Ta Dinh Phong was born in 1928 in the district of Tam Nong, Phu Tho province. In 1945 he was a squad leader of his commune’s people’s militia, and was also secretary for the Youth National Salvation Association of the commune (thanh nien cuu quoc xa). He taught in binh dan hoc vu classes and participated in his commune’s peasant’s association committee (ban chap hanh nong hoi).