The skies over **South Vietnam**, officially known as the Republic of Vietnam, were patrolled for two tumultuous decades by the nation's dedicated aerial branch. From 1955 to 1975, this force was officially named the **Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF)**. Known in Vietnamese as **Không lực Việt Nam Cộng hòa (KLVNCH)** and in French as **Force aérienne vietnamienne (FAVN)**, it was sometimes simply referred to as the Vietnam Air Force or VNAF, serving as a critical component of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces.

From Humble Beginnings to Global Stature

The genesis of the **RVNAF** was modest, beginning during the State of Vietnam era when a select group of Vietnamese men were hand-picked to train and fly alongside their French counterparts. From these nascent stages, the air force underwent a period of remarkable growth and modernization. By 1974, at the very height of its operational capacity, the **RVNAF** had burgeoned into an formidable military entity, achieving the distinction of being the world's fourth largest air force, surpassed only by the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. While some sources contend it was the sixth largest, also placing France and West Germany ahead, its significant scale was undeniable. Yet, despite its considerable size and involvement in the protracted **Vietnam War**, the story of the **RVNAF** often remains a less-explored chapter, operating largely in the immense shadow of the technologically superior and overwhelmingly powerful United States Air Force (USAF).

The Fall of Saigon and Dissolution

The curtains dramatically fell on the **RVNAF** in April 1975 with the **Fall of Saigon**, marking the end of the Republic of Vietnam. As the conflict drew to a close, the air force was dissolved, its personnel facing an uncertain future. Many of its members, fearing reprisal or seeking a new beginning, ultimately emigrated, with a significant number finding new homes in the United States.

The Independence Palace Bombing: A Daring and Divisive Act

A pivotal and highly controversial event in the **RVNAF**'s history occurred on February 27, 1962. On that day, two dissident **Republic of Vietnam Air Force** pilots, Second Lieutenant Nguyễn Văn Cử and First Lieutenant Phạm Phú Quốc, executed a brazen bombing raid on the Independence Palace in Saigon. This attack was no random act of violence; it was a deliberate attempt to assassinate President Ngô Đình Diệm, the authoritarian leader of South Vietnam, and his immediate family, who played influential roles as political advisors.

Motives and Aftermath

The pilots later explained their desperate actions were a direct response to President Diệm's increasingly autocratic governance. They contended that Diệm's preoccupation with consolidating his own power overshadowed the critical and escalating threat posed by the Vietcong, a determined Marxist-Leninist guerrilla army relentlessly working to overthrow the South Vietnamese government. Cử and Quốc harbored the hope that their audacious airstrike would expose Diệm's perceived vulnerabilities and ignite a widespread popular uprising against his regime. However, their ambitious plan ultimately failed to materialize.

Remarkably, President Diệm and his family largely escaped harm. One bomb, which penetrated a room in the western wing where Diệm was reading, miraculously failed to detonate, prompting the President to famously declare that he was under "divine" protection. With the notable exception of Diệm's sister-in-law, Madame Nhu, who sustained only minor injuries, the powerful Ngô family emerged from the assault unscathed. Tragically, three palace staff members lost their lives, and thirty others were injured in the attack. In the chaotic aftermath, Second Lieutenant Cử managed to flee to Cambodia, while First Lieutenant Quốc was apprehended and subsequently imprisoned.

The repercussions of the bombing raid were far-reaching. President Diệm, already wary, became intensely hostile towards the American presence in **South Vietnam**. He publicly accused the American media of conspiring to undermine his rule and quickly implemented stringent new restrictions on press freedom and political association within the country. Media outlets widely speculated that the United States might leverage the incident to justify a more direct intervention, specifically the deployment of combat troops to **South Vietnam**. However, Washington ultimately chose a path of circumspection, maintaining its existing policy. Domestically, the failed assassination attempt paradoxically seemed to exacerbate internal plotting against Diệm by his own military officers, further destabilizing an already fragile political landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions about the RVNAF

What was the South Vietnam Air Force?

The South Vietnam Air Force, officially known as the **Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF)**, was the aerial branch of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces. It operated from 1955 to 1975 and was a key player in the **Vietnam War**.

When did the RVNAF operate?

The **RVNAF** was active from 1955 until the **Fall of Saigon** in April 1975, when South Vietnam ceased to exist.

How large was the RVNAF at its peak?

At its height in 1974, the **RVNAF** was considered one of the largest air forces in the world, ranking as high as the fourth largest globally, behind only the Soviet Union, the USA, and China.

What was the Independence Palace bombing?

The Independence Palace bombing was an attempted assassination of South Vietnamese President Ngô Đình Diệm and his family on February 27, 1962, carried out by two dissident **RVNAF** pilots. The attack, motivated by Diệm's autocratic rule, ultimately failed to kill the President but had significant political repercussions.

What happened to the RVNAF after 1975?

The **RVNAF** was dissolved following the **Fall of Saigon** in 1975. Many of its personnel either integrated into the new communist government's forces (often after re-education) or emigrated, particularly to the United States, to escape political persecution or seek new opportunities.