Tran Dinh Truong
Encyclopedia
Biography
Truong was the principal owner of the Vishipco Line, the largest shipping company in South VietnamSouth Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
in the 1970s. As a shipowner, he earned millions of dollars hauling cargo for the United States military. His actions during the Fall of Saigon
Fall of Saigon
The Fall of Saigon was the capture of Saigon, the capital of South Vietnam, by the People's Army of Vietnam and the National Liberation Front on April 30, 1975...
have been the subject of debate. Truong states that he used his company’s resources, including 24 commercial ships and hundreds of trucks, to aid in the evacuation of thousands of South Vietnamese civilians and military personnel while the Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Viet Nam , sometimes parsimoniously referred to as the South Vietnamese Army , was the land-based military forces of the Republic of Vietnam , which existed from October 26, 1955 until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975...
(ARVN), defended South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
against the invading Communist North Vietnamese Army and their Viet Cong Agents. Others, including those who took part in the evacuation and a ship captain who worked for Truong, dispute his account.
Truong left Vietnam on April 30, 1975, the day that Saigon fell to the communists Truong boarded one of his eleven ships and traveled to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with two suitcases of gold.
He began his hotel business in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, first with the Hotel Opera on the Upper West Side in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, and then Hotel Carter (which was deemed the dirtiest hotel in the US
) in Midtown Manhattan and Hotel Lafayette in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Along the way Mr Truong owned and operated other New York hotels as well, including the infamous Hotel Kenmore Hall on 23rd Street which was seized from Truong by the US Marshals Service in 1994 because of deplorable conditions and rampant crime within the building.
After the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
on the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
he contributed $2 million of his personal funds to the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
Disaster Relief Fund.
In May 2004, Truong was awarded a Golden Torch Award, by the Vietnamese American National Gala in Washington D.C. Mr. Tran is also on the Board of Directors of The United Way of New York City.
Truong is the richest Vietnamese person alive, having total assets worth $1 billion.