R 181006Z MAR 74

FM AMEMBASSY SAIGON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2778

INFO AMCONSUL BIEN HOA
AMCONSUL CAN THO
AMCONSUL DANANG
AMCONSUL NHA TRANG
USDEL JEC PARIS
CINCPAC

UNCLAS SAIGON 3559

E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: PINT MILI VS

SUBJECT: RVNAF GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTIONS ANNOUNCED

CINCPAC FOR POLAD

SAIGON 3358

1. SUMMARY. PRES THIEU HAS PROMOTED 39 GENERAL OFFICERS AND COLONELS. TWO PROMOTIONS TO THE RANK OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL, FIVE TO MAJOR GENERAL (OR NAVAL EQUIVALENT), AND ELEVEN TO GRIGADIER GENERAL (OR NAVAL EQUIVALENT) HIGHLIGHTED THE LIST WHICH WAS MADE PUBLIC MARCH 16. END SUMMARY.

2. PRES THIEU HAS PROMOTED 39 RVNAF GENERAL OFFICERS AND COLONELS (OR NAVY CAPTAINS). THE LONG ANTICIPATED PROMOTION LIST WAS MADE PUBLIC ON MARCH 16. DETAILS ON THE PROMOTIONS FOLLOW:

A. FROM MAJOR GENERAL TO TEMPORARY (VIETNAMESE USE THE TERM FUNCTIONAL) LIEUTENANT GENERAL:
1. NGUYEN VAN TOAN, COMMANDER OF II CORPS/MR-2;
2. NGUYEN VINH NGHI, COMMANDER OF IV CORPS/MR-4.

B. FROM TEMPORARY MAJOR GENERAL TO PERMANENT MAJOR GENERAL:
1. TRAN BA DI, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF IV CORPS;
2. NGUYEN KHOA NAM, COMMANDER OF THE 7TH DIVISION.

C. FROM BRIGADIER GENERAL TO TEMPORARY MAJOR GENERAL:
1. DO KE GIAI, COMMANDER OF ARVN RANGERS;
2. VO VAN CANH, ASSISTANT TO THE INTERIOR MINISTER AND DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE PEOPLE'S SELF-DEFENSE FORCE;
3. DAO DUY AN, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF MR-3;
4. VO XUAN LANH, DEPUTY AIR FORCE COMMANDER.

D. FROM REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF) TO TEMPORARY REAR ADMIRAL (UPPER HALF):
1. LAM NGUON TANH, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE NAVY (DEPUTY CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS).

E. FROM TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT BRIGADIER GENERAL:
1. PHAN HOA HIEP, CHIEF OF THE RVN DELEGATION TO THE TWO POWER JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION;
2. LY TONG BA, CHIEF OF THE ARMOR BRANCH;
3. LE QUANG LUONG, COMMANDER OF THE AIRBORNE DIVISION;
4. PHAN DINH NIEM, COMMANDER OF THE 22ND DIVISION;
5. LE MINH DAO, COMMANDER OF THE 18TH DIVISION;
6. NGUYEN KHAC BINH, COMMANDER OF THE NATIONAL POLICE;
7. LY BA HY, DEPUTY COMMANDER OF THE CAPITAL SPECIAL ZONE;
8. VU DUC NHUAN, CHIEF OF THE MILITARY SECURITY SERVICE;
9. TRAN DINH THO, CHIEF OF J-3, JOINT GENERAL STAFF;
10. VO DINH, AIR FORCE CHIEF OF STAFF;
11. NGUYEN NGOC OANH, COMMANDER OF THE AIR FORCE TRAINING CENTER;
12. PHAN PHUNG TIEN, COMMANDER OF THE 5TH AIR DIVISION;
13. HUYNH BA TINH, COMMANDER OF THE 3RD AIR DIVISION;
14. NGUYEN VAN LUONG, COMMANDER OF THE 2ND AIR DIVISION;
15. TRAN VAN NHUT, COMMANDER OF THE 2ND DIVISION;
16. NGUYEN VAN CHUC, CHIEF OF THE ENGINEERING DIRECTORATE.

F. FROM TEMPORARY TO PERMANENT REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF):
1. DIEP QUANG THUY, NAVY CHIEF OF STAFF;
2. DINH MANH HUNG, ASST CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS FOR MOBILE RIVERINE OPERATIONS;
3. HO VAN KY THOAI, COMMANDER OF THE 1ST COASTAL ZONE.

G. FROM COLONEL TO TEMPORARY BRIGADIER GENERAL:
1. NGUYEN VAN DIEM, COMMANDER OF THE 1ST DIVIISION;
2. LE TRUNG TUONG, COMMANDER OF THE 23RD DIVISION;
3. TRAN QUANG KHOI, COMMANDER OF THE 3RD ARMORED BRIGADE;
4. TU VAN BE, AIR FORCE HEADQUARTERS;
5. NGUYEN DUC KHANH, COMMANDER OF THE 1ST AIR DIVISION;
6. PHAM NGOC SANG, COMMANDER OF THE 6TH AIR DIVISION;
7. NGUYEN HUU TAN, COMMANDER OF THE 4TH AIR DIVISION.

H. FROM NAVY CAPTAIN TO TEMPORARY REAR ADMIRAL (LOWER HALF):
1. VU DINH DAO, COMMANDER OF THE 3RD COASTAL ZONE;
2. NGUYEN THANH CHAU, COMMANDER OF THE NAVY TRAINING CENTER;
3. NGHIEM VAN PHU, COMMANDER OF THE 212 PATROL AND RECONNAISSANCE FORCE;
4. HOANG CO MINH, COMMANDER OF THE 211 AMPHIBIOUS FORCE.

3. THE PROMOTIONS IN SUBPARAGRAPHS 2B, G, AND H ARE EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 1974. ALL OTHER PROMOTIONS ARE EFFECTIVE MARCH 1, 1974. THE PROMOTION OF ELEVEN COLONELS AND NAVY CAPTAINS TO FLAG RANK PRECISELY BALANCES THE EFFECT OF THE MARCH 6 ORDER RETIRING ELEVEN SENIOR GENERAL OFFICER (SEE REFTEL) AND RETURNS THE TOTAL NUMBER OF RVNAF FLAG OFFICERS TO 94.

4. MOST OF THE PROMOTIONS TO HIGHER GRADE APPEAR TO BE RELATED TO THE POSITIONS HELD BY THE PROMOTEES. THE NORMAL RANK FOR A CORPS COMMANDER IS LIEUTENANT GENERAL AND FOR A DIVISION COMMANDER, BRIGADIER GENERAL. THUS AN OFFICER APPOINTED TO COMMAND A CORPS OR DIVISION WHO DISCHARGES HIS RESPONSIBILITIES IN A SATISFACTORY MANNER CAN BE EXPECTED TO RECEIVE A PROMITION TO THE APPROPRIATE GRADE AFTER A SUITABLE PERIOD OF TIME IF HE DOES NOT ALREADY HOLD THE "NORMAL" RANK FOR THE ASSIGNMENT.

MARTIN

UNCLASSIFIED

This document was released by US Department of State EO Systematic Review 30 JUN 2005

Note: Copy of the presidential decree in Vietnamese

Nguyen Van Tin
28 September 2008

generalhieu