Phạm Ngọc Lan

Phạm Ngọc Lan (born December 12, 1934) is a general of the People's Army of Vietnam. He is most noted for being North Vietnam's first pilot to shoot down American planes in aerial combat, on April 3, 1965.

Early life
He was born on December 12, 1934, on a farm in Dien Nam, in the Dien Ban district of Quang Nam province. Less than a month after the August Revolution in 1945, the French reoccupied Vietnam's southern region and began to militarily contest the central coastal region. Lan gave up school as his family evacuated to the mountains, living in rural Ky Lo, in the Xuan Quang district Dong Xuan of Phu Yen province. His father worked as a battlefield medic in Buon Me Thuot.

From the liaison to the soldiers
In December 1948, after much persuading his family, Lan applied to work at Ty police Dac at the age of 14. Due to his youth he was only assigned to cooking tasks and was later transferred to communication work. In January 1949 Lan was writing about security for Resistance Administrative Committee of Dak Lak. In October of that year, he went to do clerical work for the Dak Lak Province teams.

He continually volunteered for combat but was turned down because of his small size. In July 1952, at the age of 18, he was officially enlisted as a soldier with clerical Political Committee Regiment 84 No Trang Long interzone 5. From January 1953, he in turn was a private soldier, vice squad leader and squad leader of the University Team 602, Battalion 30, Regiment 96, University Union 305. From his first battle at the age of 19, the Battle of An Khe Pass, until the 1954 armistice, Lan participated in 10 battles from Pleiku to Qui Nhon and along Route 1 from Nha Trang to Quang Nam, capturing six prisoners including a French soldier.

Becoming a pilot
Late in 1954, Lan was transferred North with his unit. In January 1955 Lan received further education at the School of Culture of the General Command in the Kien An, which aims to train selected officers.

His initial results were not satisfactory but only in one year he quickly completed 10 years of education with excellent results. After graduation, most students are sent abroad to learn more, so Lan and his fellow students spent time learning a foreign language. With excellent academic results and good health check, despite his wishes to learn about the tank industry, Lan was sent to study flight.

On October 1956 Lan went to China to study at the School of the Air Force No. 3, Highlands Van Quy, Yunnan with the rank of platoon leader. In training Lan was always in the lead group and in all eight subjects reached the maximum theoretical 10 points, making 80 points total.

After nearly eight years of study and training, on the morning of August 6th, 1964, Lan led a team landing at Noi Bai airport from Regiment 921 - Red Star Group Air Force, with 33  MiG-17A combat aircraft and 3  MiG-15UTI training aircraft, on the day of the Gulf of Tonkin event. The squadron was personally met by General General Command Vo Nguyen Giap.

After the water, transforming the first combat duty was established. He assigned the role of an air force captain. In this role, he and his pilots to practice the techniques in the sky North Vietnam to prepare for the fight later. January 1965, he was appointed to the position of Chairman of navigation Regiment Air Force 921 as a Lieutenant.

The first Vietnam down American planes in aerial combat
April 3, 1965, he participated in the first battle of Vietnam People's Air Force, attack aircraft of the U.S. Navy is an ambush in the region Thanh Hoa Bridge a lifeline bridge to supply military forces in the south.

Under the plan proposed by the Air Force commander in Vietnam, the U.S. aircraft will depart from aircraft carrier, the checkpoint Hon Me for an ambush on the Ham Rong area. Therefore, a change by Captain Tran Hanh command of No. 1 (code 01) - Tran Hanh and 2 (code 03) - Paper, will tactic mission, from Noi Bai, along the lines of a bay, towards Nho Quan, then wait at bay Cam Thuy to leading example for the fighters to leave the area to fight. Then change the size by Pham Ngoc Lan consists of a command (code 05) - Pham Ngoc Lan, No. 2 (code 06) - Pham Van Tuc, No. 3 (code 07) - Ho Van Quy, No. 4 (code 08) - Tran Minh Phuong, will be flying low along the mountains to avoid enemy radar, the direction of Three Gorges, entered the battle area from the direction Ha China, taking advantage of opportunities to attack. Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Ngoc Dieu assigned to command the entire battle.

At 7 pm, the radar station realm Vietnam discovered a top U.S. aircraft flying in weather reconnaissance and target. At 9 hours 40 minutes, 60 times attack aircraft of the type of U.S. Navy at the same time the raiding aircraft structure, for red and Ham Rong bridge. At 9 hours 47, minutes umbrella team tactic and took off. One minute after the offensive team records as well off under the plan proposed.

At 10 hours 09 minutes, converting two top offensive division, entered the area to attack, taking advantage of the surprise tactics, stir the air force attack A -4 to leave the target, while conducting aerial combat with aircraft fighters F-8E escort. Initially, 2 Pham Van Tuc opened fire but hit the wrong target due to distance. Pham Ngoc Lan 2 orders of calm, keep the umbrella in place and then jet on to shoot the effective range and shot down enemy. He became the first Vietnam pilots shot down American planes in aerial combat.

Team Navy aircraft after minute surprises also sought to fight back. However, at 10 hours 17 minutes, 2 Pham Van Tuc to shoot down an F-8E. Besides, the export of Vietnam's air defense team also shot down and wounded several U.S. aircraft, umbrella for two minutes of Vietnam fleet of safe escape.

Spectacular landing with the fuselage
After changing the commander shot down two F-8E war, he ordered the team back. However, by detecting a single F-8E aircraft round again, he returned to the attack to cover all border protection and safety team to withdraw, a further pursued his enemy airplanes are trying to escape the sea. He was from Ham Rong closely throughout the Pacific to the new door hit your opponents. However, the F-8E lucky to only wounded, still escape to the sea and the pilot was the U.S. Navy rescue then.

By this time he discovered his MiG-17 had nearly run out of fuel and his compass had been damaged. He lacked power to report to the commander, so he had to navigate the Red River back to his base. As his indicators warned his fuel was nearly gone, he contemplated emergency orders to eject, but he instead decided to preserve the plane which had just scored a victory against his enemy and instead did a belly landing along the banks of the along the Duong River.

Landing in the fuselage on the ground is a risky decision, especially for conditions with absolutely no means of rescue if any problems occur. So landing case of Pham Ngoc Lan is one of the few rare cases of landing the world. With bravery, technique and a little luck, he landed successfully without having to leave the plane. However, he himself also was slightly injured by the plummeting and was stabbed in the face breaking glass chamber. The landing of his venture is successful, the plane is badly damaged can not fly anymore, so the following are the engineers to remove the parts for other aircraft.

As he climbed out after the emergency landing, he was besieged by locals seeking to capture the pilot as they anticipated would be an American as Vietnamese planes at the time were rare, and it was thought impossible that a Vietnamese pilot would attempt to land at such a remote locality is an almost impossible.

After some examination papers and listening to justify his attitude of the villagers moved to joy and drag to witness touching, pilots and flight diversions. Forever a moment later that he could telegraph to headquarters, then most likely that he died as the plane crashed.

Shortly thereafter, on November 6, 1965, during a pursuit by U.S. warplanes in the sky Son La, after shooting a wounded helicopter CH-3C of USAF to rescue American pilots parachuting, he was shot down. Although fortunate to bung up though, he was plummeting to the tree in the jungle and caught a tree though high, were forced to cling to straps that slip down the trunk.

Take part in the training and command
In fact, landings in November without much luck favorable as before. The spine is affected seriously forced him to nurse for a while. After he recovered, between 1966, his superiors had to go to school transfer type MiG-21 in Soviet Union. After returning home, his superiors withdrew from combat duty, concentrate on the task of guiding and training young pilots to inherit. This time he was promoted to the function lieutenant.

April 1967, he was promoted to Captain Regiment and was appointed deputy Air Force Regiment 921. In 1969, he was appointed Chairman of the Engineering Command of the Air Force flying Air Defence Air Force. January 1973, he was sent for further study at the Air Force Academy Gagarin by Soviet Union. After returning home, in March 1974, he was appointed Head of Work Staff Training Air Force Air Defence and Air Force, the function Major.

April 1975, he was the Commander of evidence on the direct participation over Da Nang International Airport. Later, he received secret orders to airport Thanh Son study a selection of military weaponry has obtained quickly plan effective short-term training to pilots No Vietnam People's Army can quickly using aircraft A37 raid on Tan Son Nhat International Airport. When the battle took place, he was the direct commander to lead the way Squadron Wins Decision to complete the task.

Later in 1975, he in turn hold as follows:
 * May 1977, Deputy Chief of Staff Air Force strains.
 * August 1977, studying at the Military Political Academy.
 * July 1978, Deputy Chief of Staff Air Force strains (2nd).
 * August 1978, Deputy Division 371 Air Division.
 * April 1979, Division Chief Division 370 Air Force establishment.
 * July 1981, Chairman of the strains Air Force guidance.
 * November 1982, entitled Department Training School, Army Air Force strains.
 * December 1985, Director General of Military Training School Air Force strains.
 * June 1994, Deputy Director of Combat Training the General Staff.

He was promoted to the rank of Major General June 1992.

Battle records and personal life


Major General Pham Ngoc Lan retired in August 1999 and now lives at his home at No. 192 Truong Chinh, Hanoi.

Although recorded by the camera has 3 times to open fire on U.S. aircraft, but his achievement was officially recorded is the first F-8E. Thus, appearances, he always wore a coat of arms of Uncle Ho, for pilots who were shot down U.S. aircraft, to celebrate the first victories.

He is considered a music lover, a young individual to obtain a college weight room now holding trophy on to rally accompanied.

"Seeing the guitar, I love that time too because after every win, you have to sing but not now. I consulted squad, the decision would bring about the guitar. The date each squad carried now a long way, to 9am the next morning into the garden banana disguise. groping all day, come night, I was matched to the music you sing "Because people forget me." Throughout the night, all everyone just sings, but still happy with music ... ".

Awarded

 * Third Military Medal,
 * Medal win (against France), First Class,
 * Medal-class struggle against the U.S.,
 * Achievement Medal (First Class, Second, Third)
 * Soldiers Medal glorious (ranked first, second, Ba),
 * Military Medal winning public decisions,
 * A coat of arms of Uncle Ho (for pilots shot down American aircraft)
 * Coat 40 year Party.
 * Hero of the People's Armed Forces. {{Note