(kontumtv.vn) – During the Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975, the 10th Division was assigned by the 3rd Corps to capture Tan Son Nhat Airport and the Puppet General Staff . These were two of the five key targets of the Ho Chi Minh Campaign. The officers and soldiers of the Division coordinated with friendly units to fight bravely and achieved great victory.

In the last days of April 1975, Tan Son Nhat Airport was like a giant military camp. In addition to the existing security forces, the puppet army also reinforced the defense with the 2nd Airborne Brigade and the Capital Special Zone soldiers. Around the airport, they built many fences and bunkers to protect this important military target.

At exactly 4:30 a.m. on April 30, Major General Vu Lang, Commander of the 3rd Corps, ordered the attack. At this time, the 10th Division was ordered to fire at Tan Son Nhat Airport and the puppet General Staff. The whole of Saigon shook with the explosions of our army's artillery. While the enemy was still confused and wavering, at 5:30 a.m. on April 30, the 24th Regiment captured Bay Hien intersection to enter gate number 5 of Tan Son Nhat Airport. Colonel Le Ngoc Tung - Former Deputy Chief of Staff of Regiment 28, Division 10, Corps 3, recalled: " We, Regiment 28, were assigned the task of attacking the General Staff and on the 29th, we marched and attacked the entire Highway 15 axis of Cu Chi, then reached Highway 1. On the night of the 29th, we reached Hoc Mon, the Non-Commissioned Officer School, still a dozen kilometers from the General Staff. On the morning of the 30th, we entered the Bay Hien intersection and at 11:55, we marched and captured the puppet General Staff."

The 24th Regiment's battle at Lang Cha Ca was fierce, our tanks were burned by the enemy on Vo Tanh Street, blocking the way to the puppet General Staff. At this time, the commander of the 28th Regiment decided to change the direction of attack, attacking along Truong Minh Ky Street through Tan Sa Chau Church, turning onto Thai Ngoc Hau Street and then turning onto Vo Tanh Street to enter the puppet General Staff. At 9:40 a.m., the leading unit of the 28th Regiment, Company 10, and tanks, reached Vo Tanh Street when they were fiercely blocked by three enemy tanks in front of the gate of the puppet General Staff. Enemy troops on the rooftops on both sides of the street fired heavily at the formation of Company 10, Regiment 28. “ The battle we fought against the General Staff was very fierce, passing Lang Cha Ca and we suffered casualties. When we entered the General Staff, tanks and armored vehicles counterattacked. Soldiers of the 28th Regiment and Company 10 sacrificed 35 comrades right before attacking the General Staff and when we destroyed the entire tank company, we fought and expanded inside and occupied the entire General Staff. At the last minute of the attack on the General Staff, Battalion 3 had about 40 officers and soldiers sacrificed,” Colonel Le Ngoc Tung emotionally recounted.

During the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, the 10th Division was assigned to capture two important enemy targets and achieved great victories. At exactly 10:35 a.m. on April 30, 1975, the flag planted by officers and soldiers of the 24th Regiment flew on the roof of the puppet air force headquarters at Tan Son Nhat Airport. At 11:30 a.m., the victory flag raised by the flag-planting team of the 10th Company, 3rd Battalion, 28th Regiment, 10th Division flew on the roof of the puppet General Staff. Lieutenant General Tran Quoc Phu - Former Commander of Division 10, Army Corps 3, proudly said: " In the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, Division 10 was a main division on a major attack direction, among the 5 targets of Saigon. To liberate Saigon, Division 10 undertook 2 targets, one was to capture Tan Son Nhat airport, the other was to capture the puppet General Staff. Division 10 completed those two targets excellently and before the scheduled time."

The historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign achieved a great victory, completely liberated Saigon - Gia Dinh city; the whole South was completely liberated. At the end of the resistance war against the US to save the country, Division 10 was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces./.

CTV Duy Hung