Nguyễn Thành Trung (pilot)

Nguyễn Thành Trung (born 1947) was a pilot in the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) who later defected to the Viet Cong and became famous for bombing the Independence Palace in Saigon on April 8, 1975, just weeks before the Fall of Saigon and the end of the Vietnam War.

Prior to the bombing, Trung had been secretly recruited by the Viet Cong while serving as an RVNAF pilot. He used his position to gather intelligence and plan the attack. The attack involved piloting an F-5E fighter jet and dropping bombs on the Presidential Palace in an attempt to assassinate President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu.

Following the reunification of Vietnam, Trung was hailed as a hero by the communist government. He held various positions in the Vietnamese government and state-owned enterprises, including serving as a director of Vietnam Airlines. His actions remain a controversial topic, viewed differently depending on political perspectives.