title: A Vietnamese Fighter Pilot in an American War
author:  Hoi B Tran 
description: Hoi B. Tran was a 10 year-old Vanguard Youth Troop in Ha Noi, North Viet Nam who revered Ho Chi Minh when he seized power in August 1945. Fascinated by propaganda, Hoi passionately sang "who loves uncle Ho more than us children" as taught by Communist cadres. In 1953, Hoi was conscripted into the Nationalist Vietnamese Air Force to fight against Ho. When Viet Nam was divided in 1954, Hoi had to evacuate to the South. In 1955, Hoi was sent to the U.S for training. After the Gulf of Tonkin incident, Hoi flew the first retaliatory strike mission in North Viet Nam.
zlib_text: 
  
  Let’s Kill the Dai Uy
  
  
  
  by MARK BERENT
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright  1991 Mark Berent
  
  
  
  (rev 05/01/20)
  
  
  
  
  
  Discover other titles by Mark Berent at [ www.markberent.com
  ](http://www.markberent.com)
  
  
  
  ROLLING THUNDER
  
  STEEL TIGER
  
  PHANTOM LEADER
  
  EAGLE STATION
  
  STORM FLIGHT
  
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  Let's Kill the Dai Uy
  
  (Vietnamese for Captain)
  
  
  
  In the Fall of 1966 I was an F-100 fighter pilot at Bien Hoa Air Base in South
  Vietnam and, among other things, played a little soccer with the Vietnamese
  Air Force so I thought I was in fairly good shape. While there, I made contact
  and spent some time with the III Corps Mike Force team, Det. A-302.
  
  
  
  ![](Image00000.jpg)
  
  Det. A-302
  
  
  
  That came about because I had earned paratroopers wings years before with the
  10th Special Forces Group at Bad Tolz, Germany. As a young lieutenant and the
  only USAF fighter pilot in the class, I had the weight of the whole fighter
  community on my shoulders. So during our long runs and other exercises when
  the sergeant called out “