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VIETALK is a monthly bilingual newsletter dedicated to the exchange of information, opinions, and expertise for personal growth among Vietnamese-American professionals. The opinions expressed in VIETALK are those of the individual authors and are not necessarily shared by VIETALK. Copyright @ 2000 by VIETALK. All rights reserved. Send your comments, suggestions or complaints about this particular VIETALK issue to the above address. The next VIETALK edition will be published on Tuesday, February 1, 2000. Manuscripts sent to VIETALK must include the writer's name and address. VIETALK is printed on recycled paper.

JANUARY 2000 ARTICLES

Nhng Din Bin a Ti Trn Hi Chin Hong Sa (H Vn Ngc) - (VIETALK s thng 1 & 2, 2000)

Events Leading To The 1974 Naval Battle for the Paracels between the Navies of the Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China (English translation by H Mnh Ch) - (January & February 2000 issues)

For the first time in the modern history of both nations, the Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China engaged in a naval skirmish over a faraway territory in the East Sea. That offshore territory, which was claimed by both countries because of its potentially oil-rich reserve and strategic location, is a large group of low coral islands and reefs called the Paracel Islands, 300 km east of  Nng. The naval skirmish, which took place around 10:30 on Friday morning, January 19, 1974 (27 December in the lunar year of 1973), in the shallow part of the Paracel Islands, involved a number of warships from both nations. The Republic of Vietnam naval force consisted of a destroyer (DER), two cruisers (WHEC), and an escort (MSF) under the command of Navy Captain H Vn Ngc, my father, who passed away in 1999.

Navy Captain H Vn Ngc, Republic of Vietnam Navy (Photo courtesy of the H family, Grapevine, Texas, U.S.A.)

Ngc Vn H's tomb
Photo courtesy of Dr. & Mrs. Trn nh Thy of Merkel, Texas, U.S.A.

Tic Thng Hi Qun i T H Vn Ngc
Hi Qun Vit Nam Cng Ha

Knh-Ng t gi bin xanh ri
Thng tic anh ti lm hi i!
Hn nc th nh au c-quc
m hn tuyn i mi khng thi
Trng-Dng lm tt vng sao sng
Sng ni lu m bng nguyt soi
Knh iu hn linh ni chn sui
V-Thng ci lc thot lun hi
Thi! "Anh ng nh hn vo bin rng
Thng dy ri vun vt tri cao."

Bn hu Hi Qun
Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.A., Ch Nht, ngy 14 thng 2 nm 1999

Prior to his untimely passing around 10:30 on Friday morning, February 12, 1999 (27 December in the lunar year of 1998), my father had completed three Vietnamese written works. The first gives a brief history of the Paracel Islands that were part of Vietnam in the early 19th century, then of French Indochina prior to World War II, when they were occupied by the Japanese (Reference 1). The second and third respectively give a first-hand gripping account of the determining factors (Reference 2) leading to the naval skirmish called the Naval Battle for the Paracels (Reference 3).

Because my father's sudden passing coincides so precisely with the 25th anniversary of the Naval Battle for the Paracels, I firmly believe that destiny brought him to the Paracel Islands in January 1974, thus earning him a special place in Vietnamese history and the history of the Republic of Vietnam Navy. This has motivated me to translate his second Vietnamese work into English for the purpose of preserving the memory and making available the recollections of a career naval officer in command of the Naval Battle for the Paracels.

Today, on the occasion of the first anniversary of my father's passing, the following English translation is dedicated to his loving memory and to the memory of the following officers and enlisted personnel of the Republic of Vietnam Navy:

Ngy Vn Th, Nguyn Thnh Tr, inh Hong Mai, L Vn Ty, Nguyn Phc X, L Vn n, Nguyn Vn Thch, and Trn Vn Bang

who under my father's command laid down their lives to defend the territory that our forefathers had claimed for many centuries.

The escort HQ Nht To (MSF 10), Republic of Vietnam Navy, was sunk by Chinese naval forces at the Naval Battle for the Paracels on January 19, 1974 (Reference 4). Manning: 80
HQ is for "Hi Qun," meaning "Navy"

Navy Lieutenant Commander Ngy Vn Th (promoted to Commander posthumously) (Reference 5)
Commanding Officer, HQ Nht To (MSF 10), Republic of Vietnam Navy

Navy Lieutenant Nguyn Thnh Tr (promoted to Lieutenant Commander posthumously) (Reference 5)
Executive Officer, HQ Nht To (MSF 10), Republic of Vietnam Navy

Chief Petty Officer inh Hong Mai (promoted to Senior Chief Petty Officer posthumously) (Reference 5)
Machinist' Mate, HQ Nht To (MSF 10), Republic of Vietnam Navy

The destroyer HQ Trn Khnh D (DER 4), Republic of Vietnam Navy, took part in the Naval Battle for the Paracels on January 19, 1974 (Reference 4). Manning: 170

The cruisers HQ L Thng Kit (WHEC 16) and HQ Trn Bnh Trng (WHEC 5), Republic of Vietnam Navy, took part in the Naval Battle for the Paracels on January 19, 1974 (References 5 and 3). Manning 200

References

H Vn Ngc, "Tm Hiu V Qun o Hong Sa", Vietalk, Volume 4, Issue 4, April 1999, pp. 1-5, 3318 Bridlewood Drive, Grapevine, Texas 76051-6526, U.S.A.,
https://members.tripod.com/~Vietalk.
H Vn Ngc, "Nhng Din Bin a Ti Trn Hi Chin Hong Sa", Lt Sng, Number 35, 26 September 1998, pp. 92-102, Bch ng, P.O. Box 21997, San Jose, California 95151-1997, U.S.A.,
https://members.tripod.com/~haiquan9.
H Vn Ngc, "Tng Thut Trn Hi Chin Lch S Hong Sa", on Kt Monthly Magazine, 4005 Pebble Path, Austin, Texas 78731, U.S.A.,
https://members.tripod.com/~doanket.
Special issue on the 1974 Naval Battle for the Paracels between the Navies of the Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China (By Navy Captain H Vn Ngc, English translation by H Mnh Ch), Vietalk, Volume 4, May, June, and July 1999, 3318 Bridlewood Drive, Grapevine, Texas 76051-6526, U.S.A.,
https://members.tripod.com/~Vietalk.
Jane's Fighting Ships 1960-1969 and 1970-1979,
http://www.janes.com/company/catalog99/fightingships.html.
"S c Bit V Hong Sa", Hi Cu Qun Nhn Hi Qun Vit Nam Cng Ho, thng 6, 1974.

H Mnh Ch
Grapevine, Texas, U.S.A.

Nhng Din Bin a Ti Trn Hi Chin Hong Sa

Events Leading To The 1974 Naval Battle for the Paracels between the Navies of the Republic of Vietnam and the People's Republic of China

S tranh chp v ch quyn ca cc o Hong Sa v Trng Sa  c cc s gia v cc nh nghin cu v thm lc a trnh by rt nhiu. Gn y nht l trong cun "a L Bin ng" ca Hi Qun Trung T V Hu San, mt cng trnh nghin cu t m,  su tp nhng ti liu  chng minh ch quyn Vit Nam khng nhng v cc hot ng  xc nhn ch quyn ca quc gia m cn phn tch t m v cc d kin i cht, tho mc, v kh tng  minh xc l nhng hi o trong vng Hong Trng Sa  c t tin chng ta t chn ti t bia miu v trong qu kh gn y Vit Nam Cng Ha  tip tc tham d cc hot ng kh tng trn bnh din quc t.

The issue of sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the East Sea has been excessively expounded by many historians and continental shelf researchers. Most recently, in his elaborate book of history (Reference 3), former Republic of Vietnam Navy Commander V Hu San cited numerous documents that validate Vietnam's sovereignty through a detailed analysis of flora, geological and meteorological data. The data confirm that our ancestors set foot to the Paracel and Spratly Islands, setting up a stele bearing a Vietnamese inscription. And prior to April 30, 1975, the Republic of Vietnam did participate in meteorological activities internationally.

Republic of Vietnam's stele on Pattle Island in the Paracels (Reference 2)

The Paracels and Spratlys in the East Sea (Reference 1)

Khi chnh ph bo h ng Dng ca ngi Php vo nm 1933  ra ngh nh st nhp hnh chnh cc qun o Hong Sa v Trng Sa vo cc tnh ven bin th ch c duy nht Nht Bn phn khng m thi v cng ch phn khng ly l v ngi Php vn tip tc thi hnh ngh nh  ban b trong cng bo Php. Ngay c ngi Anh, nhng nh hng hi ca h  khm ph thy cc o vng Trng Sa nhng khi Vit Nam, Php, v Ty Ban Nha k hip c bo h vo nm 1862 th h  khng c phn ng g.

In 1933 when the government of the federation of French colonies and protectorates in Indochina decided to integrate administratively the Paracel and Spratly Islands into Vietnam's coastal provinces, Japan was the only country protesting and the protest was merely perfunctory. As a result, the French colonial authorities proceeded with their decision that had been promulgated in the French press. Even the British mariners who had discovered the Spratly Islands did not have any reaction when they learned that Vietnam, France, and Spain signed a protectorate treaty in 1862.

S chim ng qun s ca i Loan trn o Thi Bnh, ca Phi Lut Tn trn o Loi Ta, ca Trung Hoa Dn Quc trn o Ph Lm cc Bc ca qun o Hong Sa ch v ngi Php, trong cuc chin tranh ng Dng,  phi ng u ngt ngho vi cc cuc hnh qun to thanh cng nh phng th trong t lin nn ch c th t qun tr phng trn o Hong Sa m thi bng khong mt trung i L Dng v  b ng cc o quan trng khc. c bit l o Thi Bnh ca qun o Trng Sa  b qun i Nht cng chim trong  Nh Th Chin. Khi qun i Nht u hng th Trung Hoa Dn Quc ch c nhim v gii gii qun i Nht nhng h  li dng tnh th bi ri lc by gi ca ngi Php  chim c lun, cng lc vi o Ph Lm ca qun o Hong Sa. Ring v o Ph Lm th khi chin tranh quc cng n thi k gn kt thc ti lc a, khin Trung Hoa Dn Quc  buc phi b ng mt thi gian v Trung Cng  ln chim vo gia thp nin 50.

The military occupation of Taiwan on Itu Aba Island, of the Republic of Philippines on Loaita Island, and of Taiwan on the northernmost Woody Island in the Paracels was due to France's eight-year Indochinese war against the Communist-dominated Vit Minh guerrillas. The long, bitter war was a military strain on the French administrators in Indochina. As a result, they could only station a platoon of Foreign Legion on Pattle Island and had to abandon the other important islands in the Paracels. Japan especially conquered Itu Aba Island in the Spratlys in World War II. When the Japanese surrendered, the Chinese Kuomintang (Republic of China's Nationalist Party) soldiers were responsible for disarming the Japanese occupation forces in Vietnam. However, the Chinese Kuomintang taking advantage of France's problems concerning Vietnam occupied Itu Aba Island in the Spratlys and Woody Island in the Paracels simultaneously. When the Chinese Communist revolutionaries seized control of their nation (mainland China), all of the Chinese Kuomintang soldiers were packed off to Taiwan or Republic of China, abandoning Woody Island for a while before it was seized by Communist China in the mid 1950's.

Itu Aba Island, Loaita Island, and Spratly Island in the Spratlys (Reference 1)

Woody Island and Pattle Island in the Paracels (Reference 1)

Vo khong thi gian ny th Hi Qun Vit Nam cn ang  trong thi k pht trin mnh, v li Hi Qun cn phi tham d cc cuc hnh qun bnh nh ca chnh ph trong vng sng ngi cng nh ngoi ven bin nn cc hot ng ngoi bin khi ch c hn ch trong cng cuc tip tc ym tr s hin din qun s trn o Hong Sa khi qun i Php rt khi Vit Nam v dng bia  khng nh ch quyn quc gia trn o, i din cho qun o Trng Sa, l o Trng Sa (Spratly) m thi. Hn na o Ph Lm li nm qu st v tuyn 17, nn cn nm trong khu phi qun s theo Hip nh Ba L nm 1954 m chnh ph Vit Nam tuy khng cng nhn nhng vo lc ny vn mun khng vi phm.

During this period, the Republic of Vietnam Navy was in the process of rapidly expanding in support of its government's policy of 'pacification' through riverine and coastal operations. Consequently, its naval forces deployed to high seas were restricted to

Supporting a military presence in the Paracels except Woody Island upon the total withdrawal of all French troops from Vietnam. Woody Island lies very close to the 17th parallel, a demilitarized zone according to the 1954 Geneva agreement that the Republic of Vietnam government neither recognized nor wanted to violate.

Setting up a stele to reaffirm our national sovereignty on Spratly Island, the main island in the Spratlys.

Sand Cay Island, Spratly Island, and Namyit Island in the Spratlys (Reference 5)

Republic of Vietnam's stele on Spratly Island in the Spratlys (Reference 2)

Cho n khi k thut v khai thc du ha ngoi khi c tin trin th vn  thm lc a c t ra, v ch quyn ca cc quc gia trn cc hi o  c ch trng nhiu hn.

The issue of continental shelf and national sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands did not come to the attention of many countries in the vicinity until the technology for offshore drilling became advanced.

Trong k hi tho v  bn khu vc ca Lin Hip Quc cho  Chu v Vin ng ln th su (the Sixth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Far East) hp ti Tehran, th  Ba T vo thng 10 nm 1970 v ko di mt thng, trong  c cc phi on ca cc nc ng Nam  nh Trung Hoa Dn Quc (i Loan), Nht Bn, M Lai, Nam Dng, Phi Lut Tn, Thi Lan, v.v... tham d. Phi on Vit Nam do i T on Vn Kiu (Lc Qun), Gim c Nha a D Quc Gia, trc thuc B Quc Phng, hng dn trong  c mt v k s a d v ti tham d. Trong my ngy u ca cuc hi tho, phi on Trung Hoa Dn Quc (i Loan, do mt v tng 3 sao Lc Qun cm u) t nhin nu vn  ch quyn trn cc qun o Hong Sa v Trng Sa khi pht biu trong hi trng.

In October 1970, the Republic of Vietnam was among the Asian countries such as the Republic of China (Taiwan), Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, etc ... taking part in the month-long Sixth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Far East held in Tehran, the capital of Iran. Army Colonel on Vn Kiu, Director of the National Geographic Bureau of the Ministry of Defense, headed the Republic of Vietnam three-member delegation including a geographic engineer and me. On the first days of the conference, the Republic of China (Taiwan) delegation, headed by an Army Lieutenant General, suddenly voiced its opinion on the issue of sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands.

The Republic of Vietnam delegation at the Sixth United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for Asia and the Far East in Tehran, Iran (Photo courtesy of the H family, Grapevine, Texas, U.S.A.)

Vo thi gian ny th ti B T Lnh Hi Qun  c thnh lp t lu Phng Nghin Cu hay Phng 5, v phng ny  thu thp c nhiu ti liu lch s cng nh php l v ch quyn ca quc gia Vit Nam trn cc qun o Hong Sa v Trng Sa. Nhng v y l mt cuc hi tho c tnh cch hp tc k thut do Lin Hip Quc t chc, nn ti  ngh ngay vi i T trng phi on l phi on Vit Nam s tho lun vi cc phi on ng Nam  khc  c s ng h ca h hu pht biu  kin ln hi trng l khng t vn  ch quyn quc gia trong cuc hi tho nng v k thut  bn ny. Sau  th phi on Trung Hoa Dn Quc  khng phn i hay nu thm g khc. Cng cn ghi thm  y l sau k hi tho ti Tehran, Ba T, phi on tham d cc cuc hi tho k tip u c B T Lnh Hi Qun  c s quan xung vo phi on. Vic nu ch quyn trn cc hi o Hong Sa v Trng Sa ca Trung Hoa Dn Quc (i Loan) trong mt cuc hi tho k thut ca Lin Hip Quc  l mt ch du ca mt khc quanh v tranh chp v ch quyn cc hi o, cc s i u s khng ch cn nm trong phm vi tuyn co v phn i ly l v ngoi giao na nh cc quc gia trong vng  tng lm trc y. L do quan trng nht l vic thm d cc m du ha t nm 1969 n nm 1971 ca Vit Nam Cng Ha ngoi khi Vng Tu v Cn Sn  lm cho cc ln bang ch  k c Trung Cng v Cng Sn min Bc. Chng ta cn nh l trong khong thi gian ny, Tng Thng Vit Nam Cng Ha  ra tn mt trong cc dn khoan  chm la t hi du khnh thnh s thnh cng v cng cuc tm kim vi mt tr lng du ng k do mt cng ty kho st a cht Hoa K ti Houston m trch trong mt vng khong 4 ngn hi l vung.

During this time, the Republic of Vietnam Navy Headquarters established Bureau 5 or Bureau of Scientific Research, and this bureau gathered many historical as well as legal documents relating to Vietnam's sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands. Since the conference organized by the United Nations was more of a technology cooperation meeting, I immediately proposed to the colonel heading the Republic of Vietnam delegation that we would ask the other Southeast Asian delegations for their support prior to issuing a formal declaration that the issue of national sovereignty should not be debated at this cartographic conference. After that the Republic of China delegation neither raised its voice in protest nor brought up another issue in the meeting. It should also be noted here that after this Tehran conference, the Republic of Vietnam Navy Headquarters continued to send a naval officer to the South Vietnamese delegation attending the succeeding cartographic conferences. The issue of sovereignty over the Paracel and Spratly Islands raised by the Republic of China (Taiwan) in a United Nations cartographic conference was a turning point at which the dispute over territory and resources in the East Sea would not be merely resolved by a denunciation or by a perfunctorily diplomatic protest as every country in the vicinity had done before. Offshore oil exploration by the Republic of Vietnam from 1969 to 1971 in areas close to Vng Tu and Cn Sn (or Cn o) was the most important cause for concern among its neighboring countries such as Communist China and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (the Communist government of North Vietnam). We may recall that the President of the Republic of Vietnam came right to one of the offshore drills to kindle a fire to celebrate the successful discovery of a vast oil reserve by an American geological survey company of Houston, Texas in an area of 4000 square nautical miles.

Cn Sn (or Cn o) in the East Sea (Reference 1)

K t thng Chp nm 1971 th Vit Nam Cng Ha  t ra vn  nhng quyn khai thc du ha v vo thng 2 nm 1973 vic phn chia khu vc c nhng  hon tt, nhng mi n thng 7 nm 1973 vic nhng quyn khai thc mi c cng b. Vic chm tr ny l do nhu cu chnh tr ca thi im ny m chnh ph Hoa K  khn khon yu cu Vit Nam Cng Ha tr hon v vo lc  phong tro phn chin ang ln cao v h  chi mi di vo cc hot ng ca cc t hp lin quc du ha ti Vit Nam v Cam Bt. Mt phn quan trng na l quc hi Hoa K  lu  n thm lc a vng ng Nam  v vn  ny c lin h ti chnh sch ca Hoa K ti vng ny. Do  vo cc nm 1970-1971 vic thm d m du t c qung b  lm du bt phong tro phn chin ti ni a Hoa K cng nh khng lm phng hi ti ha m Ba L. Cng Sn Bc Vit cng bit c cc d nh ca Vit Nam Cng Ha v vic c nhng nhng mi ti thng 6 nm 1971 mi ln ting phn i. ng nhin l Trung Cng cng  theo di cc tin trin v thm d trong lng bin v ch tm nhiu v cc tr lng du ha ng khch l trong vng Bin ng.

In December 1971, the government of South Vietnam began to allot its continental shelf for offshore drilling, and in February 1973, the allotment was completed, but was not publicly announced until July 1973. This delay was in response to the U.S. government's persistent request for postponement since at the time huge anti-war demonstrations spilled out into the streets and were focusing on the activities of multinational oil companies in Vietnam and Cambodia. Moreover, the U.S. Congress began to pay attention to the continental shelf in Southeast Asia since it had something to do with U.S. foreign policy in this region. Therefore, in 1970 and 1971, the oil exploration was not publicized not only to abate the anti-war movement in the U.S. but also not to stall the formal four-party peace talks in Paris. The Communist government of North Vietnam knew the allotment but waited until June 1973 to raise its voice in protest. Obviously, Communist China also watched the progress of South Vietnam's offshore oil exploration activities, and began to pay attention to the East Sea's potentially oil-rich reserve.

Song song vi vic thm d du ha l cng cuc thc hin vic t qun tr phng trn cc o cn b trng thuc qun o Trng Sa do chnh Hi Qun Vit Nam Cng Ha ch trng v nm phn ch ng v mi cng tc. Cng cuc thc hin ny l kt qu ca mt cuc thao dt hm i vo u ma h nm 1973 do B T Lnh Hm i lc by gi l Hi Qun i T Nguyn Xun Sn  xng vi s chp thun ca B T Lnh Hi Qun. Ti vi chc v l Ch Huy Trng Hi i 3 (Hi i Tun Dng)  c T Lnh Hm i trao ph trch nhim t chc lc lng v t k hoch thao dt cng nh chng trnh thm st cc hi o. Sau khi ha m Ba L c k kt th Hm i by gi mi c c mt s chin hm tm rnh tay vi cng tc tun dng, cho nn thnh phn ca hi i c nhim  gm cc chin hm khin dng hoc tm hon bit phi cho B T Lnh Hnh Qun Bin, trong cng tc tun phng cn v vin duyn. Vo nhng nm chin tranh si ng th cc chin hm ln hay nh khng thuc loi chuyn ch u phi thay phin nhau tham d cng tc tun dng hay tun duyn hoc m trch mt vi nhim v ym tr hi pho ty theo nhu cu trong vng cng tc. Bi vy s hot ng ca cc chin hm theo tng phn on hay hi on t khi c thc hin v c th ni l gn nh khng c, v nu c th thi gian hot ng rt hn hp. Cng cn lm bn thm ti y l cuc chin tranh tiu tr cng sn trong ni a  phi cn s tham d ca cc n v Hi Qun rt nhiu v h thng sng ngi v kinh rch t Ca Vit vo min Nam qua mi C Mu cho n Kinh Vnh T chy dc theo bin gii Min Vit t H Tin cho ti Chu c.

In parallel with the offshore oil exploration was the South Vietnamese government's plan of stationing troops on those vacant islands in the Spratlys. The Republic of Vietnam Navy took the initiative in carrying out this plan. It was the result of a naval exercise at the beginning of the summer of 1973 initiated by Navy Captain Nguyn Xun Sn, Fleet Commander at the time, and agreed to by the Republic of Vietnam Navy Headquarters. The Fleet Commander gave me, as Commander of Cruiser & Destroyer Group (Task Group III), the responsibility of organizing a naval task force, planning the naval exercise as well as a survey of the Spratly Islands. After the Paris peace agreements were signed in November 1972, the Republic of Vietnam Navy Fleet began to have a number of surface combatants free from coastal patrol. As a result, the surface combatants assigned to my Cruiser & Destroyer Group were either available or not yet deployed to the Republic of Vietnam Navy Coastal Warfare Headquarters for coastal or maritime patrol. At the height of the Vietnam War, every large or small ship not for transportation had to by turns either take part in maritime or coastal patrol or be responsible for providing gunfire in support of ground forces ashore in its area of operations if needed. Thus, all of the ships assigned to my group rarely or never had the opportunity to take part in battle group or maritime exercises; it is quite possible to say that the duration of the exercise, if any, was very short. Also, it should be added here that during the war the Republic of Vietnam Navy

conducted operations against the logistic lines of the Vietnamese Communists along the coast of South Vietnam from Ca Vit to Cape C Mu,

and extended the control of vital waterways in the Mekong Delta from Kinh Vnh T, H Tin to Chu c along the Cambodian-Vietnamese land border.

Sin Cowe Island and Southwest Cay Island in the Spratlys (Reference 5)

Thnh phn ca Hi i c nhim thao dt gm c: 1 Khu Trc Hm, 3 Tun Dng Hm, 1 Tr Chin Hm, 2 C Xng Hm. C Xng Hm HQ 802 (Hm Trng Hi Qun Trung T V Quc Cng) l soi hm ca cuc thao dt.

The naval task force consisted of: 1 destroyer (DER), 3 cruisers (WHEC), 1 large landing ship support (LSSL), and 2 modified tank landing ships (ARL and AGP). The landing craft repair HQ Vnh Long (ARL 802) was the flagship of the naval exercise under the command of Republic of Vietnam Navy Commander V Quc Cng.

The Spratlys in the East Sea (Reference 1)

HQ Vnh Long (ARL 802), Republic of Vietnam Navy (Reference 4)

References

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection.

"S c Bit V Hong Sa", Hi Cu Qun Nhn Hi Qun Vit Nam Cng Ho, thng 6, 1974.

V Hu San, a L Bin ng Vi Hong-Sa V Trng-Sa - Eastern Sea Geography And Paracel, Spratly Archipelagoes, y-Ban Bo-V S Vn-Ton Lnh-Th Vit-Nam, 44120 Old Warm Spring Blvd., Fremont, California 94538, U.S.A., 1995.
vusan@hotmail.com,
http://vuhuusan.tripod.com,
http://vuhuusan.bizland.com.

Jane's Fighting Ships 1960-1969 and 1970-1979,
http://www.janes.com/company/catalog99/fightingships.html.

"Lt Sng - Ngy Hi Qun 1974", Ting Ni Hi Qun Vit Nam Cng Ha (courtesy of Commander Richard R. Ward, U.S. Navy (Retired), Pembroke, Massachusetts, U.S.A.).

H Vn Ngc, "Nhng Din Bin a Ti Trn Hi Chin Hong Sa", Lt Sng, s 35, ngy 26 thng 9 nm 1998, Bch ng, P.O. Box 21997, San Jose, California 95151-1997, U.S.A., pp. 92-102,
haiquan9@yahoo.com,
https://members.tripod.com/~haiquan9.

cn tip vo VIETALK s thng 2 nm 2000

to be continued in the February 2000 issue of VIETALK