Ly Tong - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Lý Tống is a Vietnamese American

Vietnamese American

A Vietnamese American is an American of Vietnamese descent. They make up about half of all overseas Vietnamese and are the fourth-largest Asian American group....

anti-communist

Anti-communism

Anti-communism is opposition to communism. Organized anti-communism developed in reaction to the rise of communism, especially after the 1917 October Revolution in Russia and the beginning of the Cold War in 1947.-Objections to communist theory:...

activist.

Early life

In 1965, at the age of 19, he served in the Republic of Vietnam Air Force

Vietnam Air Force

The Vietnam Air Force began with a few hand-picked men chosen to fly alongside French pilots during the State of Vietnam era. It eventually grew into the world’s sixth largest air force at the height of its power, in 1974...

. He was assigned to South Vietnam

South Vietnam

South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...

's "Black Eagle" Fighter Squadron.http://citypaper.net/articles/031199/coverstory.shtml

In Exile

In 1984, was granted asylum to the United States and he received a letter from then President Ronald Reagan

Ronald Reagan

Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....

for his struggle to attain freedom from captivity in Vietnam.http://citypaper.net/articles/031199/coverstory.shtml

He attended the University of New Orleans

University of New Orleans

The University of New Orleans, often referred to locally as UNO, is a medium-sized public urban university located on the New Orleans Lakefront within New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It is a member of the LSU System and the Urban 13 association. Currently UNO is without a proper chancellor...

earning some kind of degree.

First Return to Vietnam

In the 1990s he decided to take up anti-communist activities, and in 1992, he hijacked a Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines

Vietnam Airlines Company Limited, trading as Vietnam Airlines , is the national flag carrier of Vietnam. Founded in 1956 under the name Vietnam Civil Aviation, the airline was established as a state enterprise in April 1989. Vietnam Airlines is headquartered in Long Bien, Hanoi, with hubs at Noi...

airliner. Ly Tong's copilot claimed that he was forced to fly over Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...

so that Ly Tong could drop thousands of leaflets calling for insurrection against the communist government of Vietnam.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6520615.stm

He parachuted and jumped from the plane, but he landed in a swamp and was apprehended by Vietnamese soldiers and sentenced to 20 years. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6520615.stm

In 1998, the Vietnamese government released him as part of an amnesty program along with other democracy activists. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5322432.stm

First Trip to Cuba

On January 1, 2000, he flew over Havana

Havana

Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...

, Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

, and dropped leaflets encouraging the Cuban people to rise up and revolt against the government of Fidel Castro

Fidel Castro

Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...

. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/588234.stm

On his return to Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport in Florida, he was detained and questioned by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement but was released without charges. The Federal Aviation Administration

Federal Aviation Administration

The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...

suspended his pilots' license. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/588234.stm http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/588573.stm

On his return to Florida, he was hailed a hero by some Cuban-Americans and there was a return parade for his flight over Cuba.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv05wBQruGg&feature=related

Second Return to Vietnam

On November 17, 2000, he and a copilot flew to Thailand

Thailand

Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...

, from where he flew to drop 50,000 pamphlets calling for armed demonstrations against the communist government of Vietnam over Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City

Ho Chi Minh City , formerly named Saigon is the largest city in Vietnam...

.

In 2006, he was released by the Thai government and returned back to the United States http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=141789&version=1&template_id=45&parent_id=25

Hunger Strike 2008

In February through March 2008, he conducted a hunger strike

Hunger strike

A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...

in San Jose, California

San Jose, California

San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...

, protesting efforts by city councilwoman Madison Nguyen

Madison Nguyen

Madison Phuong Nguyen is an American politician from California. She has served on the San Jose, California, City Council since September 2005, representing District 7; she was the first Vietnamese American elected to the council.-Early life:...

to name a district of the city "Saigon Business District" instead of "Little Saigon".

In South Korea

On August 26, 2008, Ly Tong rented a plane & pilot for travel. But a short time after taking off, Tong told the pilot to fly the airplane over North Korea so that he could spread anti-communist leaflets to the North Koreans. The pilot told him that due to the lack of fuel they had to return to Seoul to refill, whilst sending an emergency hijacking signal to the airport authorities. Upon landing, Tong was arrested and briefly detained by the airport authorities.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10699376

Attack on Dam Vinh Hung

He was arrested again in July 2010 for a pepper spray

Pepper spray

Pepper spray, also known as OC spray , OC gas, and capsicum spray, is a lachrymatory agent that is used in riot control, crowd control and personal self-defense, including defense against dogs and bears...

assault on singer Dam Vinh Hung

Dam Vinh Hung

Đàm Vĩnh Hưng is a Vietnamese pop star. He has become very popular in Vietnam beginning with his first career solo, “Bình Minh Sẽ Mang Em Đi” and “Tình Ơi Xin Ngủ Yên”. Hung is involved in combating the escalating traffic crisis. He is a goodwill ambassador to Asia Injury Prevention Foundation.In...

at a concert in Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara, California

Santa Clara , founded in 1777 and incorporated in 1852, is a city in Santa Clara County, in the U.S. state of California. The city is the site of the eighth of 21 California missions, Mission Santa Clara de Asís, and was named after the mission. The Mission and Mission Gardens are located on the...

.http://english.vovnews.vn/Home/US-police-arrest-Ly-Tong-for-attacking-Vietnamese-singer/20107/117672.vov http://www.saigon-gpdaily.com.vn/Law/2010/7/84183/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-10699376

External links

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