Recognizing the Life of Colonel Vu Van Loc

Floor Speech

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Mr. LICCARDO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize the extraordinary life of Colonel Vu Van Loc, a South Vietnamese Army veteran and beloved community member and leader in San Jose, for his selfless dedication to Vietnamese refugees and to cultural preservation.

Born in 1933 in northern Vietnam, Loc Vu and his family fled their homeland during the fall of Saigon, ultimately finding refuge in San Jose, California, the largest community of ethnic Vietnamese of any city outside of Vietnam.

Soon after arriving, Loc Vu founded the Immigrant Resettlement and Cultural Center to aid fellow refugees in rebuilding their lives. Over the next four decades, the IRCC became a lifeline to Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian families throughout our region.

He also founded, funded, and passionately led the creation of the Museum of the Boat People and the Republic of Vietnam to ensure future generations understand the tremendous sacrifice, courage, and resilience of the thousands who came to our shores after the Vietnam war.

Loc Vu passed away peacefully this November at the age of 92. I was fortunate to have known Loc Vu for two decades, and I will miss our community's friend, mentor, and leader. His legacy lives on in the hearts of the more than 20,000 neighbors he has helped to support and uplift.

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