Nguyễn Văn Kiệt

Their sampan was soon spotted by North Vietnamese troops, some of whom fired at them, but Norris and Kiệt could not afford to return fire. They traveled down river and Norris called in air support to eliminate the North Vietnamese shooting at them from the northern bank. They rescued Clark and Hambleton, but Walker was discovered and killed by the NVA before they could return to rescue him. A book written about Kiệt's heroism by William Charles Anderson was later adapted into a 1988 movie, Bat*21. In 1999, after the release of considerable classified information, a second book, The Rescue of Bat 21, was published by Darrel D. Whitcomb. Kiệt emigrated to the United States, and, as of 2008, resided in Washington State.

Kiệt became a US citizen in 1984 and moved to Seattle, where he worked for the Boeing Corporation for almost 20 years before retiring in 2005.

In April 1972, United States Navy SEAL Lieutenant Thomas R. Norris was one of the few remaining SEALs in Vietnam. When Lieutenant Colonel Iceal Hambleton was shot down behind enemy lines, aerial combat search and rescue operations failed, leading to the loss of five additional aircraft and the death of 11 or more airmen, two captured, and three more down and needing rescue. Norris was tasked with mounting a ground operation to recover Hambleton, Lieutenant Mark Clark, and Lieutenant Bruce Walker from behind enemy lines. Kiệt was one of five Vietnamese commandos to accompany Norris, and when the others refused to pursue the mission further, volunteered to assist Norris. They successfully brought out two of the three downed airmen from more than 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) behind enemy lines.

Nguyễn Văn Kiệt (born March 23, 1945) is a former petty officer third class in the Republic of Vietnam Navy and, alongside Trần Văn Bảy, one of only two South Vietnamese and the only South Vietnamese Navy member to have been awarded the United States Navy Cross for actions during the Vietnam War.