Tran Hanh
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Trần Hanh (born November 29, 1932) is a pilot of the Vietnam People's Air Force
and later Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War
, Trần Hanh was a MIG-17 pilot and officer of the 921st Regiment, he shot down a F-105D
in April 1965. After the war he became the Deputy Chief of the General Staff
and later Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam before retired in 2000.
, Nam Định. He began to participate in Youth Union
in December 1946 and the revolutionary movement in April 1947.
in September 1949 and became a student of the Lê Lợi School for Officers and later Nguyễn Huệ School in December 1950. In his early career, Trần Hanh often served as political commissar
(chính trị viên) of various military units, he was appointed political commissar of the 23rd Company of 680th Battalion, 48th Regiment, 320th Division in February 1954 and afterwards deputy political commissar of the 680th Battalion in June 1954.
In September 1956, Trần Hanh was chosen to study to fly the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
in a school of People's Liberation Army Air Force
in China
. After four years studying, Trần Hanh became commander (đại đội trưởng) of the newly-found 2nd Company of the Vietnam People's Air Force
. In August 1964, Trần Hanh was appointed commander of the 1st Company, 921st Regiment (Sao Đỏ) of the Vietnam People's Air Force. On April 4, 1965, Trần Hanh shot down the F-105D
No. 59-1754 of the 355th Fighter Wing
near Ham Rong Bridge. Later this year, Trần Hanh participated in the formation of 4 MIG-17s that shot down a US helicopter over Hòa Bình in November. Trần Hanh was promoted to deputy commander (trung đoàn phó) in May 1965 and commander (trung đoàn trưởng) of this regiment in October 1969. In March 1972, he became the Deputy Commander (Tư lệnh phó) of the Vietnam People's Air Force, or the 371st Division at that time, two years later Trần Hanh held the position of Commander of the 371st Division.
After the war, Trần Hanh was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff (Tham mưu phó) of the Vietnam People's Air Force in August 1976. In January 1977 Trần Hanh was sent by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam
to be the Secretary (Bí thư) of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union
for a short time before returned to the Air Force as Deputy Commander in June 1977. Trần Hanh became the Commander of the Air Force in March 1986 and Deputy Chief of the General Staff
(Phó Tổng tham mưu trưởng) of the Vietnam People's Army
from April 1989 to October 1996. From November 1996 to December 1999 Trần Hanh was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam before retired in 2000. He was also deputy of the National Assembly of Vietnam
and member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam
. After retired, Trần Hanh was elected to the General Secretary (Tổng thư ký) of the Vietnam War Veterans Association (Hội cựu chiến binh Việt Nam).
(thiếu tướng) in 1984 and Lieutenant General
(trung tướng) in 1989.
In 1967 Trần Hanh was awarded the prestigious title Hero of the People's Armed Forces (Anh hùng lực lượng vũ trang nhân dân). Besides, he was bestowed on various medals and decorations such as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Military Medal (Huân chương quân công), the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Medal of Glorious Soldier (Huân chương Chiến sỹ vẻ vang) or the Badge of Hồ Chí Minh (Huy hiệu Hồ Chí Minh).
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Trần Hanh (born November 29, 1932) is a pilot of the Vietnam People's Air Force
Vietnam People's Air Force
The Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
and later Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, Trần Hanh was a MIG-17 pilot and officer of the 921st Regiment, he shot down a F-105D
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
in April 1965. After the war he became the Deputy Chief of the General Staff
General Staff (Vietnam People's Army)
General Staff is the commanding and managing organization of the Vietnam People's Army, the paramilitary forces, militia and other activities relating to defence of Vietnam. The General Staff was established on September 7, 1945, right after the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam,...
and later Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam before retired in 2000.
Early life
Trần Hanh, realname is Trần Huy Hanh, was born in 1932 to a poor family in Lộc Vượng commune, Mỹ LộcMy Loc
Mỹ Lộc is a rural district of Nam Dinh province in the Red River Delta region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 68,674. The district covers an area of 73 km². The district capital lies at My Loc.-References:...
, Nam Định. He began to participate in Youth Union
Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union
The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union is the largest social-political organisation of Vietnamese youth...
in December 1946 and the revolutionary movement in April 1947.
Career
Trần Hanh joined the Vietnam People's ArmyVietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
in September 1949 and became a student of the Lê Lợi School for Officers and later Nguyễn Huệ School in December 1950. In his early career, Trần Hanh often served as political commissar
Political commissar
The political commissar is the supervisory political officer responsible for the political education and organisation, and loyalty to the government of the military...
(chính trị viên) of various military units, he was appointed political commissar of the 23rd Company of 680th Battalion, 48th Regiment, 320th Division in February 1954 and afterwards deputy political commissar of the 680th Battalion in June 1954.
In September 1956, Trần Hanh was chosen to study to fly the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Most MiG-17 variants cannot carry air-to-air missiles, but shot down many aircraft with its cannons...
in a school of People's Liberation Army Air Force
People's Liberation Army Air Force
The People's Liberation Army Air Force is the aviation branch of the People's Liberation Army, the military of the People's Republic of China...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. After four years studying, Trần Hanh became commander (đại đội trưởng) of the newly-found 2nd Company of the Vietnam People's Air Force
Vietnam People's Air Force
The Vietnam People's Air Force is the air force of Vietnam. It is the successor of the former North Vietnamese Air Force and the absorbed Republic of Vietnam Air Force following the re-unification of Vietnam in 1975.-Beginning-1964 :The first Vietnamese aircraft were two trainers, a de Havilland...
. In August 1964, Trần Hanh was appointed commander of the 1st Company, 921st Regiment (Sao Đỏ) of the Vietnam People's Air Force. On April 4, 1965, Trần Hanh shot down the F-105D
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
No. 59-1754 of the 355th Fighter Wing
355th Fighter Wing
The 355th Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Combat Command's Twelfth Air Force. It is stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, where in operates the A-10 Thunderbolt II...
near Ham Rong Bridge. Later this year, Trần Hanh participated in the formation of 4 MIG-17s that shot down a US helicopter over Hòa Bình in November. Trần Hanh was promoted to deputy commander (trung đoàn phó) in May 1965 and commander (trung đoàn trưởng) of this regiment in October 1969. In March 1972, he became the Deputy Commander (Tư lệnh phó) of the Vietnam People's Air Force, or the 371st Division at that time, two years later Trần Hanh held the position of Commander of the 371st Division.
After the war, Trần Hanh was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff (Tham mưu phó) of the Vietnam People's Air Force in August 1976. In January 1977 Trần Hanh was sent by the Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam
Politburo of the Communist Party of Vietnam
The Politburo of the Central Committee Communist Party of Vietnam , formerly the Standing Committee of the Central Committee, includes the top leadership of the Communist Party of Vietnam...
to be the Secretary (Bí thư) of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union
Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union
The Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union is the largest social-political organisation of Vietnamese youth...
for a short time before returned to the Air Force as Deputy Commander in June 1977. Trần Hanh became the Commander of the Air Force in March 1986 and Deputy Chief of the General Staff
General Staff (Vietnam People's Army)
General Staff is the commanding and managing organization of the Vietnam People's Army, the paramilitary forces, militia and other activities relating to defence of Vietnam. The General Staff was established on September 7, 1945, right after the foundation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam,...
(Phó Tổng tham mưu trưởng) of the Vietnam People's Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
from April 1989 to October 1996. From November 1996 to December 1999 Trần Hanh was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Defence of Vietnam before retired in 2000. He was also deputy of the National Assembly of Vietnam
National Assembly of Vietnam
The Constitution of Vietnam recognizes the National Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam as "the highest organ of state power." The National Assembly, a 493-member unicameral body elected to a five-year term, meets twice a year...
and member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam
Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam
The Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam established 1930, is the highest authority within the Communist Party of Vietnam elected by the Party National Congresses...
. After retired, Trần Hanh was elected to the General Secretary (Tổng thư ký) of the Vietnam War Veterans Association (Hội cựu chiến binh Việt Nam).
Rank and decorations
Trần Hanh was promoted to Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
(thiếu tướng) in 1984 and Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
(trung tướng) in 1989.
In 1967 Trần Hanh was awarded the prestigious title Hero of the People's Armed Forces (Anh hùng lực lượng vũ trang nhân dân). Besides, he was bestowed on various medals and decorations such as the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Military Medal (Huân chương quân công), the 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Medal of Glorious Soldier (Huân chương Chiến sỹ vẻ vang) or the Badge of Hồ Chí Minh (Huy hiệu Hồ Chí Minh).