Peter Khoy Saukam

General
Peter Khoy Saukam
President of the Khmer Republic
Acting
In office
April 1, 1975  April 12, 1975
Preceded by Lon Nol
Succeeded by Sak Sutsakhan
as Chairman of the Supreme Committee
1st President of the Senate
In office
1972–1975
Prime Minister Sisowath Sirik Matak
Son Ngoc Thanh
Hang Thun Hak
In Tam
Long Boret
Preceded by Office created
Succeeded by Chea Sim (Office reestablished in 1999)
Personal details
Born Saukam Khoy
(1915-02-02)February 2, 1915
Died November 14, 2008(2008-11-14) (aged 93)
Stockton, California, U.S.
Political party Social Republican Party
Spouse(s) Vom Tep Saukam
Children 7
Military service
Allegiance Cambodia
Khmer Republic
Service/branch Royal Cambodian Army
Khmer National Army
Years of service 19401975
Rank Lieutenant general

Peter Khoy Saukam (born Saukam Khoy Khmer: សូកាំ ខូយ; February 2, 1915 – November 14, 2008) was Acting President of the Khmer Republic for 12 days in April 1975. He was President of the Senate from 1972 to 1975.

Early life

Born on 2 February 1915, Saukam Khoy enlisted into the Khmer Royal Army in 1940, when he was 25. He achieved the rank of lieutenant-colonel in 1953 and subsequently, lieutenant-general. He became President of the Senate of the Khmer Republic in 1972[1]

Presidency

He took office on 1 April 1975, when a tearful Lon Nol left 'temporarily' with his entire family for Bali in Indonesia after an invitation from his friend, Indonesian President Suharto.[2]

Khoy's time in office was short. He left Phnom Penh together with American Ambassador John Gunther Dean aboard a CH-53 helicopter during the evacuation of American embassy staff and civilians, dubbed Operation Eagle Pull on 12 April, just five days before Phnom Penh fell to the Khmer Rouge.[3]

Khoy died at the age of 93 in Stockton, California, United States on 14 November 2008.[4]

References

  1. Time runs short for Phnom Penh, Monday 7th April 1975 Time Magazine
  2. Waiting for the Fall, Monday 14th April 1975 Time Magazine
  3. American Pullout from a City Under Siege, 21st April, 1975, Time Magazine
  4. Fallen Leader Mourned, 21st November 2008 The Record


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