▁Major ▁D ale ▁R . ▁B uis ▁and ▁Master ▁Serge ant ▁Ch ester ▁M . ▁O vn and , ▁among ▁the ▁first ▁Americans ▁killed ▁in ▁the ▁Vietnam ▁War . ▁ ▁The ▁Division ▁was ▁based ▁in ▁M ỹ ▁Th o , ▁and ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁division ' s ▁close ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁capital ▁Sa ig on ▁was ▁a ▁key ▁factor ▁in ▁the ▁success ▁or ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁various ▁coup ▁attempts ▁in ▁the ▁nation ' s ▁history . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁the ▁loyal ty ▁of ▁the ▁command ing ▁officer ▁of ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁cru cial ▁in ▁maintain ing ▁power . ▁In ▁the ▁coup ▁attempt ▁of ▁ 1 9 6 0 , ▁the ▁loyal ist ▁Colonel ▁Hu ỳ n h ▁V ă n ▁C ao ▁used ▁the ▁Division ▁to ▁storm ▁into ▁Sa ig on ▁to ▁save ▁President ▁Ng ô ▁ Đ ì n h ▁Di ệ m . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 6 2 , ▁D iem ▁decided ▁to ▁split ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁the ▁south ▁around ▁Sa ig on ▁into ▁two , ▁the ▁former ▁III ▁Corps ▁area ▁being ▁reduced ▁in ▁size ▁to ▁cover ▁the ▁area ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁Sa ig on , ▁and ▁the ▁newly ▁created ▁IV ▁Corps ▁taking ▁over ▁the ▁west ▁and ▁south west . ▁C ao ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁general ▁and ▁assumed ▁command ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁IV ▁Corps ▁T act ical ▁Zone , ▁which ▁included ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁operations ▁of ▁his ▁ 7 th ▁Infantry ▁Division . ▁Command ▁of ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁was ▁given ▁to ▁C ao