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‘The Most Brilliant Commander’: Ngo Quang TruongBy James H. Willbanks | Vietnam | 9 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post In 1967 Truong’s units of the 1st Infantry Division attacked and destroyed the Viet Cong infrastructure and a large number of guerrilla forces of the Luong Co–Dong Xuyen–My Xa Front in Huong Tra district, Thua Thien province. After this, he was promoted to brigadier general. Subscribe Today
During the Tet Offensive of 1968, General Truong commanded the 1st Division during some of the war’s bloodiest fighting in Hue. Two nights before the offensive began, Truong, at his headquarters in the old Imperial capital, sensed something amiss and put his troops on alert. When the night passed uneventfully, he dismissed his advisers but kept his troops ready. The battle began at 0330 hours on January 31, 1968, with two battalions of the North Vietnamese Army’s 6th Regiment attacking the old Imperial capital and the 4th NVA Regiment attacking the U.S. MACV compound in the “New City” south of the Perfume River. General Truong, whose Hac Bao reaction company had managed to hold the division headquarters compound against the initial assault, immediately ordered his 3rd Regiment, then on an operation north of the city, to come to his relief. The regiment, reinforced by three ARVN airborne battalions, reached his headquarters in the Citadel’s northeast corner on the evening of January 31. The next day, Truong began an attack to retake the entire Citadel and clear the north bank of the river. At his request, U.S. Marines were committed to clear the south bank of the river. On February 4, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, reinforced by the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, began fighting house-to-house to drive the enemy from the area. By February 9, the south bank had been cleared. When the ARVN 1st Division attack north of the river stalled on February 12, the division was reinforced by two Vietnamese marine battalions. Truong also asked for U.S. assistance, and the U.S. 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, was committed to the fight. Together, the U.S Marines and South Vietnamese soldiers and marines fought house to house to force the enemy out of the area. On March 2, 1968, the battle of Hue was officially at an end. More than 50 percent of the city had been either damaged or destroyed. ARVN and Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps casualties included 384 killed and 1,830 wounded; the U.S. Marines suffered 142 killed and 857 wounded. The U.S. Army suffered 74 killed and 507 wounded in fighting outside the city. As usual, Truong had performed magnificently, directing his troops in a calm but charismatic fashion. Lieutenant General Cushman, who became his close friend after working with him, described Truong’s performance during the battle: “He survived with the enemy all around him. They never took his command post, but they took the rest of the Citadel.” After Tet, Truong was given a special promotion to the rank of major general. In August 1970, he was assigned to command IV Corps headquartered at Can Tho in the Mekong Delta (Military Region 4). In June 1971, he was promoted to lieutenant general. As commander of the ARVN forces in the Mekong Delta, Truong’s strategy was to establish a system of outposts along the Cambodian border to interdict movement of Communist troops and supplies into the area, while his three assigned divisions broke into regimental-sized combined arms task forces and conducted operations to find and destroy enemy forces in their traditional strongholds located throughout the region. The scrupulously honest Truong meanwhile launched a campaign against “ghost” and “ornamental” soldiers, deserters and draft-dodgers in the IV Corps zone. He also increased the capability of the Regional Forces and Popular Forces in his area, making them an integral part of the defensive plan for the security of the Mekong Delta. On March 30, 1972, the North Vietnamese launched their “Easter Offensive.” The attacking force included 14 infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments, with more than 120,000 troops and about 1,200 tanks and other armored vehicles. The main NVA objectives were Quang Tri in the north, Kontum in the Central Highlands and An Loc farther south in Military Region III. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
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9 Comments to “‘The Most Brilliant Commander’: Ngo Quang Truong”
Very good example of a true soldier and leader.
Led from the front taking risks the same as his subordinates. Wish Vietnam had had more like him, it would probably be like Korea today, independent and self sufficient.
By Robert Valenzuela on Jul 5, 2008 at 4:40 pm
Great story, nice to see that some ARVN are given they praise they deserve
By Tru on Dec 31, 2008 at 1:49 pm
In an army that stood out for its incompetence, Gen. Truong was a giant among men. As Tru said above, it is refreshing to see an ARVN general who deserves praise receive it, albeit after his death.
Robert V., if you have read the news from Viet Nam lately, they are doing very well for themselves. You seem to have conflated North Korea and North Vietnam. Understandable, but the Viets are making great strides in modernizing their nation, and are both independent and self-sufficient.
By Jameel on Feb 10, 2009 at 3:43 pm
I had the privilege to serve as an Advisor in the 7th Cavalry Squadron of the 1st ARVN Division when MG Truong commanded it. He was a superb leader and took more interest in what the Advisors thought and did than our Senior American officers. I will always respect and honor his memory.
By Cav Advisor on Feb 11, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Robert Valenzuela, I’ll have to disagree with you on your account that Vietnam would be more like Korea today had we had more people like him.
Remember this, South Vietnam was always leading in the war, we were doing well during the Tet Offensive, the U.S. entered later, and it was at the U.S. command that we didn’t “win” during 1968, we had every power to take over North VN. There was also unconditional surrender of the North Communist in 1973. It was because of the U.S. betrayal, by not supplying us with any more military aid (ammunition and equipment) that we eventually lost. Obviously this happened in 1972 after they traded us in to China after the Paris Peace Accords, agreeing not to aid us anymore.
Please look up “Black April” in Google and click on the first link.
By Ann on Jun 6, 2009 at 10:00 pm
General Ngo Quang Truong was a real hero. I always admire him.
My father, as many other old Vietnamese people currently live in the U.S., was an officer in the Army of Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), stayed in Vietnam after 1975, and was forced to spend several years in communist prison. I, as many other Vietnamese Americans, am proud of our ARVN as much as Americans are proud of the U.S. Military Forces. ARVN is absolutely not incompetent, and many American soldiers are real heroes who were good men and fought well during Vietnam war. ARVN has many good, honest, capable men. They are generals (Nguyen Viet Thanh, Nguyen Khoa Nam, Nguyen Van Hieu, Le Van Hung, Tran Van Hai). Many honorable generals are still alive (Du Quoc Dong, Le Minh Dao, Tran Ba Di, Ly Tong Ba, Tran Quang Khoi). Many honorable officers are Ho Ngoc Can, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, Nguyen Phuong Thanh, Nguyen Ba Thong, Nguyen Manh Tuong, and many more unknown heroes. ARVN was not lack of true heroes, and it was not incompetent as someone may think.
By Matthew Nguyen on Jun 24, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I had the distinct privilege to brief General Truong in KeSach District, BaXuyen Province. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and honest to a fault. More importantly, when politically possible, he held his officers and staff to the same standard. However, I disagree with Ann, above…in April ‘73 when I left VietNam, my counterpart, Nguyen Thanh Khoai, told me “it is a matter of time.” He knew that the hand writing was already on the wall and that it was not a so called sell out. Xin Loi.
By robert branson on Sep 24, 2009 at 3:56 am
Dear General Truong,
I wish that I could thank you while you were still here with us.
Thank you General Truong for giving credit to the Americans that were there assisting the ARVN in the Battles of Quang Tri during the Easter Offensive and calling them by name. It means so much to me – especially since it has been the only reference that I have found on the Internet doing so.
Our own American military have given them no public credit whatsoever. But you did. Thank you. May you rest in peace.
Ngo, Lieutenant General Quang Truong, The Easter offensive of 1972. Washington DC: U.S. Army Center of Military History, 1980.
“In addition to support provided the U.S. Air Force, I Corps forces also received much assistance from the U.S. Army 11th Combat Aviation Group whose activities were closely coordinated with those of ARVN units. This group provided essential support with troop lift logistical support and gunships.”
By Lizzie on Oct 18, 2009 at 6:33 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQ3LIqzR6-Q
Cut, paste, watch and make your own conclusions if there was a sell out or not.
sad, sick
War Criminals should be prosecuted, no matter how long ago they committed crimes and what awards they may of received in their lifetime. Period.
By Marilyn on Oct 18, 2009 at 6:41 am