50 years of Division 341 with historic march

Marching orders

The heroic 341st Division (Song Lam Division) was established on November 23, 1972 in Nam Dan District, Nghe An Province. The division's forces since its establishment included 3 infantry regiments: E266, E270, E273, 1 artillery regiment E55 and battalion and company-level units under the division such as reconnaissance, engineering, communications, transportation, armored vehicles, medical, chemical defense, logistics, guards, etc.

From December 1972 to November 23, 1975, the 341st Division was stationed in Quang Binh province and Vinh Linh special zone, with the division headquarters located in My Ha village, My Thuy commune - where the beautiful and gentle Kien Giang river flows through. While training, the division also carried out combat missions to protect the southern area of ​​Military Region 4, as a strategic reserve force of the Ministry of National Defense.

On February 3, 1975, receiving orders from the General Headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense, under the command of Colonel - Division Commander Tran Van Tran, tens of thousands of officers and soldiers of Division 341 marched to the front. The starting point of the march was the right bank of Kien Giang River and the division's destination was the Southeast front (B2).

Opening ceremony of the 50th anniversary of the 341st Division's departure to battle at the 341st Division Historical Site

PHOTO: HUY THANH

On the day of departure, Major General - Commander of Military Region 4 Dam Quang Trung took a helicopter from Nghe An, gave the marching orders and sent the division to the front.

Speaking to the entire division, Commander Dam Quang Trung said: “On behalf of the Military Region Command, I order all officers and soldiers of Division 341 to immediately march to the Southern battlefield to participate in the fight to save the country. You comrades will go deep, go long, go until the day of total victory.”

It is true that “feeding an army takes 3 years, using it takes 1 hour”. F341 has been training diligently in Quang Binh and Vinh Linh for 3 years and now the whole division is on its way to the front with the goal of fighting the last big battles to end the war.

Historical site where Division 341 marched into battle in 1975

PHOTO: TRAN KHOI

Strategic Operation

The 341st Division's march was entirely by truck, with the Truong Son Military Transport Corps (Group 559) responsible.

The convoy of about 800 trucks secretly marched, each carrying 20 to 30 soldiers, traveling at night and resting during the day to avoid enemy ambushes and bombs dropped by enemy planes. The division's marching route went along the Ho Chi Minh trail through the old forests of the Truong Son mountain range, across the border into Laos and Cambodia, then back to the South in the Central Highlands.

After 35 days of marching at night and resting during the day, F341 landed in the Southeast region of Phuoc Long province at that time. That was the land with the Be River flowing through and endless green rubber forests.

Many veterans and local leaders attended the celebration.

PHOTO: HUY THANH

To go to war is to win.

Immediately after arriving at the B2 front, the 341st Division received orders to fight the first battle on Highway 13 Chon Thanh - Bau Bang, liberating Chon Thanh district. Then, it coordinated with the 9th Division to fight the enemy in Dau Tieng. Then, it followed Highway 20 to Dinh Quan post, crossed the La Nga River and advanced to Dong Nai to fight the historic Xuan Loc battle that lasted for 12 days and nights.

With these resounding achievements, F341 was trusted by the 4th Corps commander to fight the opening battle of the Ho Chi Minh campaign (April 26-30, 1975) on the Eastern front of Saigon.

It was the battle at Trang Bom Military Sub-region on April 27, 1975. In just one day, Division 341 completed the mission of liberating Trang Bom. The victory at Trang Bom was the first resounding victory of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

Next, the 341st Division marched and fought the enemy along Highway 1, fighting and liberating wherever they went. Starting from capturing enemy bases in Ho Nai, Bien Hoa and advancing to liberate Saigon along the Bien Hoa highway, passing Rach Chiec bridge, Saigon bridge to arrive at the Independence Palace at the historic noon of April 30, 1975.

After the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, Division 341 was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the Party and State.

To achieve that glory, thousands of officers and soldiers of Division 341 fell in the final battles of the decisive significance of the war to save the country. Their blood and bones soaked the land of the East so that the country could have the great victory of April 30, unification and peace as today.

Veterans visit historical site 'Where Division 341 marched into battle in 1975'

PHOTO: NGUYEN VAN TAI

Glory and immortality

Half a century has passed since the historic march to the front starting from Kien Giang River and ending with great victory at Independence Palace. The deep memory of that march to the front still lives on with the veterans of Division 341 as a song of patriotism and great pride of the soldiers in the army that unified the country.

On this occasion, the commander and veterans of Division 341 cut the ribbon to inaugurate the historical site "Where Division 341 held the ceremony to send troops to the battlefield in 1975".

The historical site "Where Division 341 held the ceremony to send troops to the battlefield in 1975" was started to be built on July 31, 2024 on an area of ​​1,000 ^m2, of which the stele house has an area of ​​64 ^m2 . The total investment is more than 5 billion VND from the contributions of veterans, officers and soldiers of Division 341 and the support of the Ministry of National Defense, Military Region 4 Command, Quang Binh province, Le Thuy district and social organizations, businesses...

Veterans of Division 341 offer incense at the division's historical relic site to commemorate their comrades who sacrificed their lives in the wars to save the country.

PHOTO: NGUYEN VAN TAI

The historical site "Where Division 341 held a ceremony to send troops to the battlefield in 1975" is a spiritual and cultural work, expressing deep gratitude to the heroes, martyrs, wounded soldiers and generations of officers and soldiers of Division 341.

At the same time, he expressed his deep gratitude to the Party Committee, army and people of Quang Binh province and Vinh Linh special zone (Quang Tri province) for sharing and helping Division 341 during the fierce war years.

The project is also a historical milestone and a beautiful symbol of military-civilian solidarity and a "red address" to educate revolutionary traditions for generations.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/50-nam-su-doan-341-voi-cuoc-hanh-quan-lich-su-185250413153516696.htm