Trần Quang Khôi

Brigadier General Trần Quang Khôi was a general^[1] of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. He commanded the ARVN III Armor Brigade and III Corps Assault Task Force (ATF) throughout III Corps Tactical Zone and in defense of the City of Bien Hoa against the final Communist Ho Chi Minh Campaign offensive in South Viet Nam.

Military education

• Vietnamese National Military Academy
• French Cavalry School
• United States Army Armor School
• U.S. Army Command and General Staff College

Military service

He served with the ARVN 5th Cavalry to Xuan Loc.

His combined-arms Task Force 318 spearheaded the Cambodian Campaign.

He organized and trained III Armor Brigade and commanded it in Cambodia.

Tran was captured at the end of the battle and spent 17 years in a re-education camp. In 1992, he was released and in 1993, he received political asylum from the United States.

Quotes

• I was most sorry for the outcome of the war, but I had done my best. I let my troops execute the President's final order for themselves: I had nothing more to say. But deep in my heart, I silently thanked all of them for their courage, sacrifice, and dedication until the very last minute of the war. Together, we had fulfilled our obligation and oath of allegiance.
• I shall never repent having done what I did, nor complain about the consequences of my captivity. If history were to repeat itself, I would choose the same path. By doing so, I know from experience that I would lose everything but HONOR.

References

1. Duong, Van Nguyen; (Organization), JSTOR; Muse, Project (August 2008). The tragedy of the Vietnam War: a South Vietnamese officer's analysis. McFarland. pp. 206–. ISBN 978-0-7864-3285-1. Retrieved 16 June 2011.

External links

• General Tran Quang Khoi biography
• Brigadier General Tran Quang Khoi's biography of his unit's fight to defend South Vietnam: "Fighting to the Finish"