The Ho Chi Minh Trail at sea is a “unique” miracle in the history of the Vietnamese people’s resistance against foreign invaders. More than 6 decades have passed since the first “ship without a number” left the port to transport weapons and goods to serve the southern battlefield, but the mark of opening the road and the glorious feats of the “ship without a number” still echo to this day.
In 1961, with the strong development of the revolutionary movement in the South, the need for support for the people and soldiers in the South was increasing. Therefore, in addition to the Truong Son road on land, the Ho Chi Minh road on sea was also formed to transport goods, weapons and cadres and soldiers to important coastal areas, where support by land transport routes could not reach. While Battalion 301 opened the road across Truong Son on land, Battalion 603 began to open the road on sea to ensure that our resistance was never divided.
On October 23, 1961, the military transport force at sea named Group 759 was established (the predecessor of Group 125, later Brigade 125), with the task of researching and opening a strategic military transport route from North to South by sea, organizing the transport of cadres, soldiers and weapons to support the revolution in the South. After its establishment, in mid-August 1962, the Central Military Commission passed the resolution "Opening a strategic transport route at sea". From here, Group 759 entered a special phase of operation, creating a "legendary road" at sea. To ensure the secrecy of this special transport route, the ships of Group 759 had to be converted into fishing boats, without fixed numbers, interspersed and mixed with fishing boats of fishermen at sea. The name "ship without number" was born from that.
Unlike air force and army soldiers who “search for the enemy and fight”, the mission of navy soldiers on “ships without numbers” is to find every way to avoid the enemy to protect the goods, weapons and officers and soldiers on board. Because they have to keep this special transport route secret and absolutely not let the enemy discover it, each ship is pre-installed with large explosives to destroy the ship when discovered. Therefore, each time the “ships without numbers” set off, it is a test of the will and bravery of each officer and soldier in the unit.
On October 23, 1961, the military transport force at sea named Group 759 was established (the predecessor of Group 125, later Brigade 125), with the task of researching and opening a strategic military transport route from North to South by sea, organizing the transport of cadres, soldiers and weapons to support the revolution in the South. ...the mission of the naval soldiers on the "ships without numbers" is to find every way to avoid the enemy to protect the goods, weapons and officers and soldiers on board... |
As a soldier who went through the war to protect the Fatherland, Mr. Cao Van Chan, Dong Ve ward (Thanh Hoa city), who turns 80 this year, still clearly remembers the arduous but glorious journey on the legendary trains. In all 8 trips following the "ship without number", Mr. Chan has many memories, but the most memorable is still the first trip on ship 68. In his reminiscence, Mr. Cao Van Chan recalled: "In the period of 1963-1966, the sea transport route encountered many difficulties, so the ships temporarily stopped operating. In early 1966, ship 68 of Battalion 2, Brigade 125 was assigned the task of surveying and opening the route, while carrying 60 tons of goods and weapons. If it was safe, it would dock at Bo De (Ca Mau) as planned. Determining that this was a difficult trip, the officers and soldiers on the ship could have to sacrifice themselves while performing their duties. Therefore, before departure, Lieutenant General Le Quang Dao, Deputy Director of the General Department of Politics, personally went down to the ship to direct and attend the live funeral for 17 officers and soldiers who made the trip. The first time participating in a "ship without number", a live funeral had to be held, but we I did not waver or lose heart, on the contrary, I was always ready to go on a mission. After the funeral, ship 68 picked up goods at Kha Lam warehouse (Hai Phong), departed for China's sea and then went to the South. Our ship had traveled about 100 nautical miles when American reconnaissance aircraft and 2 destroyers began to monitor and continuously follow. When we reached Da Nang sea, American forces on shore closely monitored us. Because we were closely monitored by the enemy, after nearly a month of drifting at sea, the goal of reaching Bo De port could not be achieved."
After the first survey trip, Mr. Cao Van Chan participated in 7 trips transporting weapons and goods to the southern battlefield. During that time, American aircraft and destroyers closely monitored. Determined not to let the strategic sea transport route be exposed, 6 trips of ship 68 had to return to the port in Hai Phong. On the 1967 trip alone, ship 68 entered the sandbar in Phu Yen. “To avoid detection by the enemy, during the day ship 68 disguised itself as a fishing boat sailing offshore, from around midnight to 3 am, when the tide rose, the ship would approach the dock to unload the goods into the sea so that the tide could push the goods ashore. During the 2 nights of unloading the goods into the sea, the waves on the sandbar shook very strongly, the soldiers unloaded the goods and vomited, very tired. The hardships were indescribable, but also very glorious and proud,” Mr. Chan said.
The miracle of the Ho Chi Minh Trail at sea was created by generations of officers and soldiers of the "ship without numbers" with a brave spirit, always loyal to the Fatherland and the People. For marine soldier Tran Van Thu, Tan Son ward (Thanh Hoa city), each trip of the "ship without numbers" leaving the port was a time of readiness to fight and sacrifice to complete the assigned mission. How can we forget the last trip of ship 39 because many of his comrades never returned. Mr. Tran Van Thu said: "According to the plan, at the end of March 1972, ship 39 weighed anchor from K4 Hai Phong carrying 300 tons of goods and weapons to dock at Vam Lung (Ca Mau). When approaching Vam Lung port, ship 39 received orders not to dock because of the enemy. After a period of drifting at sea and still unable to dock, ship 39 returned to Hai Phong. While ship 39 was in Cam River (Hai Phong), it was discovered by enemy aircraft, who continuously fired rockets, causing the ship to lose its steering and spin around. In that extremely dangerous and urgent situation, officers and soldiers on the ship used 12.7mm guns to fight back fiercely. Hit by rockets, explosives on the ship exploded, which was also the time when most of the officers and soldiers sacrificed themselves. I will never forget that historic ship trip."
During nearly 15 years of operation (October 1961 - April 1975), the roads and the weapon assembly areas were all under the control, search and fierce attack of the enemy. Many trips at sea that lasted for months had to return, but that did not discourage the officers and soldiers. This way did not work, so we thought of another way; this way was being followed by the enemy, so we opened a new way; when the enemy discovered and attacked, we fought back fiercely, in urgent situations, we had to destroy the ships and goods to keep the road secret... The story of the sea route and the people transporting weapons on that route is likened to a shining epic about the patriotism of the Vietnamese army. Under the conditions of the enemy blockade and strict control day and night, but with the spirit of being ready to die for the Fatherland, the officers and soldiers on the "ships without numbers" cleverly and bravely crossed the danger, rode the waves of the East Sea and the siege of the enemy to transport tens, hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons, ammunition, and human resources, promptly supporting the army and people of the South to fight the enemy. Together with the roads on land, the Ho Chi Minh trail at sea made the great victory of the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, completely liberating the South, reunifying the country.
Article and photos: To Phuong
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ky-niem-63-nam-ngay-mo-duong-ho-chi-minh-tren-bien-23-10-1961-23-10-2024-vang-mai-thien-hung-ca-228275.htm
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