SAVED THE CHILDREN PAIR TO RETURN TO SCENE OF DRAMATIC RESCUE.

Byline: Judy O'Rourke Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Pat and Rich Willett left Thursday for a trip down memory lane to a faraway place they have feared but never seen.

The memory part stems from their involvement with Cambodia. More than 30 years ago, as the Vietnam War overflowed into neighboring Cambodia, the Willetts helped spirit 15 children out of Southeast Asia on one of the last rice delivery planes to land at the airport at Phnom Phen - the capital of Cambodia - before it was closed, Pat said.

``They would literally fly in and throw the rice bags off - the Khmer Rouge was shelling the airport,'' she said. ``The first time they were turned away because (the shelling) was too heavy and the plane could not land.

``A couple of days or so later, (the crew) flew in ... threw the rice bags off and threw the children in. It didn't stay on the ground long.''

Pat, 64, is the spokeswoman for the William S. Hart Union High School District. Her husband, Rich, 66, has retired from his career as a general contractor but still performs some contracting jobs.

Pat was drawn to the children's plight when a man working for a relief organization called the newspaper she worked for - ``in a panic'' - about the youngsters' fate, she said.

Rich, who was involved with the Jaycees, shared her concern and mobilized his group to help out. The Jaycees, young businessmen and -women, raised about $12,000, which paid for many things, including the airline tickets. The organization also secured a bank loan, which the Cambodian families and Jaycees jointly paid off.

The Americans originally planned to rescue about 10 children, but the number grew to 15.

``Officials helped us get our children out if we took theirs, too,'' Willett said. One man, Kong Orn, was the director of refugees, and the other was General Long Mon, Willett said. The group also was aided by the State Department and U.S. Rep. Barry M. Goldwater Jr.

The Willetts had befriended four Cambodian men who were studying at the University of Southern California. The men had worked in their country's Ministry of Education. Three of them had families in Phnom Penh.

The mission was a success. But there was one problem.

``Once we got the children over here, their parents were basically unemployed,'' Pat said. ``So we divvied (the children) up between the Jaycee families, hosting them six months to a year or more till the families could afford to keep them again.''

Three of the children took turns living with the Willetts, who have two children of their own.

Pok Ravith, then 6, stayed for six months, his brother Ravuth, 12, stayed for a year, and their cousin Hang Rumony, 15, moved in the following year. The children would visit their families on the weekends.

In the Cambodian, or Khmer language, the surname precedes the given name.

Rumony's father was the country's former prime minister, Pat said. The girl had been sent to Washington, D.C., where she stayed with the Cambodian ambassador. When the ambassador found himself suddenly unemployed, Rumony came west. Her father had stayed behind, trying to form a government. When the Khmer Rouge took over, they killed him.

Rumony's mother, brother and sister were later discovered in a refugee camp in Thailand. Her brother Rumonea stayed with the Willetts for a time.

Flash forward to December 2005.

The Willets are visiting Pok Than, the father of Ravith and Ravuth. Pok's granddaughter and his daughter Ramie will be visiting at the same time. Ramie was supposed to live with the Willetts, but Rumony took her place.

Pok returned to Cambodia about five or six years ago. He became secretary of state in charge of education and athletics after a failed bid for a senate seat. Before the war he was the deputy minister of education, Willett said.

The couple had wanted to visit the region before but kept putting if off because they felt the country was unsafe and unstable, Rich said.

When Pok extended the invitation this time the couple gladly let him plan the entire trip. His villa on the coast of Thailand may be one stop on the itinerary.

The Willetts anticipate their visit to the Angkor Wat temple will be a highlight. They expect to linger for days, touring the immense pyramid adorned with bas relief carvings, which was built in the 12th century. It is encircled by a moat that is 570 feet wide and about 4 miles long.

The sightseeing will be mixed with business. Two of the couples' four suitcases will be stuffed with toiletries, art supplies and children's clothes destined for needy schools and an orphanage in Phnom Penh for HIV-positive children. Some of booty was donated by Pat Willett's colleagues.

The nearly monthlong trip will include stops in Bangkok, at an island off the coast of Thailand and, possibly, Vietnam.

``The fun part about all of this is we've hosted all these kids, now we're starting to go back the other way,'' Pat said.

Over the years, the two have opened their doors to children from Saudi Arabia, Chile, Australia, Iraq, Hungary, Russia, Uzbekistan, Taiwan, Vietnam, Britain, France, Africa and Japan.

``There are (about) 17 who call us Mom and Dad,'' Rich said.

About two years ago, the couple spent time in Chile with the family of one of those 17, Vicente Cordero.

``We are family,'' Cordero said. ``We spend the holidays together. My two kids call (the Willetts) Grandma and Grandpa.''

Cordero, 39, a traffic engineer for the city of Los Angeles who lives in Saugus, had lived with the Willetts for a year when he was 17, and when he was 20 he returned for five years. Cordero said Pat is the serious one, and Rich is funny.

After the refugee children came to America, other refugees were brought to the Marine base at Camp Pendleton, Rich said. The Willetts would visit them.

``One time, we went to the base and they said you had to have the name of the person you want to visit,'' Rich said. He had no name but that did not stop him. ``We said `elaI elaI q,Ut,''' he said. It sounded like a name and did the trick.

But the Cambodians fell down laughing.

``It means 'dumb dumb crazy,''' Rich said.

Judy O'Rourke, [phone]

judy.orourke(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

(color) Pat and Rich Willett left Thursday for their trip to Cambodia, where they will deliver toiletries, art supplies and children's clothes destined for needy schools and an orphanage in Phnom Penh for HIV-positive children.

David Crane/Staff Photographer