General Trưởng writing in 1980 rejected much of the criticism of the Division's performance during the Easter Offensive and in particular that it consisted mostly of deserters, pardoned military criminals and other undesirable elements cast off by other units. Trưởng asserted that the Division was overburdened, being asked to defend a large area against a massive PAVN assault and that no other single ARVN division could have performed better. Trưởng credited the Division for holding the line at Đông Hà for almost a month against overwhelming PAVN forces, gaining enough time to permit the deployment of general reserve forces to decisive battle areas.