Our Family Vietnam History and Legacy

Early Life

Mathew Sy Dang (Vietnamese: Matheo Đặng Sỹ), was an officer in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam who was known for his unjust implications in the deaths of several young people at a state-run radio station in Hue during the turbulent 1960s. His subsequent trial and imprisonment were results of appeasing the volatile politics [Blair, 1995], [Dommen, 2001], [Douglas, 2008], [Hammer, 1987].

Born in the province of Thua Thien, Hue, Sy Dang (1929-2006), attended Lasallian school, Pellerin, and graduated from National Military Academy of Dalat as first Lieutenant.

He came from a long line of devout Catholics, which includes Michael Hy Ho-Dinh, one of the Vietnamese Martyrs.  Military life was no stranger to Sy Dang, his father was a captain for the local national guard unit. At age 14, Sy Dang ventured as an interpreter for the local French garrison. He tried the prospect of being a Christian Brother, like his mother's brother, but found out he was not suited for a pious, teaching life. Sy Dang then decided to follow a military career, a popular choice for young men at the time.

Sy Dang married at the age of 21. His wife, Maria Cam De Nguyen (1931 - 2000), came from a long line of devout Buddhists. Her paternal grandmother was from the house of Minh Mang. Her maternal side was another line of successful mandarins. She converted to Catholicism through marriage and stayed as one until her death. 
 

Military career

After attending U.S. Infantry Center & School at Fort Benning, GA, Captain Sy Dang quickly progressed to the rank of major, as Military Sector Commander and Deputy Chief of Thua Thien Province, Hue. Second Regiment Commander of the First Infantry Division .

During the early years of the First Republic government, Major Sy Dang was in campaigns aimed at unifying South Vietnam. He received commendations and medals for doing his duty of protecting his men. In his early 30s, Major Sy Dang was named deputy Chief and Security Commander, in charge of Thua Thien and Hue city.

While in this position, he was embroiled in the midst of political unrests which led to the Trial of Dang Sy. As Deputy in charge of Hue's security, Major Sy Dang was held responsible for the death of 8 people. Many accounts, which included official CIA Weekly reports and U.S. State Department reports, indicated that Major Dang took direct actions that caused these deaths [CIA Weekly Report, 1964], [Time, 1964]. There are other accounts, which suggested Major Dang was at the right time and place for a set up by third party with interests in seeing the Diem Regime fell. Some sources, such as Arthur Dommen and Ellen Hammer speculated that an American serviceman and a handful CIA operatives orchestrated the whole incident [Hammer, 1987], [Dommen, 2001].

Dishonorable press campaign was leveled against Major Dang and the Catholic Church for having directly oppressed the Buddhist [Gheddo, 1970]. This serious episode caused many believed the trial was set up to appease the escalating violence and protests even after the ouster of the First Republic's President Diem [Blair, 1995], [Dommen, 2001], [Gheddo, 1970].

While the First Republic government dismissed charges of misconducts and paid indemptions to victims families in 1963, it was replaced [Dommen, 2001], [Douglass, 2008].  The Military Junta tried and pressed a death sentence for Major Dang in 1964 [Douglass, 2008], [Hammer, 1987].

References

1. Blair, Anne E. Lodge in Vietnam: A Patriot Abroad. Yale University Press, 1995.
2. Tributes: Because Every Life Has a Story...
3. The Situation in Vietnam - CIA Weekly Report (June 1964)
4. South Viet Nam: Again, the Buddhists. Time. (June 1964)
5. Telegram From the Embassy in Vietnam to the Department of State. (June 1964)
6. Dommen, Arthur J. The Indochinese experience of the French and the Americans: Nationalism and Communism in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam . Indiana University Press, 2001.
7. Douglass, James. JFK and the unspeakable: Why He Died and Why It Matters. Orbis Books, 2008.
8. Hammer, Ellen J. A Death in November. Penguin Publishing Group, 1987.
9. The Impossible Prayer. The Baltimore Evening Sun ( July 1987)
10. Incident at Hue - The flags and the generals 
11. Gheddo, Piero. The Cross and the Bo De-tree: Catholics and Buddhists in Vietnam. Sheed and Ward Publishing, 1970.