2009/04/19

My Enemy, My Friend

General Dan Cherry on the right was a fighter pilot in Vietnam and on April 16, 1972 he shot down a Vietnamese Mig-21 fighter. He saw the pilot eject and could not get that image out of his head. Years later he found the F-4 that he had flown in the war and started creating what is now Aviation Heritage Park in Bowling Green. He got to thinking about that Vietnamese pilot and when a TV show offered him the chance to meet him on a live show he took it, and now him and Nguyen Hong My are good friends.

Cherry had spent some time over there and now Cherry and Hong My were going on a big sightseeing tour of the United States. Cherry was originally from Bowling Green which is why the park is here.
This is Hong My checking out the cockpit of the F-4
Cherry got this star on his plane for shooting down Hong My and the date is written right underneath it.
I just find this one funny...
The crowd that gathered was a good mix, but it was funny to see all the vets come out and the patriotism was aflowin' strong.
... and the rest of the crowd...