Lê Văn Hưng



Lê Văn Hưng (27 March 1933 – 30 April 1975) was born in Hóc Môn, in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, and graduated from Thủ Đức Military Academy, 5th class, in 1955. He held many commands from company to battalion level. However, Hưng was perhaps best known as the "Hero of An Lộc" in 1972 when he commanded the 5th Division in defense of the city of An Lộc from the coordinated attacks of the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces in the Battle of An Lộc.

Living in a tiny underground bunker for almost three months, Hưng commanded soldiers of the 5th Division, the "famed" 81st Airborne Ranger, the 11th Airborne Brigade, the 21st Division and the Provincial Force of Bình Long Province. His forces repelled countless waves of attack by the North Vietnamese infantry, supported by Soviet-made T-54 tanks.

Hưng vowed, "If I’m still alive, An Lộc still stands." His strong determination to hold An Lộc at any cost, and the fighting spirit of the South Vietnamese Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) soldiers, kept An Lộc from falling into communist hands.

Hưng was promoted to General in the field; and later commanded the 21st Division before becoming Deputy Commander of the 4th Military Region (MR4).

When the communists made their "Hồ Chí Minh Campaign" final assault on South Vietnam in April 1975, after listening to the capitulation order of President Dương Văn Minh, General Hưng gathered his headquarters staff and family to say goodbye. He was unable to fight to the death because the town people of Cần Thơ had begged him not to resist, believing that it would cause futile bloodshed. Hưng was one of five ARVN generals who committed suicide that day.

Personal life
Le Van Hung was married to Pham Thi Kim Hoang.