December 4, 2003
Dear Mr. Tin,
Thank you for the opportunity to offer a few words about General Hieu. I was associated with him principally from January to July 1970 while I served as a Deputy Senior Advisor, Advisory Team 70 and General Hieu commanded the 5th Infantry Division, ARVN.
During temporary absences of the Senior Advisor it was my duty to accompany and assist General Hieu as he required. On a number of instances General Hieu walked into my office and asked me to go with him. We would mount his 1/4 ton vehicle - he would drive - and travel over portions of the division's tactical area. One or two other vehicles carrying a security squad would go with us.
On these drives General Hieu initiated conversations covering wide-ranging subject matter: history of the area, political events in the U.S. with regard to the Vietnamese war, training and motivation of his young men, and possible futures of South Vietnam.
General Hieu was a brave and able soldier; however, in these conversations he defined himself to me to be much more - a christian gentleman.
Respectfully,
Robert P. Lott
Colonel (retired)
US Army
Notice: I ask Colonel Lott through telephone: "Is that because my brother often mentioned God and religion in his conversation for you to say so?" His response is: "No, not at all, he never mentioned God or religion. It was merely because of his attitude, his way of looking at life and his reactions to other people."
Updated on 12.29.2003