Flight to Freedom
hero saves himself and family

On May 3^rd the Middletown Aviation Club sponsored a great evening of aviation history by asking Mr. Pham Quang Khiem to tell his story of escape from the North Vietnamese on April 3, 1975, by commandeering a C-130 Hercules aircraft and taking his entire family, all 53 of them plus several aircraft crewmembers, with him on the escape.  Mr. Khiem was an officer of the South Vietnamese Air Force.

His planning was augmented by extremely good luck.  One might think there was Heavenly intervention.  Regardless, he managed to get his family out of harms way and into the US.  All are now living in the US.  Mr. Khiem lives in Dayton, Ohio.

Mr. Khiem indicated he and his family would suffer greatly under the North Vietnamese because he was a member of the South Vietnamese Air Force.  His only option was to get out of Vietnam and take his loved ones with him.

The MIDD Aviation hangar at Hook Field, Middletown, Ohio, was packed with the Who’s Who of local aviation.  Mr. Bill Wilmer, the Club president, opened the meeting

Martha Lunken, from the Cincinnati FAA, followed Mr. Wilmer and introduced Mr. Khiem.

The weather was beautiful and a number of guests flew in for the meeting.  On the ramp sat a classic Beech V-35 Bonanza, a vintage Cessna 206, a  Cessna 150, and a classic 1955 C180 to mention a few.

If you would like more information about the Middletown Aviation Club, please contact Bill Wilmer, Middletown Aviation Club, Inc., PO BOX 765, Middletown, Ohio 45042.

MIDD Aviation hangar just before meeting ...

Martha Lunken preparing Mr. Khiem's mic before the proceedings started.

Mr. Khiem describing his escape from the N. Vietnamese.

Mr. Khiem talking with Daun Yeagley and Van Jones II (kneeling), and a third person unknown to me at this time, after the meeting.