Rear Admiral Tran Van Chon

Full Name: Tran Van Chon

Date and Place of birth: September 24, 1929, Vung Tau (South Vietnam)

Family status: Married, ten children

Education:

- Brevet d'Etudes Techniques du 2e degree (Technical Studies Certificate, Secon degree), 1941

- Brevet de Radiotelegraphiste de Bord de 2e Classe (Navy Radio-Telegraphist Certificate, Second Class), 1942

- Certificate of Graduation, Vietnamese Naval Academy, 1952

- US Naval Command, 1960

Present position: Chief of Naval Operations, Vietnamese Navy, since November 1, 1966

Former positions:

- Vice Commanding Officer, 23th Assaulting River Group, 1953

- Vice Navy Commander, 1956

- Navy Commander concurrently Director of Naval Dockyards, 1957

- Commmander, Security River Force, 1961

- Deputy Commander, Regional Force and Popular Force, 1962-1966

Decorations, awards:

- 3 National Orders of Vietnam, 3rd, 4th and 5th classes

- 3 Navy Distinguished Service Orders, 1st and 2nd classes

- 2 Army Distinguished Service Orders, 1st and 2nd classes

- 9 Gallantry Crosses

- Purple Heart Medal

- Navy Gallantry Medal, gold anchor

- Hazardous Service Medal

- Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st class

Who's Who In Vietnam
Vietnam Press, Saigon 1970
Courtesy of Adam Sadowski

Note: Following is an email from a reader regarding Rear Admiral Chon's birth date: "I stumbled into the list of ARVN generals in generalhieu; I would like to contribute a comment: Rear Admiral Tran Van Chon's C.V. indicated he was born in 1929. Although I do not know which year he was born, but I know he was the fourth child in the family. His eldest sister was born in 1916 and his ninth brother in 1924 (?) or 1925 (?); which, in my humble opinion, places Rear Admiral Chon's birth date in 1918 or 1929 but not 1929." Ngo thuy Hoang Mai. 11/29.2008.

ARVN Generals
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