Lê Thanh Đạo

Lê Thanh Đạo (born 1944) was a MiG-21 pilot of the Vietnamese People's Air Force, he flew with the 921st and 927th fighter regiment and tied for fourth place amongst Vietnam War fighter aces with six kills.^[1]

"We took off from Noi Bai Airbase ascending to an altitude of 3,500m toward Ba Vi... we discovered the enemy Phantoms and intercepted two aircraft in a pair, and I prepared to launch my missile, when another F-4 hit my MiG-21 and I had to eject immediately. While I was descending, a Phantom fired a burst from their cannon which made many holes in my parachute... I had fallen and crashed into a big rock at high speed. I was unconscious for two days; both legs and vertebra were broken... locals made a stretcher from my parachute and transported me a distance of 9km where an Mi-6 helicopter brought me to Hospital No. 108 where I stayed for 4 months... I was only able to return to flight duty after a year."

— Le Thanh Dao, VPAF MiG-21 pilot, describing his final engagement with F-4 Phantoms on October 15, 1972^[2], MiG Aces of the Vietnam War, Toperczer, Istvan, 2015, Library of Congress # 2015932137, Page 214

The following victories include the kills that are known to be credited to him by the VPAF:^[3][4]

• 18 December 1971, a USAF F-4D (serial number 06-241, 555th Tactical Fighter Wing, pilot Johnson, WSO Vaughan, POWs);
• 10 May 1972, a USN F-4J (pilot Blackburn (MIA-KIA),^[5] RIO Rudloff (POW), US claims AAA);^[6]
• 12 June 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm);
• 24 July 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm);
• 24 July 1972, Firebee (shared);
• 9 September 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm);
• 11 September 1972, a USAF F-4E (pilot Ratzlaff, WSO Heeren, POWs);
• 1 October 1972, an F-4 Phantom (US does not confirm).