On 1 November 1963, Tung was summoned by the coup organisers to the Joint General Staff headquarters near Tân Sơn Nhứt Air Base, on the pretext of a routine officers' lunch meeting. At 13:30, General Trần Văn Đôn announced that a coup was taking place. Most of the officers rose to applaud, but Tung did not. He was taken away by Nguyễn Văn Nhung, the bodyguard of General Minh. As he was led away, Tung shouted "Remember who gave you your stars!"