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For eight days and nine nights, those aboard braved rough seas and unpredictable weather for the chance of freedom from a country ravaged by conflict. Two of them were Lily, then 16, and her 20-year-old sister, Sally. As the Blue Ridge advanced toward the fishing boat, former Photographer's Mate 2nd Class Philip Eggman stood on the starboard sponson prepared to capture the moment. "I remember their faces when brought aboard, consumed with fear, exhaustion but also relief," he said. Hospital corpsmen treated those who suffered from malnutrition and dehydration. Others searched through their racks and sea bags for spare clothing. The combined effort to answer the plight of the Vietnamese refugees embodies the U.S. Navy's continued commitment to assist those in distress at sea. "The crew was tough 'Navy' Sailors yet incredibly protective of the families," said Eggman. "They gave them clothing, food, and small gifts like candy and lighters. I don't even know where they got the gifts, but they wanted to do whatever they could." The families remained embarked until Blue Ridge moored at HMS Tamar, Hong Kong, and were then transferred to British authorities two days later. Lily and her sister were taken to a refugee camp in the Philippines for six months before ultimately immigrating to the United States, where they settled in California. Lily went on to open a salon and raise two daughters, Lorene, a high school math teacher, and Leilani, a public healthcare worker. Still, she never forgot the compassion shown by those aboard and the ship she credits for her new life. Eager to reunite her mother with the ship, Lorene searched for more information about the rescue and discovered Eggman's photographs. She searched for his name online and quickly found his contact information. Upon connecting, they worked to fulfill Lily's lingering desire to board Blue Ridge. "The USS Blue Ridge is my life," said Lily. "It was my dream, hope and wish for me and my daughters to visit here together so I can show them how important the ship is to my life." While touring the ship, Lily held a folder with photos of her brief time aboard. When passing a familiar location, she would hold up the black and white image to show the tour guides photos of herself in the same spot in 1984. Lily's eldest daughter attributes her mother's life to the ship's decision to rescue those aboard because she was uncertain how long the boat would have remained adrift without the interference. "When I think of Blue Ridge's impact on my mom's life, it is her life," said Leilani. "It feels like such a simple answer, but without [the ship], we don't know how long [their time at sea] would have been drawn out." Blue Ridge is the oldest operational ship in the Navy and, as 7th Fleet command ship, routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.
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