Nguyen Cao Ky, the twice Prime Minister of wartime South Vietnam and commander of the South Vietnamese Air Force, enjoyed his life as a playboy war pilot and political leader in the 60s and early 70s. When the war ended after the defeat of South Vietnam by North Vietnam, Ky commandeered a helicopter at Saigon’s Tan Son Nhut Airport, flew to an American ship in the South China Sea, and fled the country never to return.

Eventually arriving in the USA, he was broke and need to start fresh. So Ky settled in Orange County, California to open and operate a liquor store for the remainder of his life.

Ky was once spoke about General Douglas MacArthur saying, “He said ‘old soldiers never die, they just fade way.’ That’s me, too.” He passed away at 80 years old in July 2011.

If you're interested in reading more about his life, Kỳ wrote two autobiographies: How We Lost the Vietnam War and Buddha's Child: My Fight to Save Vietnam.