One of the resounding victories of the 10th Rung Sac Regiment was the battle at Nha Be fuel depot.
Editor's note: More than half a century ago, besides the great decisions from the Central Government, the revolutionary bases in the Southeast region were indispensable elements contributing to the Great Victory of Spring 1975, liberating the South and unifying the country.
The miraculous battles proved that nothing is impossible for the elite people who consider defeating the enemy sacred and above all else.
In mid-March 2025, crossing many wooden bridges over crisscrossing canals, we arrived at the Sac Forest Base National Historical Site in Long Hoa Commune, Can Gio District, Ho Chi Minh City.
The enemy was terrified.
Located far from the center of Ho Chi Minh City, the Sac Forest Base is peaceful under thousands of Sac trees, also known as Mam - a type of tree growing in the salty soil. More than half a century ago, this place was a terror to the enemy as it was the "Eight Trigrams Battle Map", the beginning of countless supernatural battles that shook Saigon.
The 10th Ranger Group's Special Forces Regiment at that time forced General William C. Westmoreland (Commander of the US Military Advisory Command in South Vietnam - MACV) to admit that the American soldiers encountered "a strange fight in a strange war".
National historical site of Sac Forest Base - a red address that made the Great Victory of Spring 1975
One of the resounding victories of the 10th Rung Sac Group was the battle at the Nha Be fuel depot. This fuel depot was protected by 12 layers of fences and 3.5 m high walls. Even more terrifying, each layer of fence had mines and flash bangs; there were often soldiers patrolling to "prevent Viet Cong infiltration"...
However, all that careful protection only served to accentuate our skillful fighting style. At around midnight on December 3, 1973, commandos of the 10th Rung Sac Group secretly broke into the warehouse area, placed many explosives in the fuel tanks, and withdrew safely. Immediately after, a series of explosions tore through the night. The Nha Be fuel depot burst into flames, the flames blazing brightly across the southern sky, where the enemy headquarters was located.
Mrs. Tam Nhung recounts the exploits of the 10th Rung Sac Regiment.
The fire lasted for more than 12 days and nights, destroying 250 million liters of gasoline, an oil mixing facility, a food storage area, a barracks, an oil pumping ship… with a total loss of about 20 million USD. This feat contributed to proving that nothing is impossible for the elite people who consider repelling the enemy sacred and above all else.
"Sharing the fire" with many battlefields
During 9 years, the 10th Rung Sac Group fought 740 large and small battles, eliminating 6,200 enemies from combat; sinking and burning 356 ships. The unit conducted 70 artillery attacks, destroying many barracks and important enemy agencies in Saigon such as the Independence Palace, the US Embassy...; capturing and taking over Nha Be military port, seizing hundreds of ships, and taking thousands of prisoners.
Mrs. Pham Thi Nhung (Tam Nhung, 79 years old) is a living witness who was present at the Rung Sac Base during the glorious days. As a nurse of the 10th Rung Sac Group, she clearly felt the brutality of war through the wounds of her comrades and her husband - a Rung Sac commando.
Mrs. Tam Nhung said that at that time, the Sac Forest Base was surrounded and attacked by the enemy continuously, lacking in every way. But the difficulties and dangers could not push back the fighting spirit of everyone.
"That time was very harsh. There was no rice to eat, no medicine, but we were not discouraged. I told myself to stay here to treat my comrades so they could recover quickly and return to fight. Our biggest concern was how to defeat the enemy, liberate the South, and then return to our families," Ms. Tam Nhung recalled.
According to this female veteran, the Rung Sac Base and the 10th Rung Sac Group played a very important role. This place "shared the fire" with many battlefields. The feats such as attacking Thanh Tuy Ha bomb depot, attacking Nha Be fuel depot, attacking enemy warships on Long Tau River, cutting off enemy movement routes... are forever shining marks, contributing greatly to the Great Spring Victory of 1975 of the nation.
On April 30, 1975, while being sent to study in the North, through the radio, Mrs. Tam Nhung heard the news that the South was liberated and the country was unified. "The emotion at that time brought tears to my eyes. That day, everyone was happy. The Southern cadres in the North were even happier when thinking about their homeland. Everyone wanted to return to the South soon to reunite with their families and comrades, and start building a new life" - she was moved.
Spectacular revival
During the war, Can Gio land was almost completely destroyed by the enemy with toxic chemicals.
After the country's reunification, the government and people of Ho Chi Minh City started to restore the Can Gio mangrove forest. As a result, it did not take "hundreds of years" as predicted by domestic and foreign scientists, the Can Gio mangrove forest revived spectacularly after about 40 years.
Now, when passing Binh Khanh ferry, visitors can drive smoothly on the straight Rung Sac road with 6 lanes to go to most locations in Can Gio district.
Can Gio residents are also excited that in the near future, a series of large projects will be implemented in the locality, such as: Can Gio sea encroachment urban area project, Can Gio international transit port... They believe that these projects will have a positive impact, bringing innovation and stronger development to their homeland.
(To be continued)
"Under the layers of mangrove forests in Can Gio today, there are still somewhere hundreds of remains of martyrs who died in the war but have not been found...
Passing on the revolutionary flame
These days, in the joyful atmosphere of the whole country celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, many tourist groups and delegates have chosen Sac Forest Base to organize a trip back to the source and visit. Through the introduction of the tour guide, each person seems to live in the historical days of the nation, understanding the hardships and great sacrifices of the previous generation. From there, everyone appreciates the value of peace and unification more.
Foreign tourists visit and learn about Sac Forest Base
For Mrs. Tam Nhung, despite her old age and declining health, every time she participates in an exchange with the youth union members, she feels excited. She said her burning desire is to pass on the revolutionary flame and contribute to educating the younger generation about the tradition of patriotism.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/dia-chi-do-lam-nen-dai-thang-mua-xuan-1975-vang-doi-chien-cong-196250316211531035.htm
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