Lâm Quang Thi facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lâm Quang Thi
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| Born | 7 May 1932 Bạc Liêu, French Indochina |
| Died | 19 January 2021 (aged 88) Fremont, California, United States |
| Allegiance |  South Vietnam |
| Service/ |
Army of the Republic of Vietnam |
| Years of service | 1950–1975 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | 9th Infantry Division Vietnamese National Military Academy I Corps |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Lâm Quang Thi (born May 7, 1932 – died January 19, 2021) was a very important military officer. He served in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. He reached the rank of Lieutenant General.
Contents
Growing Up and Family Life
Lâm Quang Thi was born in Bac Lieu in 1932. This was a time when Vietnam was part of French Indochina. His family were wealthy farmers who owned a lot of land.
His parents got married two years before he was born. His father followed a religion called Cao Dai. His mother was a Roman Catholic. His mother's father was one of the richest Chinese landowners in Bac Lieu.
In 1937, his parents separated. His mother took Lâm Quang Thi and his three siblings to her hometown in Tam Vu. After finishing primary school there, he went to Can Tho. He studied at Phan Thanh Gian College, which was a tough school to get into.
Serving in the Military
Lâm Quang Thi graduated from the National Military Academy. This academy was located in Da Lat, South Vietnam. He held many important jobs in the army.
He was the Commander of the RVNAF Artillery Training Center. He also led the Artillery in I Corps. He was the Deputy Commander of the RVNAF Artillery. Later, he became the Commander of the 9th Infantry Division. He also commanded the Vietnamese National Military Academy.
In March 1972, he became the deputy commander of I Corps. This was a very important military area. His last position was Commander in Chief of Army Corp I Forward Command. He held this role until April 1975.
Life After the War
In May 1975, South Vietnam fell to the North Vietnamese army. Lâm Quang Thi and his family moved to the United States. They settled in Fremont, California.
Even after his military career, he continued his education. He earned a French Baccalaureate Degree in Philosophy. He also got an MBA degree. Both of these degrees were from Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
His son, Andrew Lam, became a well-known writer and journalist. Lâm Quang Thi was also interviewed for a TV series. It was Ken Burns's series called The Vietnam War.
His Passing
Lâm Quang Thi passed away on January 19, 2021. He was 88 years old. He died from COVID-19 in Fremont, California. This was during the COVID-19 pandemic in California.
Awards and Honors
Lâm Quang Thi received many awards for his military service. These include:
- Vietnam Gallantry Cross
- Distinguished Service Order, 1st class
- Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal, 1st class
- National Order of Vietnam, 3rd class
- Staff Service Honor Medal, 1st class
- Vietnam Technical Service Medal, 1st class
- Training Service Honor Medal, 1st class
- Vietnam Civil Action Honor Medal, 1st class
- Merit Thai
- Legion of Merit (United States)
- Order of Military Merit, Chung Mu Cordon (South Korea)
