Madame Nguyen Cao Ky born Dang Thi Tuyet Mai, is the former wife of Nguyễn Cao Kỳ

Nguyen Cao Ky

Nguyễn Cao Kỳ served as the chief of the Vietnam Air Force in the 1960s, before leading the nation as the prime minister of South Vietnam in a military junta from 1965 to 1967...

 a former South Vietnamese 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. Some sources have referred to Madame Dang Tuyet Mai as the former first lady

First Lady

First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime...

 of South Vietnam while others as the former second lady since her ex-husband's highest position in the former 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...

 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

Air Vietnam

Active from 1951 to 1975, Air Viet Nam was South Vietnam's first commercial air carrier, headquartered in District 1, Saigon. Established under Emperor Bảo Đại, the Chief of State of South Vietnam, the airline flew over one million passengers, including during the Vietnam War, before its collapse...

 stewardess (flight attendant

Flight attendant

Flight attendants or cabin crew are members of an aircrew employed by airlines primarily to ensure the safety and comfort of passengers aboard commercial flights, on select business jet aircraft, and on some military aircraft.-History:The role of a flight attendant derives from that of similar...

), before she married General Ky, then the chief of staff of 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...

. http://www.flickr.com/photos/35715468@N05/3307899337/

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.http://hoanghaithuy.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/caoky_tuyetmai.jpg

In December 1966, she traveled to Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

's Jujin Hospital of Cosmetic Surgery, for surgery under the name of Miss Dang Tuyet Mai of South Vietnam, which was reported by the Times Magazine.http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,840754,00.html

Exile

During the Fall of Saigon

Fall of Saigon

The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...

, her husband had made arrangements for her and their children to be evacuated, while he made his last effort to save 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...

, but his efforts were futile and he fled South Vietnam aboard the USS Blue Ridge and fled to the United States, and they settled in California.

She has since divorced and moved back to Vietnam, managing a restaurant called Pho Ta

Pho Ta

Pho Ta is a restaurant located in Saigon, Vietnam which has been made famous by being the one managed by Madame Dang Tuyet Mai, the ex-wife of General Nguyen Cao Ky who served as Prime Minister and Vice President of the former South Vietnam....

.

Madame Ky's daughter, Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen

Nguyen Cao Ky Duyen

Nguyễn Cao Kỳ Duyên is a Vietnamese-American personality and co-host of Thuy Nga's Paris By Night shows, and is also a law school graduate.-Biography:...

, is a well-known personality in the overseas Vietnamese entertainment industry (usually in the role of MC for musical programs).

External links

• Madame Nguyen Cao Ky received plastic surgery in Tokyo Dec. 1966
• Madame Ky arranges a meeting with journalists in Saigon to interview her husband
• Madame Ky returns to Vietnam

Preceded by: Madame Nguyễn Khánh

First Lady of South Vietnam First Lady First Lady or First Gentlemanis the unofficial title used in some countries for the spouse of an elected head of state.It is not normally used to refer to the spouse or partner of a prime minister; the husband or wife of the British Prime Minister is usually informally referred to as prime... (1965–67)

Succeeded by: Madame Nguyen Van Thieu Madame Nguyen Van Thieu Madame Nguyen Van Thieu born Nguyen Thi Mai Anh Khue, was the last serving First Lady of South Vietnam from 1967 to 1975. She is the wife of Nguyen Van Thieu a Vietnamese General and politician, who served as President of the Republic of Vietnam from 1967 to 1975 when he resigned.She was born in...