Memories of the Nung pilot

One July afternoon, after a brief rain shower had stopped, we visited the family of war invalid Ngo Van Soan in Tham Mo village, Dong Dang commune. We were greeted by the veteran himself, his hair a gray. At 78, he no longer remembered everyday things clearly, but whenever he spoke of his military career, his voice became clear and coherent, his memories coming alive as if they happened yesterday.

Former pilot Ngo Van Soan enthusiastically recounted the strict discipline during pilot training in the Soviet Union.

Mr. Ngo Van Soan, born in 1947, is of the Nung ethnic group and was born and raised in Na Lu village, Thien Long commune, formerly Binh Gia district. At the age of 19, he volunteered to join the army, becoming an infantry soldier in the 6th Regiment – ​​250th Division, Viet Bac Military Region. Thanks to his 7th-grade education, exceptional height, and good physical condition, he passed the rigorous selection process and became one of 100 outstanding soldiers sent to train as pilots in the Soviet Union.

In May 1967, Mr. Soan became a flight trainee, donned the uniform of the Air Defense and Air Force troops, and began his journey to the skies. In October 1968, he officially joined a group of trainees to go to the Soviet Union (formerly) for training at the Soviet Air Force School.

In the Soviet Union, he and his comrades underwent rigorous training, from Russian language to basic aviation theory. In 1970, he officially began his flight training with the Czechoslovakian-made L-29 Delfin jet, followed by the MiG-21 fighter jet, which could reach speeds exceeding twice the speed of sound (approximately 2,175 km/h – 2,230 km/h), the most modern combat aircraft at the time. Controlling this type of aircraft demanded centimeter-level precision; even a one-second delay in operation could lead to a serious and irreparable accident.

Speaking about his years of study in the snowy countryside, Mr. Soan said emotionally: "That morning in early September 1969, we were picking grapes to help the farmers at the farm when suddenly a Soviet officer ran up and urgently said: 'Friends, let's go home! Your Uncle Ho has passed away.' The entire group of Vietnamese students burst into tears. We immediately returned to the school, set up an altar, and lit incense sticks to bid farewell to Uncle Ho with immeasurable sorrow."

After rigorous training, out of the initial 100 selected trainees, only 40 qualified to graduate, and Mr. Soạn was the only Nùng ethnic pilot among them.

In 1972, Mr. Soạn returned to Vietnam with the rank of Second Lieutenant, assigned to the 921st Fighter Air Regiment, 371st Air Division, stationed at Da Phuc Airfield, Vinh Phuc (formerly). As part of the combat-ready reserve force, his duties included training, maintaining flight skills, and coordinating patrols to protect the border airspace (3-4 flights per week).

After 1975, he was transferred to the 935th Fighter Regiment, 370th Air Force Division ( Dong Nai province), stationed at Bien Hoa airport. His nhiệm vụ, along with his comrades, was to neutralize captured aircraft from the Saigon army such as F-5s, A-37s, helicopters, etc., and to patrol, guard, and protect the southern airspace after liberation.

On February 4, 1976, while returning from a patrol over the Spratly Islands, the F-5 piloted by Mr. Soan suddenly lost control, both engines failed, and the entire electrical system shut down. With the composure of a pilot, he calmly controlled the aircraft and landed at Bien Hoa airport, attempting to maneuver into the dense grass beside the runway. However, the impact was too strong, causing the aircraft to break in two. Mr. Soan was thrown from the cockpit, his legs crushed, and he suffered a severe head injury. After eight days in a coma and more than two years of treatment at various hospitals, he was fortunate to survive.

In 1978, after being discharged from the army, he returned to his hometown (formerly Binh Gia district), got married, and had two daughters. As a disabled veteran of category 1/4, type A, he always upheld the qualities of a soldier of Uncle Ho's army, helping his family overcome difficulties and gradually stabilize their lives. Thanks to the attention of the Party and the State, his two daughters were selected to study education, and today they are both teachers with stable jobs in their local area.

Despite returning with serious injuries and being unable to work, the old soldier was not at all pessimistic. He confided: "Even now, my biggest regret is not being able to serve the country longer, because training a pilot like me cost the state an average of about 60kg of gold at that time."

Ms. Ngo Thi Xuan, Mr. Soan's eldest daughter, shared: "He often gets confused about everyday things, but he still recounts in great detail the types of aircraft, the buttons in the cockpit, and every patrol mission in the sky. I am proud that my father was a soldier, the only Nung ethnic pilot to fly a MiG-21 at that time."

A life dedicated to the skies of the Fatherland, Mr. Soạn is a living testament to unwavering will and steadfast loyalty to the Party and the People. His name is recorded in the book "Memoirs of Vietnamese Fighter Pilots in the War of Resistance against the US, for National Salvation (1964 – 1973)".

Source: https://baolangson.vn/ky-uc-cuu-phi-cong-nguoi-nung-5053978.html