Through HoustonViet I was able to read MG Nguyen van Hieu's homepage. I wanted to weep. Just yesterday, I and my former company commander (405 Recon company, 22 division) had a telephone conversation in which I asked him which General he respected the most. He answered without hesitation: General Hieu.
I reported to 405 Recon unit when General Hieu was division commander (8/1967). And my unit was very dear to him. Because we were very close to him, and achieved dangerous tasks he assigned to us with confidence. Each time our unit conquered an objective, his helicopter immediately came down to give us comfort and encouragement. On 9 May 1968, our unit was ambushed on Ky Son's hilltop, we suffered very heavy casualties, with 4 officers KIA, including an American advisor, right that afternoon, General Hieu's helicopter landed down and he bent his head on a stone for half an hour. And for the entire following week, he ordered the flag to be hung half pole.

I carry with me his image, his love for his soldiers, his humanity so that I can be proud for being his subordinate. He gave to each one of us a very beautiful knife, because he very much appreciated us.
Now you are dead, not by the hands of the enemy but by the hands of a group of hooligans... I would like to light an incense stick to offer you my respect. Dear Sir, do you still remember that near-sighted lieutenant with a ranger's hat that you had more than once pinned medals onto his chest? (Tran Hoai Thu)

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