Uncle Chu, the eldest brother of the Truong Son soldiers
Born and raised in Nam Cuong commune, Nam Dan district, at the age of 22, in 1945, Uncle Chu Dang Chu joined the army to the South, operating in Quang Ngai. Here, he fell in love and married a girl from Quang, from Binh Son district. Peace was restored in 1954, his wife gathered in the North, returning to her husband's hometown first. Uncle stayed for a year, then went to the North, becoming the chief of the Engineer Corps - Division 324.
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Uncle Chu and his teammates. |
Having joined the Truong Son army for 13 years, since the establishment of Group 559 (1959), Uncle Chu was assigned as Battalion Commander of Battalion 301. From 1962 to 1965, he was the commander of Regiment 70 - Group 559, then Deputy Chief of Staff of the Frontline General Department (1969), Deputy Chief of Staff of the General Staff - General Department of Logistics...
Battalion 301, with Uncle Chu as Battalion Commander, initially had 440 officers and soldiers, organized into 9 teams, tasked with transporting food, weapons, and ammunition to the battlefield, and 1 reconnaissance and security team, 1 team tasked with building the rear base, operating on the most important routes and stages. The route from Khe Ho (Vinh Linh) to Pa Lin (bordering Inter-zone 5) was divided into 9 stations, completely on enemy territory, very dangerous and arduous. As an experienced soldier, he was assigned to operate at Station 6, the middle station, and command the stations at both ends.
To deceive the enemy, Battalion 301 marched to Khe Ho, under the name of "Cow Farm" and "Timber Exploitation Site", with the slogan: "Live without a home, walk without a trace, cook without smoke, speak without a sound". The Truong Son soldiers overcame all dangers, even sneaked through the enemy's electronic fence to transport goods to the front line, the scouts had to climb trees to observe. In the first days of surveying and opening the Truong Son road, the soldiers not only had to secretly avoid the enemy, but also had to be secretive, even from their own people, so the work was many times more difficult.
However, with his strategic talent, he commanded the entire station to transport goods to the battlefield smoothly. On August 13, 1959, after 8 days and nights of high mountains, deep ravines, and dark nights, the first shipment of goods from the great rear of the North was transported by Battalion 301 to Lien Khu 5 in absolute safety. The representative of the leadership of Lien Khu 5 Party Committee came out to receive the gift of 60 medium machine guns, 100 submachine guns and thousands of bullets in tears and immense joy. The first successful shipment was a turning point in supporting the front line on the legendary Truong Son road.
Uncle Chu Dang Chu - the eldest brother of the Truong Son soldiers from Nghe An, is now 87 years old (currently living in Truong Thi ward - Vinh city). Although he has to wear a pacemaker, he is still proud when talking about the tradition and growth of the Truong Son soldiers, about the steadfast Battalion 301.
Ho Ngan
