses!

     In the meantime, I take care of the family, continue practicing yoga, particularly martial arts, called Neo-Yoga, Open Martial Arts, and doing Open Consultant Work in Education as well as lecturing to transfer some valuable knowledge to younger generations !