According to the following US Embassy in Saigon's cablegram, General Pham Quoc Thuan was assigned MR3 Commander on October 09, 1973.

09 October 1973

R 090933Z OCT 73

FM AMEMBASSY SAIGON
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 8484

INFO CINCPAC
AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
AMEMBASSY VIENTIANE
DAO SGN
AMCONSUL BIEN HOA
AMCONSUL CAN THO
AMCONSUL DANANG
AMCONSUL NHA TRANG

UNCLAS SAIGON 18608
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: PINT, VS, MILI

SUBJ: RVNAF COMMAND CHANGES

CINCPAC FOR POLAD

1. SEVERAL IMPORTANT RVNAF COMMAND CHANGES HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED BY THE GVN IN RECENT DAYS. THEY INCLUDE:

A. III CORPS/MR-3: LTG PHAM QUOC THUAN HAS REPLACED LTG NGUYEN VAN MINH. THE CHANGE IN COMMAND TOOK PLACE OCTOBER 09. THUAN COMES TO III CORPS FROM THE THU DUC INFANTRY SCHOOL, WHERE HE WAS COMMANDANT. LTG MINH WILL REPLACE HIM THERE. THUAN'S RESPONSIBILITIES AS GVN REPRESENTATIVE ON THE TWO POWER JOINT MILITARY COMMISSION (TPJMC) HAVE BEEN ASSUMED BY BG PHAN HOA HIEP;

B. 1ST DIVISION: COL. NGUYEN VAN DIEM, CURRENTLY THE DEPUTY DIVISION COMMANDER, WILL REPLACE BG LE VAN THAN. THAN WILL BECOME DEPUTY COMMANDANT AT THE NATIONAL MILITARY ACADEMY;

C. TPJMC: BG PHAN HOA HIEP, FORMERLY THE GVN'S DEPUTY REPRESENTATIVE, HAS SUCCEEDED LTG PHAM QUOC THUAN (NOW III CORPS COMMANDER) AS CHIEF REPRESENTATIVE;

D. DEFENSE MINISTRY: LTG CAO HAO HON WILL MOVE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE, WHERE HE IS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE PRIME MINISTER (AND CONCURRENTLY CHIEF OF THE RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING CENTER), TO THE DEFENSE MINISTRY WHERE HE WILL BE ASSISTANT TO THE DEFENSE MINISTER (PRIME MINISTER KHIEM). HON WILL REPLACE CHAU KIM NGAN, RECENTLY NAMED FINANCE MINISTER.

E. DONG DE NCO ACADEMY, NHA TRANG: LTG DU QUOC DONG, CURRENTLY A SPECIAL ASSISTANT AT THE DEFENSE MINISTRY AND A FORMER (1964-72) COMMANDER OF THE AIRBORNE DIVISION, WILL RE-PLACE BG VO VAN CANH AS COMMANDANT. ACCORDING TO A PRESS ACCOUNT, BG CANH WILL ASSIGNED TO THE MINISTRY OF INTERIOR WHERE HE WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PEOPLE'S SELF-DEFENSE FORCES.

2. THE RVNAF COMMAND CHANGES SO FAR ANNOUNCED HAVE SPARKED PREDICTIONS OF FURTHER CHANGES IN THE NEAR FUTURE. LOCAL RUMOR MILLS ARE BUSY.

MARTIN

UNCLASSIFIED

Declassified/Released US Department of State EO Systematic Review 30 JUN 2005

Nguyen Van Tin
03 October 2008

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