Symbol of Vietnamese intelligence and bravery

During the historic August days, besides the milestones that have entered the hearts of every Vietnamese person, there was a victory of epochal stature, that was on August 5, 1964, our army and people defeated the most modern air force and navy of the US. 60 years have passed but the echoes of the first victory are still intact.

Navy ships fight against US aircraft in Hon Gai town, August 5, 1964. (Photo: Archive)

60 years ago, in order to save the failure of the "Special War" strategy, the US imperialists intensified the war of aggression in the South with a new strategy and launched a war of destruction in the North by air force and navy - the place they considered the "roots" and support of the revolution in the South, to destroy the construction of socialism in the North, prevent the support of the great rear of the North for the battlefield in the South; in order to weaken the determination to fight to liberate the South and unify the country of our army and people.

Since March 1964, the US has sent destroyers to patrol the coast of North Vietnam to both scout and probe us and support the puppet navy in raiding the islands and coastal residential areas of the provinces of Zone 4. On July 31, 1964, off the coast of the Gulf of Tonkin, the destroyer Madoc advanced strongly to the North, seriously violating the territorial waters of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam, both scouting and threatening our fishermen's fishing boats.

On August 2, 1964, with a high spirit of alertness, readiness for combat and determination to punish the invading enemy ships, the Navy Command commanded Battalion 135 to use 3 torpedo boats (333, 336, 339) of Squad 3, in coordination with 2 patrol boats, to leave the base and launch an attack to chase away the Madoc ship. In this unequal battle, the officers and soldiers of Squad 3 shot down 1 enemy plane, damaged another, the Madoc ship was hit by bullets, some equipment was damaged, and was forced to withdraw from our waters.

Quang Ninh self-defense team fights against US aircraft, August 5, 1964. (Photo: Archive)

Immediately after the Madoc ship was chased away, with a pre-prepared scenario, the US authorities staged the so-called “Gulf of Tonkin Incident” to falsely accuse the North Vietnamese navy of attacking US warships operating normally in international waters, in order to deceive world public opinion and the American people, using the pretext of launching a “retaliatory” campaign called “Piercing Arrow” to begin an escalating war of sabotage against the North.

On August 5, 1964, they mobilized 64 modern aircraft of the 7th Fleet, divided into many groups to attack almost simultaneously on economic targets and most of the bases, warehouses, and shelters of our navy ships along the coast from Gianh River (Quang Binh), Cua Hoi, Vinh, Ben Thuy (Nghe An), Lach Truong (Thanh Hoa) to Bai Chay, Hon Gai (Quang Ninh), in order to destroy our navy, opening the plan for large-scale sabotage against the North.

In the first wave of air and naval attacks on the North, the air raid on Bai Chay, Hon Gai Town (now Ha Long City) on the afternoon of August 5 was the most fierce. Eight enemy jet fighters divided into two groups rushed in to drop bombs, fire 20mm bullets, and fire rockets at the naval base on the Cua Luc River, on the west bank of Bai Chay (now B12 Petroleum Port). With a high sense of vigilance and combat readiness, from the very first minute, our naval ships coordinated with the 217th Air Defense Battalion and the air defense forces of the militia, armed police, army and people of Quang Ninh province to resolutely fight back the enemy aircraft. The infantry soldiers, armed police, and militia closely coordinated with the anti-aircraft artillery troops, creating a dense, multi-range anti-aircraft fire network.

Memorial ceremony for heroic martyrs and people who fought bravely and sacrificed in the "First Victory" in Cua Luc sea area (Ha Long city), August 1, 2024.

With the indomitable and courageous fighting spirit of our air defense and navy forces, along with the active coordination and cooperation of the militia and self-defense forces of Hon Gai Port, the People's Armed Police of Quang Ninh, the army and people of the Mining Region won a resounding victory, shooting down 3 jet planes on the spot. Of which, the 14.5mm artillery battery, belonging to Company 141, Air Defense Artillery Battalion 217, occupying the high points of Hon Gai Town, hit the A4D aircraft, causing it to catch fire and fall into the Dau Moi estuary. Lieutenant E. Alvarez, who was piloting this aircraft, was forced to parachute into Khe Ca (Ha Tu) and was captured alive. This was the first American pilot we captured in the North.

The heroic fighting of the navy, air defense, air force, armed police, militia and people of the coastal provinces (Quang Ninh, Hai Phong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Quang Binh) crushed the air raid of the US imperialists, dealt a heavy blow to the prestige of the US navy, shocked the Pentagon; at the same time strongly encouraged the will of the army and people of the whole country to defeat the invading US enemy.

Officers and soldiers of Brigade 170, Naval Region 1, thoroughly carry out the task.

The victory on August 5, 1964 became the first typical feat, opening a heroic page in the history of building, fighting, winning and growing up of the Vietnam People's Navy. The victory contributed to encouraging the entire Party, the entire army, the entire people in the North and the people in the South to compete in fighting the enemy and making achievements, determined to gain national independence and unify the country. This was the beginning of the heroic epic of the Vietnam People's Navy, of the army and people in the North in fighting against the destructive war of the US imperialists; the victory of the political and spiritual strength of the entire nation, of the determination to dare to fight, to fight and to know how to fight and win; a symbol of Vietnamese mettle and intelligence.

The victory of August 5, 1964 also had a special significance for Quang Ninh province. At that time, Quang Ninh had just been established for less than a year, but the government, army and people in the province closely coordinated with the navy to fight back American aircraft, achieved special feats, protected the safety of factories, enterprises, mines and avoided casualties for the people. In 1994, Prime Minister Pham Van Dong (who was present in Hon Gai on August 5, 1964) affirmed: "This is a great feat of arms of the army and people of Quang Ninh, the result of 10 years of building, fighting and growing up, a manifestation of the superiority of the socialist regime guided by the Party and Uncle Ho, the beginning of great achievements in the resistance war against the US to save the country of Quang Ninh...".

The echoes of the First Victory still remain today. Continuing the tradition of winning the first battle and the tradition of previous generations, the army and people of Quang Ninh continue to unite with one heart and one will to build a revolutionary, elite, and modern Vietnam People's Army; to build Quang Ninh province into a solid provincial defense area in terms of national defense and security, a front line of cooperation and international economic competition...

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/bieu-tuong-cua-ban-linh-tri-tue-viet-nam-3312232.html