Lý Tòng Bá
Lý Tòng Bá | |
---|---|
Born | Long Xuyên, French Indochina | November 14, 1931
Died | February 22, 2015 Las Vegas, Nevada | (aged 83)
Allegiance | |
Service/ | |
Years of service | 1950 – 25 October 1955 (Vietnamese National Army) 26 October 1955 – 30 April 1975 (Army of the Republic of Vietnam) |
Rank | Major general |
Commands held | 23rd Division 25th Division |
Battles/wars | Battle of Ap Bac Battle of Kontum |
Lý Tòng Bá (14 November 1931, in
Military career
He entered the Vietnamese National Army in the 1950s during the First Indochina War. He was trained in armor and rose in rank, reaching captain by the early 1960s.[1][2]
In 1962 Bá commanded a mechanized company of
Bá's mechanized company was redesignated as the 4th Mechanized Rifle Squadron, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment.[3]: 24 During the Battle of Ap Bac Bá was ordered to rescue ARVN forces who had been cut off, but he refused to take orders directly from US advisers and was reluctant to move his M113s across the terrain and a canal. Senior US adviser John Paul Vann who was flying overhead became so frustrated with Bá that he threatened to have him shot. Bá's unit eventually approached the besieged forces in single file rather than spread out and suffered losses as the VC were able to engage each M113 individually with his unit eventually losing 14 killed.[3]: 25–7 [4]
In the early 1960s the ARVN cavalry forces were regarded as an important factor in upholding or overthrowing any South Vietnamese government, having been used to suppress at least three coup attempts.
In the
In 1966 he served as chief of Bình Dương province.[5] In 1968 he served as chief of Bình Định province.[1]
On 15 January 1972 he was appointed as commander of the 23rd Division replacing Brigadier general Vo Van Canh.[6]
During the Easter Offensive of 1972, he commanded the 23rd Division and together with Vann successfully defended Kontum against the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) attack.[7]
In 1975 he commanded the
After initially evading capture he was eventually caught by the PAVN and sent to a reeducation camp for 12 years. He emigrated to the United States in 1990.[1]
References
- ^ a b c Frankum, Ronald (2011). Historical Dictionary of the War in Vietnam. p. 269.
- ^ "Cựu Chuẩn Tướng Lý Tòng Bá qua đời, hưởng thọ 85 tuổi" (in Vietnamese). Nguoi Viet Daily News. 22 February 2015. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 9 June 2015.
- ^ .
- ISBN 9780742544482.
- ^ Hay, John (1989). Tactical and materiel innovations (PDF). United States Army Center of Military History. p. 141.
- ^ "South Vietnam Division chief is reported being replaced". the New York Times. 16 January 1972.
- ISBN 9780813133980.
- .
- ^ Peter Arnett (25 May 1975). "Blind panic of South Vietnamese Army in final hours of the war is depicted". The New York Times.
- ISBN 9781594035722.