Le Van Hung
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General Le van Hung,“the Hero of the battle of An Loc", was born in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and graduated from Thu Duc Military Academy, 5th class, in 1955. He held many commanding positions from company to battalion level. In 1966 General Hung was named as one of the “ Five Tigers of the Mekong” which consist of other noted figures such as Lt. Col. Luu Trong Kiet, Lt. Col. Le Van Dan, Lt. Col. Vuong Van Tro and Colonel Ho Ngoc Can (executed by Communist forces in May 1975). However perhaps General Hung was well known as the “Hero of An Loc” in 1972 when he commanded the 5th Division to protect the city of An Loc from the coordinated attacks of the North Vietnamese Communist forces.
Living in his tiny underground tiny bunker with his staff for almost three months, General Hung gave instructions, directed his forces to counter attacks from the Communists. Under his command, the soldiers of 5th Division along with other forces such the famous 81th Airborne Ranger, the 11th Airborne Brigade , the 21st Division and the essential force of Binh Long Province effectively repelled countless attack waves supported by Soviet-made T-54 tanks of the North Communist forces.
General Hung was remembered when he vowed to defend An Loc by saying "If I'm still alive, An Loc is still stands." With his strong determination to hold An Loc by any cost, and thanks to the fighting spirit of the South Vietnamese soldiers, An Loc was successfully liberated from the Communists.
General Hung was promoted to full general in the field and later commanded the 21st Division before becoming Deputy Commander of the 4th Military region.
When the communists made a final assault on South Vietnam on April 1975, after listening to the order of surrender from the President Duong Van Minh, General Hung gathered his headquartered staff, delivered a good-bye speech and went to his room to commit suicide by shooting himself in the chest.
General Le Van Hung is considered by the Vietnamese people as a hero. His heroic courage and contribution to the free Vietnam has received great admiration from the Vietnamese people.
