Ace Mai Van Cuong
Major General, MiG-21 Pilot – Vietnam People’s Armed Forces Hero
Mai Van Cuong shot down five US aircraft and three unmanned aerial vehicles. He embodied the image of a handsome and gentle pilot, reminiscent of the classic pilots of yesteryears, earning praises from his unit’s political officers. Despite his gentle demeanor on the ground, he displayed remarkable agility and skill in the sky. He disdained flashy women who dressed differently from the norm and favored a more traditional and modest style, similar to the demeanor praised by poet Nguyen Binh.
Mai Van Cuong was born in 1941 in Hoang Hoa, Thanh Hoa. In 1967, at the age of 26, Mai Van Cuong shot down five US aircraft. However, that same year, he faced a harrowing aerial battle, being shot down and parachuting from 6,000 meters altitude, sustaining severe injuries that left him deaf in one ear. After the 1967 battle, he shot down three more enemy aircraft, and by 1969, he had downed a total of eight enemy aircraft, earning him the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces at the age of 28. He served as the commander of the Air Force Regiment 927 (in 1975), the commander of the Air Force Division 372 (1983-1990), and held the position of Deputy Commander of the Air Defense – Air Force before retiring in 2006.
Pilot Nguyen Nhat Chieu (seated on the left) discussing the battle with his comrades (from left to right): Dong Van De, Pham Thanh Ngan, Hoang Bieu, Mai Van Cuong, and Dang Ngoc Ngu (December 1966).
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