Flying A Huey In The Vietnamese Air Force: A Battalion Commander In The 64th Helicopter Tactical Wing

LTC Uc Nguyen grew up in a rural area near Saigon. His father was an officer in his village. During the Vietnam War, Uc served as a helicopter pilot. After graduating from the Vietnamese Military Academy, he came to America to learn to fly helicopters. Returning to Vietnam, he flew Hueys, and eventually became an aviation battalion commander. While in command, he helped develop airmobile operations and the general capabilities of aviation units. Working side by side with American pilots, he took part in major campaigns such as the Tet Offensive. He fled the country three days before the fall of Saigon on 27 April 1975, flying his family to safety in his own helicopter. Reflecting on the war, he wishes there had been more joint operations between the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and the United States. In this interview, he talks about his childhood in Vietnam, joining the military, training in the United States, and returning to fight the war. He discusses the culture of the Vietnamese, and compares it to what he observed in the American Soldiers. He describes several operations he participated in, the process of Vietnamization, and the impact of journalism on the war. Finally, he talks about fleeing the Republic of Vietnam and coming to America.