Ace NGUYEN VAN COC
Lieutenant General, Mig-21 Pilot – Vietnam People’s Armed Forces Hero
Nguyen Van Coc, a hero, was born in 1942 in Bich Sơn, Viet Yen, Bac Giang province. He once faced off against the most skilled US pilot – Major Ace Robin Olds – in the skies over the Red River Valley. At the age of 25, Cốc shot down nine American aircraft, making him the Vietnamese pilot with the highest number of shootdowns. He was also honored by his American adversaries as an “Ace Pilot.” The MiG-21 PF 4326 became synonymous with his name and achievements, alongside his comrades from Squadron 921, before he assumed high-ranking positions such as Commander of Air Force Division 371, Deputy Commander of the Air Defense – Air Force, Deputy Inspector General of the Vietnam People’s Army (1997-1998), and Chief Inspector of the Ministry of National Defense (1998-2002).
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On May 4, 1967, a flight of Pham Thanh Ngan and Nguyen Van Coc (below) took off from Noi Bai Airfield to intercept a formation of F-105s and F-4s led by Colonel Robin Olds (above).
Flight leader Pham Thanh Ngan shot down an F-105, while Robin Olds managed to damage Nguyen Van Coc’s MiG. However, the American colonel had no way of knowing that the young Vietnamese pilot he engaged that day would later become the only person in modern air combat history to shoot down nine American aircraft using a MiG-21—securing his place as one of the legends of the Vietnam People’s Air Force. At the time, Colonel Robin Olds was already a seasoned combat veteran, having shot down 12 German aircraft during World War II and logged thousands of flight hours. In contrast, Lieutenant Nguyen Van Coc was not yet 25 years old, had just over 300 flight hours, and had achieved his first aerial victory only days earlier, on April 30, 1967. This battle was a rare duel between ace pilots of the U.S. Air Force and the Vietnam People’s Air Force.
The legendary Mig-21PF, bearing the number 4326 of the Vietnam People’s Air Force under the 921st Red Star Regiment, stood out with 13 stars marking 13 victories in the northern skies by shooting down 13 American aircraft. Six of the pilots who flew this aircraft were awarded the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces, including Nguyen Van Coc. During the years of war, this Mig-21PF, numbered 4326, instilled both fear and respect in American pilots.
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