View From The Hill
(4/16/09)

Dan Cherry/Hong My

Today’s dedication of Aviation Heritage park was the first of many public appearances in the United States for Dan Cherry and Hong My (Me) over the next two weeks.

In this week’s View from the Hill, Amy Bingham talks to the two former fighter pilots about the journey that brought them to this point.

One year ago today, Dan Cherry came face to face with the pilot he shot down in a MiG in Vietnam back in 1972.
That first meeting happened on live television in Saigon …but now, the lifelong friends are reuniting on American soil.
 
“There are so many things in this overall story that truly were meant to be…supposed to happen this way.”

The ‘story’ dates back to April 16th, 1972 when Dan Cherry shot down a MiG piloted by Hong My in the skies of Vietnam.
 
“I remember at the time thinking, I wonder who he was because I saw him so clearly in the parachute.”

Cherry says the thought went out of his mind the next day when he resumed flying combat missions…he didn’t give it another thought until 2004.
 
“When we found the aircraft in a field in Ohio…and my friends started asking me questions…I really started thinking about it then.”

A Vietnamese television show that orchestrates reunions helped Cherry track down the pilot of the MiG all these years later.
 
“I thought this is incredible, it’s too good to be true…it’s a fraud, it’s a hoax..somebody’s trying to set me up.”
But it wasn’t a hoax ..and the two met in a televised reunion last year.
 
“The first time we saw each other I was very apprehensive, my heart was beating 90 miles an hour because in my heart I wanted it to go well. 4:08 “He’s an imposing figure, he looks like a fighter pilot is supposed to look, his head is shaved, he’s very muscular.”

Both men agree a bond formed upon that first meeting.
 
“36 years ago we were enemies… when we met in Vietnam we were big friends, that was big change for me.”
Now, on his first visit to America, My  is impressed with everyone’s friendliness and he’s hopeful this story of reconciliation will be an inspiration.
 
“Hopefully relationship between two countries will develop more in the future.”

Dan Cherry and Hong My will do a book signing of “My Enemy, My Friend” this Saturday at the Southern Kentucky Book Fest at the Sloan Convention Center.

They will present their story Monday night at 7:30 at the Mass Media and Technology Hall Auditorium on Western’s campus.  The event is free.

With this week’s View from the Hill, I’m Amy Bingham.