Truong Bon photo 1968

(Baonghean.vn) - In February 1968, after graduating from the 7th course - Reporter training course organized by Vietnam News Agency (now Vietnam News Agency) in coordination with the Central Propaganda Department and the General Department of Information, I was assigned by the Editorial Board of Vietnam News Agency to reside in Nghe An province with the task of being a war reporter.

The VNA branch was assigned by the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee to live and operate with the Provincial Propaganda Department, initially located in Thuong Son commune, then moved to Hien Son commune, Do Luong district, a district in the semi-mountainous area. At this time, the US increased its air strikes against the North, especially in Nghe An province.

Truong Bon Steel Squad urgently filled bomb craters to clear roads and traffic at the key point of Truong Bon.

Hien Son commune (where we evacuated) is only about 3 km away from Truong Bon, My Son commune, Do Luong district, as the crow flies. It must be said that there was not a single day or hour that stopped the roar of American planes in the sky of Nghe An, especially Truong Bon intersection. The word "Truong" in the local language of Nghe Tinh people means a steep pass (like Pha Din slope or Lung Lo pass). Truong Bon, the place called the key point, the "bomb bag", the "death door", is 15 km from Do Luong town, the border between Do Luong and Nam Dan districts of Nghe An province. This is a unique road about 5 km long on Highway 15A, the route connecting North to South, the most important lifeline of the Northern rear area supplying all aspects to the Southern battlefield.

Today, Truong Bon is embellished as a red address to educate patriotic traditions for generations. Photo archive.

A corner of My Son commune (Do Luong) today.

Truong Bon has a section between two hillsides, with one side being a hill and the other being a rice field, like a pass that can easily be buried and blocked when American bombs are dropped. At the key point of Truong Bon, there was almost no day (day and night) when the sound of American bombs stopped. Here, along with nearly 1,300 Youth Volunteers and some other traffic security forces, Squad 2, later named "Steel Squad" of C317 of Youth Volunteers Team 300 of Nghe An province, stayed day and night to ensure traffic with the slogan "Live on the bridge, stick to the road, die bravely and steadfastly".

By October 31, 1968, the entire squad had made outstanding achievements, received a flower basket from Uncle Ho and the Central Youth Union awarded the Nguyen Van Troi flag. Many soldiers were awarded the title of "Emulation Soldier" and were admitted to the Vietnam Labor Party... Also at this time - the time when the entire squad had completed its mission and was preparing to be discharged from the army. Some women had received notices to study at universities or vocational high schools, some had found their other half right at the unit, just waiting for the day to return home to hold a wedding like the case of Ms. Nguyen Thi Tam from Hop Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district and Mr. Cao Ngoc Hoa from Dien Loc commune, Dien Chau district...

I had gone twice to write news and take photos of Squad 2, nicknamed "Steel Squad". On October 31, 1968, because we had known each other before, I went alone the next time. That day when I arrived at Truong Bon, I saw the soldiers of Squad 2 hurriedly filling bomb craters at the end of the field, where there was a low hillside and one side was a wild rice field. I had not yet exploited the documents and the scene was bustling, so I immediately started working. While taking photos, I listened for movement. When I took the 10th film with the RolleiFlex camera, seeing that the documents were okay, I told Squad Leader Tran Thi Thong to gather the whole squad so I could take souvenir photos. All the sisters in the squad liked it and wanted to take photos, but Squad Leader Thong hesitated. Thong thanked me and gave two reasons not to take souvenir photos at this time: one was to quickly fill the bomb craters to clear the road, and the other was to ensure my safety.

That day at 4am, 14 soldiers of the “Steel Squad” received orders from their superiors, ready to rush to the scene to fill in the bomb craters that the US had just destroyed during the night in the north of the field, leaving only one soldier to guard the hut. They entered the battle (no one thought it would be the last battle) with a high determination and cheerful as usual, determined to clear the road before dawn. After 2 hours of hard work, the bomb craters were basically filled. They only had to spread more rocks on the wet ground that could cause the vehicle to skid before returning to the hut to rest.

But at that exact moment, at more than 6 o'clock, suddenly a group of American planes swooped in and bombed the position where the unit had just been constructing. Squad leader Tran Thi Thong (with a gun on her shoulder) only had time to shout "the whole squad go to the shelter" when a series of enemy bombs fell on the squad formation. When the smoke had just cleared, the rescue force of the friendly unit arrived at the scene and saw only a series of bomb craters and a terrifying silence. The rescue force split up to search and dig everywhere but could not find anyone. Luckily, someone discovered a gun barrel protruding next to a bomb crater. Everyone quickly dug and pulled up a female soldier who was almost suffocated from suffocation. They gave first aid and immediately took her to a nearby field hospital. The soldier who was saved was squad leader Tran Thi Thong - the hero of the heroic steel squad.

Panoramic view of Truong Bon relic site.

Although the film (6x6 size) was covered with mold and had some scratches, I was so happy that I cried, because this was my only souvenir of the heroic steel squad. I also consoled myself that when this photo was published and posted on some media, it would be considered that I had paid my debt to the heroes in the legend of Truong Bon. More than that, perhaps this was one of the few and most precious types of film in my life as a journalist and 44 years of holding a camera.

Tran Hai

(recorded by NSNA Phung Trieu)