Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first victory of the Northern army and people in fighting against the destructive war and protecting the Socialist North (August 2 and 5, 1964)

In the first days of the historic August, return to the places of Lach Truong, Hon Ne, Hon Me... to listen to the heroic song of the Vietnam People's Navy winning the first battle and the feats of our ancestors on the journey of building and defending the Fatherland...

The first victory monument of the Vietnam People's Navy was built at Lach Truong estuary (Hoang Hoa). Photo: Hoang Lan

Exactly 60 years ago (on August 2, 1964), an unequal battle took place between the powerful force of modern warships and aircraft of the US military on one side and the bravery, ingenuity and creativity of the Vietnamese Navy soldiers and the army and people of Thanh Hoa associated with the place names Lach Truong, Hon Ne, Hon Me... on the other side.

In 1964, facing the risk of failure of the "Special War" strategy, the US imperialists decided to step up the war of aggression in the South with a new strategy and carry out a war of destruction in the North with the air force and navy in order to weaken the strategic rear, deciding the war situation in the South. On the night of July 31, early morning of August 1, 1964, the US destroyer Madoc invaded the waters of Quang Binh province, then moved north, investigating our defense networks in the areas of Ngang Pass, Hon Mat, Hon Me, Lach Truong (Thanh Hoa). In some places, this ship sailed only about 6 nautical miles from the shore, circling back and forth many times to observe and probe our forces and defenses.

All of the above actions of the American Madoc ship were closely monitored by our radar and visual observation units and promptly reported to superiors. The Navy Command assigned the task to Battalion 135 to urgently prepare, ensure all aspects and proceed to install torpedoes for Squad 3 to be ready for combat missions. At 11:00 p.m. on August 1, Squad 3 finished installing torpedoes and completed all preparations. At 0:15 a.m. on August 2, Squad 3, Battalion 135 (including 3 torpedo boats, numbers 333, 336, 339) was ordered to leave Van Hoa port (Quang Ninh) to secretly march to Hon Ne (Thanh Hoa) to ambush and attack enemy destroyers. At 10:30, the commander of the patrol boat squadron on ship 146 informed ship 333 that his superiors had ordered the torpedo boat squadron to march to Hon Me immediately. The commander of Squadron 3 directed the ships to quickly maneuver to Hon Me.

With a brave and tenacious fighting spirit, the officers and soldiers of torpedo boat squadrons 333, 336, and 339 of the Vietnamese Navy launched a sortie, concentrated firepower, burned one plane, and damaged one; the remaining two quickly left the combat area. The enemy ship Madoc was hit by bullets and had to retreat from Vietnam's territorial waters. On our side, ships 336 and 339 had some equipment on deck and in the hold damaged; 4 comrades were killed and 6 were injured.

On August 5, 1964, the US mobilized 64 aircraft to suddenly bomb many important targets of the Vietnamese Navy along the coastal strip from Gianh River (Quang Binh) to Bai Chay (Quang Ninh), in which Lach Truong (Thanh Hoa) was a key target of the enemy's attacks. At 2:45 p.m. on August 5, 1964, the US Air Force from the 7th Fleet flew in to attack from Hon Ne Island (Hau Loc) to Lach Truong estuary (Hoang Hoa). Immediately after the US aircraft appeared to bomb Lach Truong estuary and attack our naval ships, the militia units of Ngu Loc, Da Loc, Minh Loc, Hoa Loc communes (Hau Loc); Hoang Truong commune (Hoang Hoa); Lach Truong fishing militia; Company 19 of the Air Defense force protecting the radar station; Armed Police Station 74... quickly got into combat-ready positions, fiercely returning fire at the US enemy aircraft. During both battles on August 2 and 5 in Lach Truong, our army and people shot down two American planes.

During that battle, there were many touching stories about the relationship between the army and the people: in the Lach Truong area, gunner Dang Dinh Long of ship 146 was wounded in both legs, but resolutely refused to leave his fighting position; gunner Dang Dinh Long used a belt to tie himself tightly to the gun mount to continue firing and observing the aircraft, promptly transmitting information to the commander; he and his teammates fought until their last breath, contributing to shooting down an American aircraft. The Hoan Truong Commune Militia Platoon was directly commanded by the Platoon Leader, Mr. Tuong, 63 years old. Despite his old age and poor eyesight, Mr. Tuong was still calm in charge of the machine gun and fought steadfastly with his children and grandchildren. The 12 militia girls of Hoa Loc Commune fought tenaciously against the enemy. Two girls, Nguyen Thi Vy, 17 years old; and Le Thi Thao, 20 years old, were not used to the waves but still volunteered to brave the waves to go out to sea under enemy bombs and bullets to treat wounded soldiers and supply ammunition to the naval combat ships.

To support the naval ships at sea, the air defense force and militia of the communes in the Lach Truong area used infantry guns to shoot back the American aircraft. Mr. Tran Van Lu, who was then the Secretary of the Youth Union and Political Commissar of the Hoang Truong Commune Military Command, directly used infantry guns to shoot back and then, together with the people of the commune, took the boat out to sea to search and rescue the sunken naval ship. Mr. Lu and the people of Hoang Truong rescued 16 soldiers and found 7 martyrs. Mr. Hoang Van Mao, former captain of the Hoa Loc Commune Military Command, regardless of the danger, swam to the area where the naval ship sank and dived into the sea to find the bodies of the martyrs. Union member To Thi Dao did not hesitate to risk her life to donate blood to save the lives of wounded soldiers many times.

The victory of the army and people of Thanh Hoa in the sea area of ​​Hon Me, Hon Ne, Lach Truong islands was the first victory of the Vietnamese Navy in the fierce confrontation with the US Empire, becoming the traditional day of "winning the first battle" of the Vietnamese Navy. At the same time, it was the victory of the People's War policy of "using the small to fight the big, using the few to fight the many" of our Party. To express gratitude for the great contributions and sacrifices of the officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy, the army and people of Thanh Hoa in the cause of national liberation, on July 29, 2014, the People's Committee of Thanh Hoa province and the Navy Command built the Monument of the First Victory of the Vietnam People's Navy in Hoang Truong commune.

Years have passed, but the victory of the first battle of the Vietnamese Navy on August 2 and 5, 1964 still retains its historical and contemporary value in the cause of defending the Fatherland. The support and care of the Thanh Hoa people have increased the fighting strength of our naval forces, contributing to writing the heroic epic of the first victory of the Vietnam People's Navy. Returning to the historical sites of the past, the gunners and female militiamen of the fishing village at that time, some of whom were only in their early teens, have now become old men and women, some of whom have passed away. The fight of the Thanh Hoa army and people associated with the places of Lach Truong, Hon Ne, Hon Me... where waves once rose up and sank the warships of the invaders, stained with the blood of heroic martyrs more than half a century ago, has marked a milestone in the history of the nation.

Hoang Lan

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ky-niem-60-nam-chien-thang-tran-dau-cua-quan-va-dan-mien-bac-trong-chong-chien-tranh-pha-hoai-bao-ve-mien-bac-xhcn-2-va-5-8-1964-2-va-5-8-2024-vang-mai-nhung-chien-cong-221066.htm