Two Fighter Pilots, Enemies For A Moment, Now Friends For Life
The first time Brigadier General Dan Cherry (USAF Ret.) encountered Nguyen Hong My was in the skies above Vietnam, in 1972. General Cherry was flying an F-4D Phantom when the two clashed, and My was severely hurt in the crash of his MiG-21. Last year, the two met for the first time face to face, in Vietnam, in an emotional encounter broadcast nationwide on live TV. “There we were, two tough old fighter pilots crying our eyes out on national television,” General Cherry wrote in a memoir. On Wednesday at Sun ‘n Fun, the two were together again, telling their story of reconciliation and friendship to the aviation world. “It is my hope that our remarkable meeting and reconciliation can somehow help the many Vietnam veterans who have had great difficulty in bringing closure to their war experiences,” said General Cherry. “Mr. Hong My and I both share the mutual hope that our unusual friendship can also be an inspiration to our two countries to work toward better and friendlier relations through enhanced educational, cultural and business exchanges.” At Sun ‘n Fun, the two are telling their story in several presentations throughout the week.
The first time Brigadier General Dan Cherry (USAF Ret.) encountered Nguyen Hong My was in the skies above Vietnam, in 1972. General Cherry was flying an F-4D Phantom when the two clashed, and My was severely hurt in the crash of his MiG-21. Last year, the two met for the first time face to face, in Vietnam, in an emotional encounter broadcast nationwide on live TV. "There we were, two tough old fighter pilots crying our eyes out on national television," General Cherry wrote in a memoir.
On Wednesday at Sun 'n Fun, the two were together again, telling their story of reconciliation and friendship to the aviation world. "It is my hope that our remarkable meeting and reconciliation can somehow help the many Vietnam veterans who have had great difficulty in bringing closure to their war experiences," said General Cherry. "Mr. Hong My and I both share the mutual hope that our unusual friendship can also be an inspiration to our two countries to work toward better and friendlier relations through enhanced educational, cultural and business exchanges." At Sun 'n Fun, the two are telling their story in several presentations throughout the week. After the show, two plan to visit the National Air & Space Museum annex in Dulles where they will revisit the cockpit of a MiG-21.
