Eight months after studying in the former Soviet Union, on March 20, 1966, Nguyen Duc Soat started to write the diary and stopped writing it on December 31, 1972, one day after the U.S. had to announce the halt of its bombing in North Vietnam.
The diary features honest thoughts of the Vietnamese youth about their love for the Fatherland, their citizenship to the destiny of the nation as well as his passion and high resolve to master Soviet-made modern aircraft to combat the U.S. Air Force.
The diary also captures glorious feats-of-arms and uncompensated losses of young pilots who had just graduated from high schools and universities. The diary also highlights the life, friendship, love, and comradeship of Vietnamese pilots.
On the “air battlefield,” Vietnamese pilots bravely confronted the U.S. Air Force’s most modern and cutting-edge war machines, contributing largely to the victories of North Vietnam’s troops and people over the U.S. Air Force’s destructive wars. The victories were also highlighted as the brilliant landmarks of the Vietnamese Air Force in the first days of its history.
As one of the best fighter pilots of the Vietnamese Air Force, Nguyen Duc Soat shot down six U.S. aircraft and was honored with the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” at the age of 27.
According to poet Huu Viet, apart from his own diary, the author also adds to the book historical contexts of the events, balance of power between forces, the fate of the diary’s main characters, memories, and experiences. Therefore, readers can learn more about the difficulties and sufferings experienced by the Party, military, and people of Vietnam during the war.
“The book is good, as it educates younger generations about glorious days in the national history. This is a respectful and necessary job,” said Major General Pham Truong Son.
Translated by Mai Huong