One day at the end of October, we visited Truong Bon again - the place that preserves the immortal epic during the years of resistance against the US to save the country. Although we have been here many times, every time we hear the female narrator recount the touching stories about Truong Bon, we have indescribable emotions. With a voice rich in Nghe An and emotional, Ms. Pham Thanh Hao - narrator of Truong Bon National Historical Site took us back in time, to the past, to feel and understand more about the historical site.
These days, thousands of tourists from all over the world visit Truong Bon National Monument. Photo: T.Loc.
1968 was the fiercest year of the Vietnamese people's resistance war against the US. Suffering great defeats on the battlefields, the enemy turned to bombing and fierce attacks. Discovering Route 15A, including the vital Truong Bon artery, an important ground transportation route, the US concentrated bombs and ammunition in an attempt to destroy this route. Truong Bon route became a "death door", a "bomb bag", suffering fierce destruction by the US air force.
In just four years, from 1964 to 1968, this route had to endure 18,936 bombs of all kinds and thousands of rockets. However, tens of thousands of soldiers, army men, transport workers, Youth Volunteers and people still stubbornly held on, braved the rain of bombs to fight the enemy, connect the road, and ensure the road for trucks carrying goods to the front line. 1,240 of the nation's best sons fell, forever remaining on this sacred land with the legendary Highway 15A.
At 4:00 a.m. on October 31, 1968, when there were only a few hours left before the US had to stop bombing the entire North, a group of 4 US planes dropped 2 series of 238 bombs on Truong Bon. 13 out of 14 heroic soldiers of the "Suicide Squad" and "Living Marker Squad" of the 317th Youth Volunteers Company bravely sacrificed their lives.
After the devastating bombing, comrades rushed out to search, searched and called but no one answered, each layer of soil and rock was turned over. In that effort, comrades found Ms. Tran Thi Thong buried deep next to the bomb crater and still had a chance to survive, the remaining 13 soldiers' bodies were mixed with soil, rocks, grass and trees. All that was found were body parts that were no longer intact. Holding back their pain, comrades gathered pieces of flesh and bones mixed with mud, not knowing whose they belonged to, so they sadly built a common grave for the sisters and brothers... The grave was named the grave of 13 youth volunteer soldiers of Company 317.
Truong Bon has become a red address for educating the youth about patriotic traditions, a spiritual and cultural address welcoming tens of thousands of compatriots and soldiers to come here to pay tribute and visit the souls of heroes and martyrs today and tomorrow. Photo: T.Loc.
“They fell at the most beautiful age of their lives. Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai had just turned 17, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam was at most 22 years old. Of the 13 soldiers who died, 8 had been discharged but still volunteered to stay and work with the unit for one last day. Among them, 5 were preparing to enter the lecture hall, their admission notices were still wrapped in handkerchiefs. Painfully and sadly, I think about the love story of Mr. Cao Ngoc Hoa and Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam. They had secretly loved each other for 3 years, promising to return to their hometown for a wedding when peace came. No one knew when they died in their hometown, so they still held an engagement ceremony. The engagement ceremony had just finished, around 10am, both families received the news that their two children had died in Truong Bon. Tam, the child has returned to his mother's hometown without a bride, Mr. Hoa, is the promise with Ms. Tam in the afterlife happy? "It was heartbreaking to see my parents cry, and I felt sorry for my child who was not in his original form," many tourists were moved to tears by Ms. Hao's story.
There are pains that cannot be expressed in words, there are sacrifices that no history book has recorded. They have put aside so many tears, memories and love to live and fight for the common ideal of the whole nation. They have devoted their blood, bones, and noble youth to the fatherland and created a legend of Truong Bon.
Many people were moved to tears when listening to the female narrators tell about the immortal legend of Truong Bon. Photo by T.Loc.
“Every year in October, we visit Truong Bon to burn incense and offer it to the heroic martyrs. Many times we have listened to the stories of Truong Bon’s heroic martyrs, but each time we are moved, filled with tears, with indescribable emotions. We respectfully bow in memory and gratitude to the sisters and brothers who fell on this land,” said Mr. Ha Ngoc Hung, 67 years old, residing in Quang Tri.
Truong Bon has become a sacred land, a shining symbol of the youth volunteer force, of revolutionary heroism in the cause of fighting to liberate the South and unify the country. The place name Truong Bon has gone down in history, becoming a milestone, a source of pride for generations of Vietnamese people. The brothers and sisters have forever stopped at the age of eighteen, twenty. They have forever remained in the motherland after dedicating all their love to the Fatherland, writing a legend for the land of Truong Bon.
Mr. Phan Trong Loc - Director of the Truong Bon National Historical Site Management Board said that in recent days, there have been many tourists from all over the country coming to the site. On average, every day, the site welcomes about thousands of tourists. These days, the management board has focused on maximum human resources to welcome the groups of visitors in the most thoughtful and solemn manner. Truong Bon has become a "red address" attracting a large number of tourists to come and offer incense every year.
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