Due to old age and serious illness, Lieutenant General Tran Hanh passed away on December 5 at his home.

The visitation and memorial service will be held on December 9 at the National Funeral Home (5 Tran Thanh Tong, Hanoi). The burial will be held on the same day at Chua Thap Cemetery, Loc Vuong Ward, Nam Dinh City, Nam Dinh Province.

Lieutenant General Tran Hanh was born in 1932; hometown is Nam Dinh city, Nam Dinh province. He was a member of the 4th Party Central Committee; a National Assembly delegate of the 6th, 8th, 11th, and 12th terms; former Deputy Minister of National Defense.

He was awarded many noble orders and medals by the Party, State and Army such as: Second-class Independence Medal; First and Third-class Military Exploit Medal; First, Second and Third-class Military Exploit Medal; First-class Resistance Medal against France; First-class Resistance Medal against America, for national salvation...

Lieutenant General, Hero of the People's Armed Forces TRAN HANH passed away.
Lieutenant General, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Tran Hanh. Photo: QĐND

Mr. Tran Hanh joined the revolution early and held many positions in the army. He learned to fly MIG-17 aircraft at School No. 3, Chinese Air Force.

He has been associated with the Air Defense - Air Force for decades in many positions.

From April 1989 to October 1996, he served as Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army. From November 1996 to December 1999, he was appointed Deputy Minister of National Defense.

After retiring, Lieutenant General Tran Hanh worked at the Vietnam Veterans Association.

He was promoted to Major General in April 1984 and Lieutenant General in April 1989.

According to the People's Army Newspaper, on April 3 and 4, 1965, the Vietnam People's Air Force won the first battle, opening a victorious air front. Lieutenant General Tran Hanh was the squadron leader of a squadron participating in the battle on April 4, 1965 and shot down an American F-105 aircraft...

The flight crew consisted of 4 people: Tran Hanh, Le Minh Huan, Pham Giay and Tran Nguyen Nam, departing from Noi Bai airport, commanded by pilot Tran Hanh.

Mr. Tran Hanh's squadron took off from Noi Bai airport. The MiG-17 aircraft of the Vietnamese pilots were not as modern as the American aircraft at that time, while the American aircraft were many times more numerous, carrying bombs determined to destroy Ham Rong bridge (Thanh Hoa).

In that battle, his squadron shot down two American F-105 planes, of which pilot Tran Hanh shot down one and pilot Le Minh Huan shot down one.