[1] Eight kills have been attributed to him with three confirmed by the United States Air Force.
However, it was common practice for the American side to claim that their aircraft were downed by surface-to-air missiles or anti-aircraft guns, which is considered "less embarrassing" than losing in a dogfight/air-to-air combat to the enemy pilot.
[2] On 1 August 1968, he and two other MiG-21 pilots, Nguyen Dang Kinh and Phan Van Mao, flew out in a newly-devised trio formation from Tho Xuan, and encountered USN F-4 Phantoms and F-8 Crusaders.
He succeeded in targeting the F-8 in his sights, but his weapons system failed to properly engage due to what he believed were electrical problems.
Two more F-8s then arrived, firing two Sidewinders that succeeded in shooting down Nguyen, who then safely ejected from his stricken MiG-21; his downing was credited to F-8H pilot Lt. McCoy of VF-51, USS Bon Homme Richard.