Victory on the legendary road - the power of courage and intelligence

(Baonghean) -The victory on the legendary journey of the ships without numbers has left many extremely valuable lessons. The lessons affirm the truth: The most basic factor that decides the victory of a war is the spirit of the soldiers holding the guns.

After the Politburo and the Central Military Commission approved the General Staff's project on opening a strategic sea transport route, on October 23, 1961, Deputy Minister of National Defense Hoang Van Thai, on behalf of the Ministry of National Defense, signed Decision No. 97/QP to establish Group 759. The group was assigned the task of providing weapons to the South by sea.

Lieutenant Colonel Doan Hong Phuoc was appointed as the Head of the Group. Due to the special nature and mission, Group 759 was placed under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission. The Military Commission assigned a number of officers from the General Departments to help the unit in all aspects. From here, the sea transport route was born, went down in history and became a legendary route, with silent, silent trips following each other leaving and arriving with hundreds of thousands of tons of weapons, goods and forces for the Southern battlefield. Each departure was a tense, fierce battle of wits with the enemy, with nature, with all difficulties and challenges. Leaving meant determining sacrifice, at the same time requiring intelligence, decisiveness and daring; when facing danger, being ready to rush straight into enemy ships, fighting until the last minute to protect weapons and equipment, keeping the Party's policies, the ship and the port secret.

The victory on the legendary path of the ships without numbers has left many extremely valuable lessons; in which the lesson of nurturing and promoting political and spiritual factors, taking care to build political mettle, the will to fight and win for all officers and soldiers is a lesson that has decisive significance for all victories in organizing and building strategic transport routes at sea. That lesson affirms the truth: The victory of a war depends on many factors, but the most basic factor is the politics and spirit of the gunman.

Although the comparison of forces at sea between us and the enemy was extremely unequal, a part of the US 7th Fleet and the ships of the Saigon puppet army, a system of reconnaissance, observation, long-range surveillance and dense enemy ships along with maximum support from the air force and on one side was a small transport force equipped with rudimentary weapons; but the officers and soldiers of the Unnumbered Ships (today's Brigade 125) made miracles, always confronting the enemy and struggling with big waves and strong winds; the more difficult and dangerous they encountered, the more calm, brave, resourceful, creative they were, united as one, excellently completing their missions in all situations.

In recognition of the outstanding achievements of the officers and soldiers of Group 125, on April 30, 1966, President Ho Chi Minh signed a decree awarding the First Class Military Exploit Order to the unit. On January 1, 1967, the National Assembly and the Government awarded the title of Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces to Group 125.

The political mettle of the cadres and soldiers on the unnumbered ships demonstrates their infinite loyalty to the Party, the Fatherland and the people, their ingenuity, creativity and bravery in all situations; demonstrates the solidarity between the army and the people, between the naval cadres and soldiers and the units, Party committees, authorities and local people in coastal areas, where the ports receive weapons. This is the path of will and creativity, unique to Vietnam; inheriting the glorious tradition of the nation and developing to new heights.

The Ho Chi Minh Trail at sea has become an immortal heroic epic, an important part of the strategic military transport system in the resistance war against invaders, liberating the country, building the glorious tradition of the nation, of the heroic Navy.

Tran Van Dong