Nguyễn Cao Kỳ (8 September 1930 to 23 July 2011) served as the chief of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force in the 1960s. In 1964 Kỳ became prominent in junta politics, regarded as part of a group of young, aggressive officers dubbed the Young Turks. He led the nation as the prime minister of the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam)in a military junta from 1965 to 1967. Then, until his retirement from politics in 1971, he served as vice president to his bitter rival General Nguyễn Văn Thiệu, in a nominally civilian administration.
