Day 121: Refugee Processing Center at Eglin Air Force Base, Valparaiso, Florida
📌APIA Every Day (121) - Eglin Air Force Base in Valparaiso, Florida, played a crucial role in the aftermath of the Fall of Saigon by serving as one of the four main U.S. Refugee Processing Centers in 1975 [See Day 62: Fort Chaffee and Day 104: Fort Indiantown Gap]. After the Fall of Saigon, Eglin's Auxiliary Field Two, known as "Tent City," housed and processed over 10,000 Southeast Asian refugees, including Vietnamese, Cambodians, and Laotians. This effort was part of the largest refugee resettlement in American history, accommodating more than 130,000 refugees who fled the conflict in their homelands.
The Gulf Coast states, including Florida, became home to about 15% of these initial refugees. Many found their way to the region through both chance and personal choice, often supported by local churches and community organizations. Organizations like Boat People SOS (BPSOS) were instrumental in helping these refugees integrate into American society. Despite significant language barriers and cultural differences, the Vietnamese community, in particular, found a natural fit in the Gulf Coast's fishing industry due to their skills and backgrounds.
Eglin Air Force Base's role extended beyond Vietnamese resettlement. In 1980, the base also processed over 10,000 Cuban refugees during the Mariel boatlift. These efforts highlight Eglin's adaptability beyond its primary military functions, serving as a resettlement camp for various refugee groups. The history of these resettlement efforts is reflected today in the thriving Vietnamese American community in the Gulf Coast area. Despite being less than 50 years old, the Refugee Processing Center at Eglin Air Force Base is recommended as a National Historic Landmark by the NPS AAPI National Historic Landmark Theme Study due to the integrity of the location and its association with Southeast Asian resettlement in the United States.
LEARN MORE:
Voa News: Half a World Away, Vietnamese Build Lives on the American Bayou
NY Times: Refugee Sighs, ‘I Am Happy, I Am Sad’
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