Trần Thanh Phong
Major General Trần Thanh Phong (19 January 1926 – 1 December 1972) was an officer of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.
Trần Thanh Phong served as the commander of the South Vietnamese I Corps, which oversaw the northernmost part of the country, from 20 May to 30 May 1964, when he was replaced by Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Lãm. He was one of five different I Corps commanders in two months,[1] as Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ struggled to find a leader of whom he approved while the Buddhist Uprising was taking place.
Trần subsequently served as the head of the pacification program, head of the Republic of Vietnam National Police and finally as deputy commander of Military Region II.[2]
Trần was killed on 1 December 1972 when the Republic of Vietnam Air Force plane he was travelling on crashed in bad weather on approach to Tuy Hoa Air Base. Four other South Vietnamese and two USAID officials were also killed in the crash.[2]
Awards and decorations
South Vietnam :
Grand Officer of the National Order of Vietnam
Military Merit Medal
Army Distinguished Service Order, First Class
Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
Gallantry Cross
Hazardous Service Medal
Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class
Vietnam Staff Service Medal, Second Class
Training Service Medal, First Class
Civil Actions Medal, First Class
Good Conduct Medal, First Class
Vietnam Campaign Medal
Military Service Medal, Second Class
Air Service Medal
Navy Service Medal
Chuong My Medal, First Class
Cultural and Educational Service Medal, First Class
Psychological Warfare Medal, First Class
