General Lê Văn Hưng was known to the people of South Vietnam as the "Hero of An Lộc" (Người Hùng Tử Thủ An Lộc) in the "Scorching Summer of 1972" (Mùa Hè Đỏ Lửa 1972). He commanded the ARVN 5th Division in defense of the city of An Lộc from the attacks of the NVA forces in the Battle of An Lộc. General Hưng in fact commanded soldiers of the 5th Division, the 81st Airborne Ranger Battalion, the 11th Airborne Brigade, the 21st Division and the Provincial Forces of Bình Long Province during the siege of An Lộc. His forces pushed back countless waves of attack by the NVA soldiers, supported by T-54 and PT-76 tanks.
General Hưng later commanded the 21th Division before becoming Deputy Commander of the 4th Tactical Zone or the IV-Corps.
On April 30, 1975, when President Dương Văn Minh ordered the ARVN to surrender, general Hưng and his commander, Major General Nguyễn Khoa Nam committed suicide. He decided not to fight to the death to save the townspeople of Cần Thơ from unnecessary bloodshed.
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