Madame Nguyễn Cao Kỳ

Đặng Tuyết Mai, also known as Madame Nguyễn Cao Kỳ (4 October 1941 – 21 December 2016) was the former wife of Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, former Republic of Vietnam Air Force commander and politician, who served as Prime Minister of South Vietnam from 1965 to 1967, and then as Vice President until his retirement from politics in 1971.[1] Some sources have referred to Madame Đặng Tuyết Mai as the former First Lady of South Vietnam while others as the former second lady since her ex-husband's highest position in the former South Vietnam was Vice President and not President (the prime minister's position was head of government but not head of state.) She was an Air Vietnam stewardess before she married General Ky, then the Chief of Staff of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force.[2]

Madame Nguyen Cao Ky
First Lady of South Vietnam
In role
19 June 1965 – 31 October 1967
Preceded byMadame Nhu
Succeeded byMadame Nguyen Van Thieu
Personal details
Born4 October 1941
Hanoi, French Indochina
Died21 December 2016(2016-12-21) (aged 75)
Newport Beach, California, U.S.
Spouse(s)Nguyễn Cao Kỳ
Bùi Xuân Hiến

While her husband served as Prime Minister and Vice President she would travel around South Vietnam along with him wearing a military flight suit to show solidarity with the armed forces. In December 1966, she traveled to Tokyo's Jujin Hospital of Cosmetic Surgery, for surgery under the name of Miss Dang Tuyet Mai of South Vietnam, which was reported by Time magazine.[3]

Exile

During the Fall of Saigon, her husband had made arrangements for her and their children to be evacuated, while he fled by helicopter during Operation Frequent Wind, landing aboard the USS Blue Ridge. Reunited, they went into exile in the United States, settling in California. She later divorced Ky and moved back to Vietnam,[4] where she managed the restaurant Phở Ta. Her daughter, Kỳ Duyên, is a well-known personality in the overseas Vietnamese entertainment industry, usually in the role of MC for musical programs.

Death

On 21 December 2016, she died at 5:00 a.m. at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach, California. She was 75 years old.[5][6]

References
  1. "Chuyện tình hoa khôi Đặng Tuyết Mai và ông Nguyễn Cao Kỳ" [The love story behind Mr. Đặng Tuyết Mai and Ms. Nguyễn Cao Kỳ]. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  2. Mai Nguyễn Đọc hồi ký của các tướng tá Sàigon xuất bản ở nước ngoài 2000 p78 "NGUYỄN CAO KỲ - ĐẶNG TUYẾT MAI: MỘT THỜI ĐỂ YÊU VÀ MỘT THỜI... ĐAO CHÍNH! Trên chuyến máy bay sang Thái Lan vào năm 1964, Nguyễn Cao Kỳ bị hớp hồn bởi "một sắc đẹp cổ kính nhất" của cô tiếp viên hàng không Đặng ..."
  3. "Asia: New Angles". Time. 23 December 1966.
  4. "Cựu hoa khôi Sài Gòn Đặng Tuyết Mai: Lá rụng về cội..." [Former beauty of Saigon, Đặng Tuyết Mai: Falling leaves...] (in Vietnamese). 22 July 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  5. "Cựu phu nhân Phó Tổng Thống Nguyễn Cao Kỳ qua đời" [Former wife of Vice President, Nguyễn Cao Kỳ, has died] (in Vietnamese). 21 December 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
  6. "Cựu phu nhân Nguyễn Cao Kỳ qua đời" [Former lady Nguyễn Cao Kỳ passed away] (in Vietnamese). BBC News. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 16 October 2019.
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Madame Nhu		 First Lady of South Vietnam
1965–67		 Succeeded by
Madame Thiệu
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