Which pilot bombed the Independence Palace?

He was the pilot who single-handedly bombed the Independence Palace on April 8, 1975, contributing to the end of the war and the reunification of the country.

1. Which pilot bombed the Independence Palace?

• Nguyen Van Bay
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• Vu Xuan Thieu
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• Nguyen Thanh Trung
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• Nguyen Van Nghia
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Exactly

Colonel Nguyen Thanh Trung (born in 1947, from Ben Tre province) was the pilot who bombed the Independence Palace in 1975. Prior to that, he was instructed by the Central Military Affairs Committee of the Southern Region to apply for a position in the Republic of Vietnam Air Force, becoming a "pilot operating behind enemy lines."

On April 8, 1975, he received orders to sortie from Bien Hoa airport, piloting an F5-E bomber to attack Phan Thiet. According to regulations, the aircraft following the previous one must take off 5 seconds, with a maximum of 10 seconds. Pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung used these 10 seconds to mislead the flight commander and ground control tower.

After takeoff, instead of joining the flight to Phan Thiet, he flew back to Saigon, carrying four bombs aimed at the Independence Palace. After dropping them, he circled to the Nha Be fuel depot, fired the remaining 300 120mm rounds on board, and then landed safely at Phuoc Long airport.

2. Before becoming a "pilot behind enemy lines," what did he change?

• Change of place of birth
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• Change your last name
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• Change of residence
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• Change mother's name
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Exactly

Pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung was born into a family of five siblings. His father, Dinh Van Dau (also known as Tu Dau), was formerly the Secretary of the Chau Thanh District Party Committee. When he was 10 years old, his mother had his birth certificate reissued to make him two years younger. His birth name, Dinh Khac Chung, was also changed to Nguyen Thanh Trung, but his hometown remained Ben Tre. His subsequent biographical record only listed his mother and him, with no further information about his father – a revolutionary cadre.

Throughout the five months of war, living, studying, and working behind enemy lines, he frequently faced background checks and inquiries about his hometown. However, whenever questioned, he consistently answered, leaving no room for doubt.

3. After the devastating bombing, what happened to his wife and children?

• Arranged to be taken to a safe place.
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• Arrested and imprisoned
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Exactly

Before carrying out the mission, pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung did not take his wife and young child to safety for fear that the arrangements would reveal the plan. After the bombing, his wife and child were captured. They were not released until after liberation.

4. Was he the pilot who bombed Tan Son Nhat airport?

• Wrong
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• Correct
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Exactly

Twenty days after the bombing of the Independence Palace, pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung was also the leader of the bombing squadron that attacked Tan Son Nhat airport.

On the morning of April 28, 1975, at Phu Cat airport, Colonel Le Van Tri, Commander of the Air Defense and Air Force Command, decided to deploy a force of six pilots to participate in the battle: Nguyen Thanh Trung, Nguyen Van Luc, Tu De, Han Van Quang, Hoang Mai Vuong, and Tran Van On. The squadron was named the "Victory Squadron".

At 9:30 AM that same day, five A-37 aircraft from the squadron, each carrying four bombs and four barrels of fuel, were ordered to fly from Phu Cat to Thanh Son airfield (Phan Rang province). There, the squadron landed, ready to await orders to fly to Saigon and drop bombs on Tan Son Nhat airport.

While advancing towards Saigon, the squadron flew low to avoid radar. Upon approaching Tan Son Nhat, the pilots diverted their flight towards Ba Ria-Vung Tau to create a diversion. The bombing of Tan Son Nhat by the Victory Squadron completely paralyzed and disrupted the airport. The plan for mass evacuation by heavy American jets failed and had to be replaced by small helicopters parked on the rooftops of high-rise buildings.

5. In what year was he awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces?

• 1984
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• 1994
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• 2004
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• 2014
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Exactly

The two air raids on the Independence Palace and Tan Son Nhat Airport, carried out by pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung, were of great strategic significance, contributing to the end of the war and the reunification of the country.

In 1994, pilot Nguyen Thanh Trung was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces. He is also known as the first Vietnamese pilot to fly the Boeing 767 and 777.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/phi-cong-nao-da-nem-bom-vao-dinh-doc-lap-2392051.html