Chinh Ba Tran

Chinh was the youngest of 5 children born to Truong Tran (father) and Lieu Nguyen (mother) on June 2, 1929, in north Vietnam. In 1954, his family migrated to Saigon, Vietnam to escape the communist regime. He worked as a commanding police officer from 1954-1965 in the city of Saigon. He married Tuyet Mai in 1961. As the conflict in Vietnam escalated, he became a supervising interpreter/translator for the US Embassy in Saigon from September 1965-April 1975. About 10 days prior to the fall of Saigon (April 1975), Chinh, his wife, 5 children, and his wife’s three younger siblings were able to leave Vietnam with the help of the US government. After arriving at Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, CA, Chinh began working as an interpreter for the base. Then in June 1975, while searching in his wallet, he discovered a business card from his former supervisor from the Saigon US Embassy, Henry Moorehead. He took a chance and contacted his friend, who offered to sponsor and move Chinh’s entire family to Poulsbo, WA. He was hired by the Washington State Employment Security Department in Bremerton, WA as an ES interviewer in August in 1975 and after 30 years of service retired in 2006. During this time, he also volunteered as a representative of the Indochinese Refugee Community in Kitsap County, where he provided interpretive/translator services.

Chinh has resided in the Kitsap County community since 1975 and has been a member of the St. Olaf’s Catholic Parish for over 49 years. After a fall at the end of February, Chinh suffered a back fracture and was hospitalized at St. Michael Medical Center in Silverdale, WA. Due to complications, he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on March 10, 2024.

Chinh is survived by his wife of 62 years, Tuyet; his sons Thai (Cindy), Tuan (Mae), Thang (Marie); his daughters Tien (Joe), Tram (Mark); and his 8 grandchildren, Haley, Michaela, Isabel, Lillian, Madison, Charlize, Joanna, and Sinjin.

Chinh loved spending time with his family, watching sports, gardening, golfing, feeding his Koi fish and swimming at the YMCA. He enjoyed meeting new people and always had a smile in greeting.

There will be a visitation on March 21, 2024, at Lewis Funeral Chapel in Bremerton from 11am-4pm. Mass will be the following day, March 22, 2024, at St. Olaf’s Catholic Church in Poulsbo from 3-4pm. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the St. Vincent de Paul in Bremerton.

An online memorial can be seen at www.lewischapel.com