Hoàng Văn Thái
Hoàng Văn Thái (May 1915 – 2 July 1986), born Hoàng Văn Xiêm, was a Vietnamese communist military and political figure. His hometown was Tây An, Tiền Hải District, Thái Bình Province.[1] During the Tết Offensive, he was the most senior North Vietnamese Officer in South Vietnam.[2] He was Chief of Staff in the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ.
Service in military
- In 1938, he joined the Communist Party of Indochina.
From 1967 to 1973, he was assigned to the South, made Commander of the South Vietnam Liberation Army and Deputy Secretary of COSVN. The US army called him as “3 legged tiger”
- Battle of Loc Ninh Commanding Officer (October 27, 1967 – December 10, 1967)
- 30 January 1968, he was the commander of events during the Tet offensive throughout South of Viet Nam
- From April the year 1974 to 1986, he was promoted to the rank of Colonel General and was appointed Deputy Minister of Defense, and First Deputy Chief of the General Staff, Standing Member of the Central Military Committee.
- Month 1 Year 1980, he was promoted to full General.
- He was a member of III, IV, and V Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, and a member of the VII Congress.
- On 2 July in 1986, he died suddenly of a heart attack at the Army Medical Institute 108.[3][4]
Awards and honours
- Vietnam State: Gold Star Medal (the most prestigious medal in Vietnam, awarded posthumously in 2007), Order of Ho Chi Minh City, 2 Military Medal class, Victory Medal class, Order of Resistance first class and many decorations and medals others.
- Street titled Hoang Van Thai’in Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi and District 7, Ho Chi Minh City,…
Home
- General Thai’s widow is Dam Thi Loan, a former Lieutenant Colonel in the People’s Army of Vietnam. She was one of three female soldiers in the original Vietnam Propaganda Teams Liberation Army and was in the honor guard in the Independence ceremony held at Ba Dinh Square on September 2, 1945.[3]
References