Trần Thanh Phong

Trần Thanh Phong (19 January 1926 – 1 December 1972) was a Major general in the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).

Military career
Phong served as the commander of I Corps, which oversaw the northernmost part of the country, from 20 May to 30 May 1966, when he was replaced by Lieutenant General Hoàng Xuân Lãm. He was one of five different I Corps commanders in two months, as Prime Minister Nguyễn Cao Kỳ struggled to find a leader of whom he approved while the Buddhist Uprising was taking place.

In 1967 Phong served as Director of Operations (J-3) on the Joint General Staff (JGS) and was a rival of JGS Chairman Cao Văn Viên. On 9 September following the South Vietnamese presidential election, new President Nguyễn Văn Thiệu began consolidating power and promoted Phong to JGS chief of staff.

He 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.

During the 1972 Easter Offensive MR II senior advisor John Paul Vann suggested putting Phong in charge of the defense of Kontum, but Phong's sister-in-law, the wife of Prime Minister Trần Thiện Khiêm, intervened and vetoed the job as too dangerous.

He 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.

Awards and decorations

 * South Vietnam :
 * VPD National Order of Vietnam - Grand Officer BAR.svg Grand Officer of the National Order of Vietnam
 * Vietnam Military Merit Ribbon.svg Military Merit Medal
 * Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order Ribbon-First Class.svg Army Distinguished Service Order, First Class
 * Vietnam Air Force Meritorious Service Medal ribbon.svg Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
 * Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg Gallantry Cross
 * Vietnam Hazardous Service Medal ribbon.svg Hazardous Service Medal
 * Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Armed Forces Honor Medal, First Class
 * Vietnam Staff Service Medal ribbon-Second Class.svg Vietnam Staff Service Medal, Second Class
 * Vietnam Training Service Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Training Service Medal, First Class
 * Vietnam Civil Actions Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Civil Actions Medal, First Class
 * Vietnam Good Conduct Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Good Conduct Medal, First Class
 * Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal ribbon, with 60- clasp.svg Vietnam Campaign Medal
 * Vietnam Military Service Medal ribbon-Second Class.svg Military Service Medal, Second Class
 * Vietnam Air Service Medal ribbon.svg Air Service Medal
 * Vietnam Navy Service Medal ribbon.svg Navy Service Medal
 * Vietnam Chuong My Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Chuong My Medal, First Class
 * Vietnam Cultural and Educational Service Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Cultural and Educational Service Medal, First Class
 * Vietnam Psychological Warfare Medal ribbon-First Class.svg Psychological Warfare Medal, First Class
 * 🇺🇸 USA :
 * Bronze Star Medal ribbon with "V" device, 3rd award.svg Bronze Star Medal with "V" device
 * Army Commendation Medal ribbon.svg Army Commendation Medal