Nguyen Huu Tien
Colonel Le Duc Dat
Dear Lt. Colonel John G. "Jack" Heslin,
I greatly appreciate your web site " The Battle of Kontum".
It is written in Phase I: Battle for the Fire Support Bases and Tan Canh: "The last time Colonel Dat the Division commander and his staff were seen, they were located in the men's room of the compound and had resigned themselves to eventual death or capture. It was reported some weeks later that Colonel Dat had, in fact, been captured and taken to North Vietnam".
According to Lt. Colonel Bui Duc Lac, 1st Artillery Battalion commander of the Airborn Division, Colonel Le Duc Dat had not been captured and taken to North Vietnam. He was killed at the first moment of the enemy attack in Tan Canh on Monday, April 24, 1972. About five minutes before his death, Colonel Le Duc Dat got into communication with Lt. Colonel Bui Duc Lac by wireless. He asked Lt. Colonel Lac to fire on the Headquarters' area because the T.54 enemy tanks had crossed the defense line. Finally, the attache of Colonel Le Duc Dat, Captain Hung, informed Lt. Colonel Lac that Colonel Le Duc Dat was killed by enemy artillery outside the 22nd Infantry Division Headquarters. Since 14:10 PM, on April 24, 1972, Lt. Colonel Bui Duc Lac had no more communication with the 22nd Infantry Division Staff.
Thank you very much for creating this web site. You give us an opportunity to recall memories of Kontum, my hometown.
May God bless you!
Nguyen Huu Tien.
Nguyen Huu Tien <phnht@yahoo.com>
USA - Monday, June 30, 2003 at 04:41:21 (PDT)