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Vietnamese ex-pilot, from national hero to joyful farmer

Vietnamese ex-pilot, from national hero to joyful farmer

Sunday, June 05, 2016, 17:01 GMT+7

Once a world-renowned Vietnamese pilot during the 1960s, Nguyen Van Bay, now at the age of 80, has returned to his root as a farmer in Dong Thap Province, located in the Mekong Delta.

Bay was previously an accomplished fighter jet pilot for the Vietnam People’s Air Force during the American war in Vietnam who made a name for himself between 1966 and 1967.

He shot down seven modern aircraft of the United States Air Force with his MiG-17.

The ace, who was born in 1936 in Lai Vung District, Dong Thap, was honored with the nation’s hero title, along with his insignia as a Senior Lieutenant.

Bay said he claimed such many victories thanks to luck and recklessness. The Vietnamese pilot was later approached and befriended by Brigadier General Richard Stephen Ritchie, or Steve Ritchie, an officer in the United States Air Force.

The former ace is now a rustic 80-year-old farmer with a signature Vietnamese scarf folded around his forehead and an optimistic joyful attitude, who is residing in his birthplace – Dong Thap.

“In a typical month, I stay in Lai Vung for three weeks to take care of my farm and come to Ho Chi Minh City the other week to visit my children,” Bay shared some insights into his personal life.

The former pilot currently settles in a small house situated far from the main road, with the path leading to it being rather small and usually muddy after each rain.

However, it was not difficult for Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters to spot his residence as the house was painted with a large-size logo of the Vietnamese air force.

“The air force is in my blood. I had the symbol painted on my house so that I can look at it every day. It reminds me of the old times when I always ate and slept with my aircraft,” Bay said.

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Nguyen Van Bay (R) is pictured with his comrades in this photo provided by the former pilot.

The former soldier first returned to Sa Dec City, also located in Dong Thap, in 1990 after he left the army, being granted 6,000 square meters of agricultural land.

The man used the area to grow paddy and fruit trees as well as raising fish, swine, and poultry.

Bay suffered continuous losses in the three successive years, before deciding to sell some of the land while giving the rest to his daughter.

He and his wife then moved back to his current place, with a small fish pond and a 5,000 square meter garden of fruit trees.

“My farm is unique. I only grow a few trees of each type for personal use and not for sale. I decided to stop doing business following my previous failure,” Bay stated.

“Despite being born a farmer, it was easier for me to steer MiG-17 than to grow crops,” he joked.

Aside from the fruit garden, Bay also grows some paddies and dug a small pond to raise fish and grow some lotus flowers.

Farming is now just a hobby to him, the former hero said, adding that he could live the rest of his life with his pension alone.

“I am also blessed at the age of 80, as no serious health problems have been discovered during my regular health checks,” Bay added.

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