Ngo Quang Truong - Rising Through The Ranks

Rising Through The Ranks

In 1964, Trưởng was promoted to major and made commander of the 5th Airborne Battalion. He led a heliborne assault into Đỗ Xá Secret Zone in Minh Long District, Quảng Ngãi Province, in central Vietnam. This attack destroyed the base area of the Việt Cộng’s B-1 Front Headquarters. In 1965, Trưởng led the 5th Airborne Battalion on a helicopter assault into the Hắc Dịch Secret Zone in the vicinity of the Ong Trinh Mountain in Phước Tuy Province (now Bà Rịa–Vũng Tàu Province) southeast of Saigon, the base area of the 7th Việt Cộng Division. In two days of fighting, Trưởng’s 5th Battalion inflicted heavy casualties on two communist regiments, and he was awarded a battlefield promotion to lieutenant colonel and the National Defense Medal, Fourth Class. After the battle, Trưởng became chief of staff of the Airborne Brigade and then became chief of staff of the division later in the year. His reputation for valour and fairness gained the attention of the senior generals in Saigon. General Cao Văn Viên, chief of the Joint General Staff from 1965 to 1975, later described Trưởng as "one of the best commanders at every echelon the Airborne Division ever had."

Two years later, Trưởng was chief of staff of the Airborne Division, which was commanded by General Dư Quốc Đống. Trưởng's reputation got him noticed in Saigon. The ARVN chief of staff, General Cao Văn Viên, called Trưởng "one of the best commanders at every echelon the Airborne Division ever had."

In 1966, civil disorder broke out in central Vietnam, and Buddhists protested military control of the government. Trưởng was asked to quell the rebellious 1st Division in Huế, which had decided to stop military operations with the communists in solidarity with the Buddhist protest movement. A Buddhist, Trưởng, was uncomfortable with his mission, but he carried out his orders. On 18 June, he commanded three airborne battalions that entered the city and restored order within two days and he put the 1st Division under government control.