Vang Sue

Vang Sue
Major Vang Su
Born	January 30, 1945 Xieng Khouang, Laos
Died	October 18, 1972(1972-10-18) (aged 27) KIA Laos
Allegiance	Kingdom of Laos
Service / branch	Royal Lao Air Force
Years of service	1965–1972
Rank	Major
Unit	Special Unit based at LS-20A, Long Tieng, Laos
Commands	T-28 fighter bomber squadron
Battles / wars	Secret War Second Indochina War (Vietnam War) in Laos Cold War
Awards	Order of the White Elephant Distinguished Flying Cross

Major Vang Sue (Su, Seu) (also transliterated as Vaj Xwm) (January 30, 1945 – October 18, 1972) was a Laotian Hmong fighter pilot. Recipient of the USAF Distinguished Flying Cross. He flew over 4,000 combat missions as a T-28 bomber pilot. Vang trained briefly with Hmong fighter ace Lee Lue before Lee was shot down and became General Vang Pao's preeminent pilot after Lee's death. He frequently flew 15 days consecutively, and often as much as 15 sorties in a day. Renowned for his daring and bombing accuracy, Vang was shot down by anti-aircraft guns and killed in October 18, 1972.

Biography

Vang Sue was born on 30 January 1945, in Xieng Khouang, Laos to KiaPao Vang (father) and Ying Xiong (mother). He married a school teacher, May A. Yang, in 1967 and together they had four children. Vang Sue joined the Royal Lao Air Force He ranks as Wing Leader.

See also

• Air America (airline)
• Air America (film)
• Battle of Lima Site 85
• History of Laos since 1945
• Laos Memorial
• Laotian Civil War also known as the "Secret War"
• North Vietnamese invasion of Laos
• Franco-Thai War

Further reading

• Air America by Christopher Robbins
• The Ravens, Pilots of the Secret War in Laos by Christopher Robbins

References

1,667 missions.

A page from Vang Sue's log.