Memorial service for 2 SU22 pilot martyrs in Nghe An

On the morning of July 28, at the Funeral Home of Military Hospital 4, the Party Committee, the Air Defense - Air Force Command, Air Force Regiment 921, Division 371, together with local Party Committees, authorities and families held a memorial service for pilots Khuat Manh Tri and Pham Giang Nam.

Delegation of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, and Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Nghe An province led by comrade Nguyen Xuan Son visited the two martyrs. Photo: Tien Hung.

The funeral was held at the Funeral Home of Military Hospital 4. Photo: Tien Hung

Many comrades, relatives, friends and people of Vinh city came to see the two pilots off to their homeland.

Comrades, relatives and people bid farewell to the heroes on their way back to their homeland. Photo: Tien Hung

Photo: L.Tap

Previously, on July 27, the Prime Minister signed Decision 919/QD-TTg to award the "Fatherland's Gratitude" Certificate to two martyrs of the Ministry of National Defense, Colonel Pham Giang Nam, originally from Thai Giang commune, Thai Thuy district, Thai Binh province, and Lieutenant Colonel Khuat Manh Tri, originally from Le Loi ward, Son Tay town, Hanoi city.

The Minister of National Defense has signed a decision to posthumously promote the officer ranks of two pilots of Regiment 921, Division 371, Air Defense - Air Force who died while performing a training flight mission.

Comrade Pham Giang Nam was posthumously promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel. Comrade Khuat Manh Tri was posthumously promoted from lieutenant colonel to colonel.

Previously, at 11:16 on July 26, the Su-22 aircraft, serial number 8551 of the 921st Air Force Regiment (Division 371, Air Defense - Air Force), conducted a training flight. However, at 11:35, contact was lost. The aircraft was later determined to have crashed in the Dua village area (Nghia Yen commune, Nghia Dan district, Nghe An).

At this time, on the Su-22 there were 2 pilots, Lieutenant Colonel Khuat Manh Tri (40 years old, Le Loi ward, Son Tay, Hanoi), and Lieutenant Colonel Pham Giang Nam (46 years old, from Thai Giang, Thai Thuy, Thai Binh). Lieutenant Colonel Khuat Manh Tri was Deputy Regiment Commander, Chief of Staff, and Lieutenant Colonel Nam was Chief of Flight Safety of Regiment 921.

Both pilots are experienced in training flights. Lieutenant Colonel Tri has accumulated flight hours of more than 1,130 hours, while Senior Colonel Nam has accumulated flight hours of 1,178 hours. Both have flown aircraft such as L-39, MiG-21Bis, Su-22M, etc.