Interesting story about the flagpole at Hien Luong wharf, where the Tien Phong Marathon 2025 Flag Raising Ceremony takes place

Seventy-one years ago, in 1954, the Geneva Accords were signed, establishing the 17th parallel in Vinh Linh District, Quang Tri Province as the temporary military demarcation line between the North and the South. According to the agreement, all border police stations had to fly flags every day, leading to a "flag battle" between the two sides.

According to Ms. Le Thi To Hoai, Head of the Management Board of the Hien Luong - Ben Hai National Special Relic, the previous location of the flagpole was closer to the main road than it is now. Later, when the relic complex was rebuilt, the flagpole was moved back a bit to create more space for sightseeing as well as to place the flagpole.

Initially, after the Geneva Agreement, the flagpole was built from a 12-meter-high casuarina tree. However, on the other side, the Saigon puppet government planted the flag on the roof of the Xuan Hoa bunker at a height of 15 meters. Not giving up, our side brought back an 18-meter-high tree from the Ru Linh forest to replace it.

The sturdy pedestal serves as a base for the 38.6m high flagpole, with 6 steel pipes connected together. In the middle of the pedestal is a map of unified Vietnam, the result of a 21-year arduous struggle with much bloodshed.

The puppet government responded by erecting a 25-meter-high iron flagpole. So we erected another flagpole, also made of iron, 34.5 meters high, made by the Vietnam Machinery Installation Corporation. Not long after, on the south bank, another 35-meter-high flagpole was built with green neon lights.

In 1962, the Vietnam Machinery Installation Corporation once again built a new flagpole 38.6m high and moved it to Hien Luong, hoisting a 134m2 flag weighing 15kg, 10m from the top there was a cabin to hang the flag. This was the tallest flagpole on the border, thereby ending the long flag fight.

However, the enemy switched to shelling and bombing. During the period from 1965 to 1967, American bombs hit the flagpole 11 times, but we also rebuilt it 11 times. During those fierce years, 2 police officers and 11 Hien Luong militiamen heroically sacrificed their lives. Despite the rain of bombs and bullets, the soldiers and people remained brave and determined to protect the national flag so that it would always fly high and proud, becoming the hope for a day of national reunification.

Hien Luong Flagpole is located in the Hien Luong - Ben Hai River relic site, with a yellow pedestal and flagpole rebuilt according to the original in 1962.

The flagpole now has an additional pedestal, decorated with continuous ceramic paintings.

The paintings depict the years of fierce struggle between the two sides of the border. Despite the hardships, the whole country still believed in Uncle Ho and the leadership of the Party.

At the Exhibition House in the Hien Luong - Ben Hai historical site, many valuable documents introduce the period of steadfast fighting to protect the flag on the border.

Besides the "chess game", at the border area there is also a loudspeaker game, when both sides use high-power loudspeaker systems for propaganda purposes.

At 7:00 a.m. on March 29, the Flag Raising Ceremony of the 66th Tien Phong Newspaper National Marathon and Long Distance Championship - 2025 (Tien Phong Marathon 2025) will take place at Hien Luong - Ben Hai banks.

According to the Organizing Committee, the flag-raising ceremony will certainly be an extremely emotional moment, paying tribute to previous generations, reflecting on the present and looking forward to a bright future after 50 years of liberating the South and liberating the country.

In addition to the Flag Raising Ceremony, Tien Phong Marathon 2025 also held many other humanitarian activities, such as offering incense to commemorate heroic martyrs at Truong Son Cemetery, Road 9 Cemetery, Quang Tri Ancient Citadel; releasing flower lanterns on the Thach Han River; and donating gratitude houses in Quang Tri province.

Pham Truong - Cong Huong - Thanh Hai

Source: https://tienphong.vn/chuyen-thu-vi-xoay-quanh-cot-co-ben-ben-hien-luong-noi-dien-ra-le-thuong-co-tien-phong-marathon-2025-post1727329.tpo