GENESEO, N.Y. (WROC) - It has been 50 years since the fall of Saigon, which was the last major event of the Vietnam War. A First Lieutenant pilot in the Vietnamese Air Force made a heroic escape 50 years ago to the day, by flying from a collapsing south Vietnam to safety in Singapore and eventua lly, America. The historic C-130 aircraft now rests on display in Geneseo. "This is my home. This is the one who saved my family and saved me," said Khiem Pham, as he looked up at the plane, at the National Warplane Museum. On April 3, 1975, Pham commandeered the C-130 and pulled more than 50 of his relatives aboard, along with more than 300 refugees. His goal — to get all passengers out of harms way during the height of the war. "I never have Plan B on my mind at all. At that time, security at the airport was so tight. But somehow, I went through and the aircraft backed out, took off, and nobody knew what was going on. Then, I ran to the cockpit. The minute I put the seatbelt on, the aircraft was airborne and I raised the gear. From there on, we headed to the ocean and flew at sea level to Singapore," said Pham. Quick thinking, and a lot of faith, enabled Pham to bring his loved ones and the refugees to safety in Singapore. He was immediately jailed there for three weeks, before making the journey to the U.S. in search of a new life for his family. Khiem Pham is pictured with his daughter, Phi-Van Cherry, aboard the C-130 aircraft in 1973. "My parents carried hope. They had hope to live this beautiful life in America, and they carried hard work. Because of this 50 years ago, we now live this American dream in the land of opportunity. I’m so grateful that today, the National Warplane Museum is honoring my dad and his heroic escape," said Bekah Yoxthimer, Pham's daughter. Crews at the Livingston County museum have been working to restore the aircraft to the way it was 50 years ago. They've painted its exterior and will work to refurnish the interior in the future. The Pham family is now largely based in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio. All immediate relatives traveled to New York Thursday to celebrate the milestone anniversary. "He’s definitely a hero. He's very courageous. He's also funny. He’s a great grandfather. Definitely someone I try to live up to," said Calvin Pham, the oldest grandchild in the family. "People thought I might be nervous [that day]. Actually, I’ll tell you, no. I chose before my duties, regular flying, like I’d done every day when I went into service," said Pham. The aircraft will be installed at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo indefinitely. It will be open to the public to view during normal business hours. More information can be found on the museum's website here. ...read more read less