Earthquake McGoon and the Battle of Dien Bien Phu: A legendary hero and the shadows of a forgotten war

Via Mike

 

“Earthquake McGoon” (Robert B. McGovern Jr.) in his P51 Mustang flying with U.S. Air Corp 75th “Tiger Shark” Squadron. KIA flying French marked CIA C-119 Flying Boxcar at Battle of Dien Bien Phu on May 6, 1954.

By Mike Scruggs – Vietnam was dominated by the Chinese for over a thousand years until 938, when the province of Tonkin, the northern region of North Vietnam surrounding Hanoi, gained its independence. There followed a long process of wars and political intrigues before the southern provinces of Annam and Cochin China were completely consolidated into Vietnam in 1788. By 1857, the French had already begun consolidating Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos into their colonial empire. This was known as French Indochina and was complete by 1884. The French remained in control until Japanese troops occupied Indochina during World War II.

More @ The Tribune