They are the ones who have spent many years searching for historical pieces about Libi airport, about the identities of martyrs who fell here during the resistance war against America to save the country so that we can better understand the war relics under Ke Go lake (Cam Xuyen, Ha Tinh).
They are the ones who have spent many years searching for historical pieces about Libi airport, about the identities of martyrs who fell here during the resistance war against America to save the country so that we can better understand the war relics under Ke Go lake (Cam Xuyen, Ha Tinh).
I met Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong (born in 1964, from Cam My commune, Cam Xuyen) - Deputy Director of Ke Go Nature Reserve Management Board when we were taking a boat to offer incense at the Temple of Heroes and Martyrs at Ke Go Lake. He told us the story of his journey of more than 10 years searching for historical pieces, evidence under Ke Go Lake and the identities of the martyrs who fell here.
Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong recalled: “The raid on January 7, 1973 took place at night, when I was only 9 years old. It was a horrifying memory that haunted me for a long time. My father was an officer of the commune's combat duty committee and had to borrow coffins from the people to bury the martyrs. They were buried in the cemetery in Ke Go lake, Da Bac cemetery (Cam My commune) and later gathered at the Cam Xuyen district martyrs' cemetery.”
Carrying painful memories of that destructive bombing, Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong always wanted to learn about the history under Ke Go Lake.
Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong (in blue shirt) is the person who found the names and identities of the martyrs who died in the destructive bombing in Ke Go on January 7, 1973.
Video: Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong shares the process of searching for the identities of martyrs.
After returning from the army, Mr. Cong studied at the Forestry College (Hanoi). In 2003, he was accepted to work at the Ke Go Nature Reserve Management Board. On April 30, 2011, while leading a pilgrimage group from Ho Chi Minh City to visit Ke Go, Mr. Cong told his memories of the sacrifice of soldiers at the Libi airport. The story moved the group of visitors and they donated 24 million VND to build a temple to worship the martyrs who sacrificed here.
From this source of support, the People's Committee of Cam Xuyen district joined in and raised more than 130 million VND to build the temple. In 2011, the small temple located deep in Ke Go lake was completed and in 2014 was granted a certificate of recognition as a provincial historical and cultural relic.
Not stopping there, after completing the construction of the temple, Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong was anxious to find the history of the war and the identities of the martyrs who died on Route 22 and the Libi airport. There were no historical books recording the identities of the martyrs, so his search started from zero. The functional departments and the Military Command of Ha Tinh province also held many conferences but there was no basis to provide a list of those who died in the attack at the Libi airport.
Mr. Cong went through many martyrs' cemeteries to find the identities of those who died in the attack on the Libyan airport on January 7, 1973.
In 2019, when cleaning the temple, he realized that the yard was degraded and needed to be repaired, so Mr. Cong borrowed 50 million VND from the Management Board of Ke Go Nature Reserve to repair it. When it was completed, on the boat trip back with the team of workers, Mr. Cong met the family of Mrs. Ha Thi Cu (formerly from Da Bac village - the area where the Libi airport was built), she had a friend who died in the bombing on January 7, 1973.
From this meeting, the history of the war under Ke Go Lake was gradually revealed. Through the information provided by Mrs. Cu, Mr. Cong found Mrs. Le Thi Kim Nhon (in Ha Tinh City) - a living witness who participated in the construction of the 723 defense project (also known as Libi airport). Thanks to that, Mr. Cong learned that the people who died in the bombing on January 7, 1973 were all workers mobilized to build the Libi field airport.
Temple of heroic martyrs at Ke Go lake seen from above.
The list of 62 martyrs who died at Ke Go was verified by Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong, and their names are now engraved on the stele at the Temple of Heroic Martyrs of Ke Go Lake.
From the information provided by witnesses, Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong traveled to many places, met many witnesses to search and collect more information... He roamed hundreds of cemeteries across the province to search for each person who died in the raid on January 7, 1973 and went to the homes of the martyrs' relatives to verify.
Just like that, for more than 10 years, he has spent his own money to search and verify the identities of the martyrs. Some martyrs took 4 years, met dozens of witnesses and visited dozens of places to verify. After many years of searching and meeting, up to now, Mr. Cong has identified and temporarily compiled a list of 62 martyrs who died in the Ke Go lake area; including 32 martyrs who died at Libi airport on January 7, 1973.
From a piece of paper with the names of workers at Cau Ho Brick and Tile Factory, Mr. Cong searched for the martyr's identity.
“On the journey to find the identities of the martyrs who died in the attack on Libi airport on January 7, 1973, I found martyr Nguyen Huu Thuc in Son Tien commune, Huong Son district, but when I went to his house, I learned that this martyr still did not have a Certificate of Merit from the Fatherland and his relatives had not received any benefits. I hope that in the coming time, the local government will pay attention and check the regime for the relatives of martyr Nguyen Huu Thuc. There was a witness who reported the number 34 instead of 32 martyrs who died at Libi airport during the attack, so I am still wondering. In the list of 32 martyrs, there is still a martyr named Binh whose last name, date of birth, and hometown have not been found. Currently, there is still information that hundreds of martyrs are lying at the bottom of Ke Go lake, so I want to continue my search journey,” Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong shared.
On his journey to find the identities of the martyrs, Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong also clarified a lot of information about the history of Highway 21, 22 and Libi airport.
Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong said: “When we first started searching, we only found brief information about Libi airport in the Ha Tinh Transport history book. The rest was just hearing about the fierce bombings on Route 22 that killed hundreds of Youth Volunteers, frontline workers and soldiers through the words of witnesses. But after many years of searching for history in many places, I have consolidated more information about Libi field airport and strategic routes 21, 22.”
War remnants of Libi airport and Highway 22 are revealed as Ke Go Lake recedes.
Strategic Route 22 was built by the Ministry of Transport in late 1966 to support the southern battlefield. The 65km route, from Thinh Thinh intersection (now Nam Dien commune, Thach Ha district) goes around Ke Go lake area (Cam My commune, Cam Xuyen district), runs through many communes in Ky Anh district and ends in Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province.
The force participating in opening Route 22 included 4 Youth Volunteer Teams with about more than 6,000 people. By the end of 1970 - early 1971, the strategic route 22 was completed.
Bomb craters under Ke Go Lake.
During the process of opening Road 22, the defense force chose the Da Bac area to build defense project 723 (also known as Libi field airport - named after a stream in Da Bac village, Cam My commune).
On September 30, 1972, 92 architectural workers and 36 workers from Cam Thanh Brick Factory led by Mr. Dinh Truong Don - Director of Do Diem Lime Factory as Captain (Company Commander) - were mobilized to the construction site to build the airport.
The Libi field airport, connected to Route 22, was identified as the closest airport for the North to support the Southern battlefield. In late 1972 - early 1973, the airport was basically completed but was discovered by the US imperialists. The enemy used B52 aircraft to fiercely attack and "eradicate" this field airport. This project was originally designed to have 2 flight lanes, mainly serving jet aircraft, but before it could launch any sorties, it was destroyed by hundreds of tons of bombs.
A piece of bomb was found at the bottom of Ke Go Lake.
Peace was restored in 1976, the State started the construction of Ke Go Lake to promote agricultural development. When Ke Go Lake was completed and began to accumulate water, the old front gradually sank into the lake.
During the inauguration ceremony of the Martyrs' Temple at Ke Go Lake (late August 2023), we met many relatives of those who had fallen. Most of them did not know that their relatives had died while building the Libi airport because the name of the project was National Defense 723 and after Ke Go Lake was filled with water, this war relic was not mentioned much. Only after Mr. Cong searched for history was the construction unit, the participating forces identified and the identities of the martyrs clarified.
Letter written by martyr Nguyen Van Luong - father of Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang when participating in the construction of defense project 723 (also known as Libya field airport).
Mr. Nguyen Van Hoang (in Di An City, Binh Duong Province; hometown in Hong Linh Town, Ha Tinh) shared: “My mother still keeps the letter my father wrote while he was constructing the 723 national defense project. We did not know that it was Libi Airport until Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong came to our house. Later, I learned that when he died, my father was buried in the cemetery in Ke Go Lake, then exhumed and gathered at the Cam Xuyen District Martyrs' Cemetery. In 1976, my family brought my father to Duc Lap Commune Cemetery, Duc Tho District. When we learned where our father died, we were moved.”
On the journey to find the evidence of war under Ke Go Lake, many people spared no effort and money to pay tribute to those who fell. Among them was Mr. Hoang Anh Minh, Editor-in-Chief of VietnamFinance Magazine - a native of Ha Tinh.
Central and local leaders and units cut the ribbon to inaugurate the Martyrs' Temple at Ke Go Lake at the end of August 2023.
In 2010, during a chance visit to Ke Go Lake, Mr. Hoang Anh Minh heard the story of the Libi field airport and the losses and sacrifices forgotten under the lake.
Every year, Mr. Minh takes the time to burn incense to commemorate the martyrs. From his concern and pain with the past, in 2019, Mr. Minh mobilized resources to build a Temple of Heroic Martyrs at Ke Go Lake.
VietnamFinance Editor-in-Chief shares with reporters about the process of mobilizing resources to build the temple.
Mr. Hoang Anh Minh shared: “Initially, I created the website Hokego.vn to make information about the history of Libi airport more widely known to the public. The evidence of war and the losses and pains forgotten under the lake need to be known to pay tribute to the deceased. The more I understand about history, the more my intention to mobilize resources to build a temple grew. Luckily, when I started the idea, I received a lot of help and support from benefactors."
Large enterprises such as Vingroup, Sun Group, Amber Group, Aqua One, Him Lam... and many kind-hearted individuals have joined hands to support resources to build the temple. Having mobilized more than 6 billion VND from socialized sources, Mr. Hoang Anh Minh coordinated with the Management Board of Ke Go Nature Reserve to start the construction of the temple. The project has a total investment of nearly 10 billion VND.
Recently, through the connection of Ha Tinh province leaders, the Ministry of National Defense decided to support 5 billion VND to build the project.
“Construction in the lake required materials to be transported entirely by water, which was very difficult. As if by divine intervention, all difficulties were gradually resolved. When I completed one step, I found a way to do it, the next direction. Everything went very smoothly,” said Mr. Hoang Anh Minh.
Currently, the project has completed basic construction and the ribbon cutting ceremony was held in August 2023. In the coming time, Mr. Hoang Anh Minh will continue to coordinate with the Management Board of Ke Go Nature Reserve to deploy intangible items in the temple.
At this time, when the water level of Ke Go Lake is low, the middle of the lake reveals Libi airport and Highway 22 with many bomb craters, further reinforcing the tragic history under the lake.
Central and local leaders offered incense at the Martyrs' Temple at Ke Go Lake.
At this time, when the water level of Ke Go Lake is low, the Libi airport and Highway 22 are exposed in the middle of the lake with many bomb craters, further reinforcing the tragic history under the lake. With the silent contribution of people like Mr. Nguyen Phi Cong and Mr. Hoang Anh Minh, history is gradually being clarified, so that the Libi field airport and strategic roads 21 and 22 will never be forgotten and the martyrs, Youth Volunteers, defense workers... who sacrificed on this front will be forever grateful.
Article, photos, videos: Phan Tram - Duong Chien
DESIGN & TECHNICAL: THANH NAM - NGOC NHI
5:15:09:2023:09:00
Source
![[Photo] "Beauties" participate in the parade rehearsal at Bien Hoa airport](https://vstatic.vietnam.vn/vietnam/resource/IMAGE/2025/4/11/155502af3384431e918de0e2e585d13a)
Comment (0)