A Fighter Pilot Confronted His Enemy Decades After Their Face-Off And Got An Unanticipated Response

A deadly battle once raged over the skies of Vietnam between two skilled fighter pilots. Dan Cherry of the United States eventually came out on top, as he shot down Nguyen Hong My’s plane. But decades on from the war, the pair were brought together again in the most unlikely of circumstances. How would they react to seeing each other?

The Vietnam War

It’s a fair question to ponder because the Vietnam War was especially brutal and lasted for roughly 20 years between 1955 and 1975. Over three million of the country’s inhabitants lost their lives during that time, while close to 60,000 American soldiers didn’t make it back home.

Dan’s story

And on one fateful morning in April 1972, Dan and Hong My were very nearly added to those numbers. So what about the American pilot? How long had Dan been in Vietnam at that time, and what type of plane was he flying for the armed forces?

Leaving America

Well, Dan recounted his story in great detail while writing for Air & Space magazine in May 2009. He was stationed at Florida’s Homestead Air Force Base with an F-4 aircraft, in 1971. The pilot eventually left the Sunshine State and touched down in Thailand going into the summer months.

The 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron

When Dan got to the Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, he joined the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Now, one of their jobs was to provide protection for reconnaissance planes flying to North Vietnam. MiG planes, which were used by the enemy, were always on the look-out for these intelligence gatherers, so the likes of Dan needed to be on their toes.

“We could drop bombs”

But if things did get rocky, Dan revealed what would happen next. He told Air & Space magazine, “According to the rules of engagement, if the [reconnaissance] airplanes were fired at, we could drop bombs.” So is that what happened when the F-4 pilot crossed paths with Hong My in April 1972? Not exactly.

“MiG patrol”

You see, Dan received new orders at that stage. Alongside some of his fellow pilots, he was asked to “fly MiG patrol” to support aerial bombers. In other words, he had to find and take out the enemy planes. He left the base on the morning of April 16, joining three other planes. And once they entered North Vietnamese territory, the tension ratcheted up a notch.

Preparing to fire...

Yes, before long Dan and his fellow fighters caught sight of a pair of MiGs in the sky. So they started to set themselves to fire at the enemy. Yet as the pilots put their fingers on the trigger, something unexpected happened. Without warning, a third Vietnamese plane burst into view. That must’ve been a shock!

The chase was on

Unlike the other two planes, this MiG boasted a camouflaged body. Dan and his co-pilot Jeff Feinstein decided to pursue it, before the aircraft made an interesting move. Yep, it flew into some surrounding clouds, meaning the Americans couldn’t pinpoint its position. And that wasn’t the only problem the F-4 faced.

Hunter becomes the hunted?

While all of this was going on, Dan and company had been picked up by trackers on the ground, which were capable of firing artillery into the skies. So he knew that his F-4 couldn’t stay in the same spot for much longer. Thus the American opted to fly above the cloud cover to get out of sight. Sounds intense, right?

Missing the mark

As Dan was up there, though, the MiG came back into view. Without hesitation, the American shot two missiles at the plane, only for both to miss their mark. Then another three shots were let off by a different U.S. aircraft which had joined the chase. Again, none of them hit the target. We can only imagine their frustration!

The final shot

But the American pilots didn’t give up the chase. Dan gave it one more try. By that point, the planes had reached a dizzying altitude of roughly 4,000 feet. The F-4 got the MiG in its sights, and fired a hopeful shot. This time, it counted.

Direct hit!

Dan’s missile smashed into the right-hand side of the MiG. It lost its wing. The plane then started to spin out of control and fall apart. Yet the guy at the controls was still alive, as he ejected out of the cockpit in a bid to escape. That man? One Nguyen Hong My.

A close shave

Yet Hong My’s escape nearly ended in disaster. Why? Well, when the Vietnamese pilot’s parachute went off, he came close to drifting right into the F-4’s path. Thankfully for him, Dan managed to swerve the chute, avoiding a collision in mid-air. Talk about a dramatic conclusion!

“The hot spot that night”

As for Dan’s colleagues, they managed to take out another MiG, although a third plane had gotten away. Still, the group saw that as a big success for the day. The F-4 pilot recalled, “The Udorn Officers Club was the hot spot that night.”

A blast from the past

That was quite a ride, don’t you agree? And the memories must’ve started to flood back for Dan when he made a trip to Dayton, Ohio, in 2004. Because that summer the former fighter pilot dropped in on the National Museum of the United States Air Force. And while in the area, somewhat unbelievably, he found his F-4 from Vietnam sitting on display in a field.

Aviation Heritage Park

For as cool as that was, Dan soon switched his focus to a different museum that was much closer to home — literally. Yes, as a resident of Bowling Green, Kentucky, he wanted to help the city as it tried to open up its own Aviation Heritage Park.

The beginning of a surprising search

Thus Dan was trying to think up some potential ideas to get the museum’s name out there, which led to this. As he wrote in Air & Space, “The idea of trying to find the MiG pilot [that I shot down] came up, usually over a couple of beers, and in jest.”

Dan’s curiosity

“Still, I’d always been curious about [the pilot’s] fate,” Dan continued. “Who he was, whether he survived, if he had a family. So, we set about seeing what we could find out.” Just like that, the hunt was on again...albeit for very different reasons this time! Yet we’d be amazed if anyone could’ve predicted what transpired next. And when the two men came face to face, the reaction was extraordinary – with the pair offering each other friendship and solidarity rather than anger or resentment.

The Separation Never Seems to Have Existed

Dan recalled, “Through an acquaintance, I learned about a Vietnamese television show, The Separation Never Seems to Have Existed. [It] reunites people who have lost touch. When the producer heard of my quest, she asked me, via email, to write a letter stating my intentions and the circumstances surrounding the dogfight.”

Major news

Once Dan had fired that off, the producer got to work. And it didn’t take long for her to get back to him. Yep, after a couple of weeks, she informed the Vietnam veteran that Hong My was still alive. That’s one of his questions answered. But wait — there was more.

A life-changing invitation

You see, when the producer got in touch with Hong My, she asked if he’d like to be a guest on the TV show. Dan received the same offer, too. Both of them said yes, and were thus penciled in for an episode to air in April 2008. That marked the 36th anniversary of their tense battle above the clouds. You couldn’t make it up!

Understandable fears

Speaking of tense, that’s probably the best word to describe how Dan was feeling when he returned to Vietnam. Can you blame him? After all, wouldn’t you be nervous if you were meeting someone you’d nearly killed? Hong My was no doubt in a similar headspace at the time, too.

The meeting

And that brings us to the fateful meeting. As Dan’s heart was practically beating out of his chest, Hong My strolled before the cameras onto the show from backstage. This was also the first time that the two “enemies” had properly seen each other outside of their respective aircrafts. It was a big deal!

“A very firm handshake”

As for what happened from there, Dan spoke to CBS News in June 2009. The ex-fighter pilot said, “[Hong My] had a very firm handshake. And he says, ‘Welcome to my country. I’m glad to see that you’re in good health. And I hope that we can be friends.’” Wow!

Emotions were high

Then Dan and Hong My spoke about their experiences for the rest of the episode. They also shared photos of their respective relatives, bringing the two veterans to tears. It was a powerful experience — one that the F-4 man probably didn’t see coming earlier.

A friendly dinner

And when the program went off air, Dan and Hong My didn’t go their separate ways. No, they looked to build upon their budding friendship by going for dinner. During their chat, the Bowling Green resident discovered how the MiG pilot had managed to survive the aerial duel back in 1972.

Hong My’s injuries

Dan informed Air & Space, “In our engagement, [Hong My] broke both arms and severely injured his back in the ejection. But he recovered and went on to fly for two more years.” Given how the battle ended, that’s pretty astounding. Because Hong My’s condition could’ve been a hell of a lot worse.

A trip to Hanoi

Then another remarkable moment came to pass. Hong My asked if Dan wanted to meet his family in Hanoi, Vietnam. The veteran liked that idea, and flew into the city with his new pal a few hours later. Who knew that they’d both take to those skies again after the war?

Meeting the family

Once the plane touched down, Hong My led Dan to his house, ahead of an emotional meeting. The F-4 pilot wrote, “I was introduced to his son, Quan, his wife, Giang, and grandson, Duc, who was celebrating his first birthday. Hong My was holding Duc, and as I came close, the little boy reached out to me.”

A powerful statement

“And then, Hong My placed Duc in my arms,” Dan told Air & Space. “I couldn’t help thinking that had things gone differently in the sky that day 36 years ago, Duc wouldn’t have been here for me to hold.” That’s an eye-opening statement, wouldn’t you agree? It certainly puts things in perspective.

Did they meet again?

So Hong My went on to give Dan a taste of his home city before he returned to America. It capped off a truly memorable trip. But guess what, folks? If you thought that’d be the last time they saw each other, we’ve got some news for you.

Coming to America

Dan returned the favor to Hong My around a year later, welcoming him to the United States in the spring of 2009. Just as the MiG pilot had done in Hanoi, he opened his home in Bowling Green and introduced his family. It was a wonderful moment, with beaming smiles across the board.

Grand opening

And that wasn’t all that Hong My got up to. Remember Aviation Heritage Park? Well, he joined Dan during its formal opening, as the pair snipped the ribbon. How cool is that? Plus, the American’s F-4 plane ended up there, too, after Dan had initially seen it in the Dayton area. 

Strike a pose!

Hong My even found time to pose in the plane that shot him down all those years ago. It was quite the sight! But given his personality and feelings about the war, the images shouldn’t surprise us. As he told CBS News in June 2009, he held absolutely no grudges over what happened in Vietnam.

“I had to fulfill my duty”

“I never considered Dan and I to be enemies,” Hong My told the station. “I had to fulfill my duty, and Dan had to fulfill his.” Speaking of Dan, he also shared some intriguing words in that interview. You see, the former fighter pilot recognized the importance of their unexpected friendship.

“Help Vietnam veterans on both sides”

Dan said, “We hope the fact that we’ve been able to reconcile our differences might somehow help Vietnam veterans on both sides.” It was a lofty aim, given how conflict affects people in so many different ways. But not long after that chat, their hopes showed some signs of being realized.

Say hello to John Styles

On that note, it’s time to meet John Styles. Much like Dan and Hong My, he served in the Vietnam War, but he flew a U.S. reconnaissance plane, the kind Dan was trying to protect in the sky. And like Hong My’s MiG, John’s aircraft was shot down. But he really struggled to deal with the mental scars of that incident as the years went on.

A shocking revelation

In fact, when CBS News caught up with John in June 2009, he still kept all the photographic reminders of Vietnam locked away in his attic. But following Hong My’s arrival in America, a jaw-dropping detail came to light. As it turned out, there was a very good chance that the MiG pilot was the one who had shot John down. That’s crazy!

“It’s gone”

So just as Dan did with him, Hong My hoped to contact John, who was a little hesitant at first. He eventually relented, though, and their powerful meeting did him the world of good. The pilot told the news station, “[It] was a huge release of weight that I don’t have to carry around anymore, it’s gone. It was wonderful.”