National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue pays tribute to heroic martyrs at Truong Bon 'fire coordinates', Dong Loc T-junction

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and his delegation offered flowers and incense at Truong Bon National Historical Relic Site. Photo: Thanh Duy

Accompanying were comrades of the Party Central Committee: Nguyen Thuy Anh - Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Social Committee; Nguyen Dac Vinh - Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Culture and Education Committee; Major General Le Tan Toi - Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Defense and Security Committee; Le Quang Huy - Member of the National Assembly Standing Committee, Chairman of the National Assembly's Science, Technology and Environment Committee; Hoang Trung Dung - Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, Chairman of the Ha Tinh Provincial People's Council.

On the side of Nghe An province, there was comrade Thai Thanh Quy - Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation, Chairman of the Provincial People's Council.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue offers incense at the mass grave of 13 heroic martyrs of Company 317. Photo: Thanh Duy

During the resistance war against the US, Nghe An was the direct rear of the frontline, the gateway to Military Region 4, and the area where forces were deployed when entering combat. In particular, Truong Bon was an important traffic artery to transport human resources and supplies to support the southern battlefield.

In order to destroy Truong Bon and cut off our traffic arteries, from 1964 to 1968, the US Air Force dropped nearly 19,000 bombs of various types and tens of thousands of missiles on Truong Bon, destroying 211 villages along the route, killing many people in My Son and Nhan Son communes, Do Luong district; destroying hundreds of cars and hundreds of artillery pieces of our army; thousands of cadres, soldiers, youth volunteers, transport workers, and militiamen were injured; 1,240 cadres and soldiers fought bravely and heroically sacrificed.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue offered incense to pay tribute to 13 youth volunteers of the 317th Youth Volunteer Company, Team 65, the General Youth Volunteer Team against the US to save the country, Nghe An province who sacrificed their lives on October 31, 1968. Photo: Thanh Duy

American bombs and bullets could not subdue the iron will and determination of our army and people: "Live by clinging to the bridge, clinging to the road - die bravely and steadfastly", "The heart may stop beating but the road cannot be blocked"; "All for the front line - All to defeat the American invaders".

This was a strong motivation that urged our army and people to achieve the victory of Truong Bon, creating a legendary Truong Bon in the great resistance war against the US to save the country. Typical are the heroic feats and sacrifices on October 31, 1968 of 13 heroic youth volunteers of the "Steel Squad", "Suicide Squad", "Living Marker Squad", belonging to the 317th Youth Volunteer Company, Team 65, General Youth Volunteer Team against the US to save the country, Nghe An province.

Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Education Nguyen Dac Vinh offered incense to pay tribute to 13 youth volunteers of the 317th Youth Volunteer Company, Team 65, the General Youth Volunteer Team against the US to save the country, Nghe An province who sacrificed their lives on October 31, 1968. Photo: Thanh Duy

The war has long since ended, Truong Bon today has become a historical symbol of Vietnamese youth volunteers, a place where the souls of 1,240 heroic martyrs converge, a place that preserves the living values ​​of a generation of young people determined to sacrifice everything for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, writing a legend of Truong Bon in the 20th century.

Before the heroic martyrs, with a sincere heart, National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and leaders of the Central and Nghe An provinces offered flowers and incense in memory, respectfully bowed, expressing infinite gratitude for the great contributions of the heroic martyrs at the "fire coordinates" of Truong Bon.

Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy offered incense to pay tribute to 13 youth volunteers of the 317th Youth Volunteer Company, Team 65, the General Youth Volunteer Team against the US to save the country, Nghe An province who sacrificed their lives on October 31, 1968. Photo: Thanh Duy

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and leaders of the National Assembly and Nghe An province took a souvenir photo with the Management Board of Truong Bon National Historical Relic Site. Photo: Thanh Duy

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and his delegation also offered flowers and incense at the Dong Loc T-junction National Historical Relic Site.

From 1964 to 1972, Dong Loc Junction on Highway 15A was considered the throat, the traffic artery connecting the great rear of the North with the great front line of the South. From 1964 to 1972, this place was continuously attacked and 1968 was the fiercest year.

From April to October 1968, Dong Loc T-junction had to endure nearly 50,000 bombs of all kinds, an average of one per 1m.²The land here had to endure more than 3 bombs, the ground was deformed, the rocks and soil were plowed over and over again, bomb craters piled on top of bomb craters, Dong Loc T-junction exploded, not a single tree or blade of grass could grow.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and his delegation offered flowers at the Dong Loc T-junction National Historical Relic Site. Photo: Thanh Duy

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue offers incense at the National Youth Volunteer Martyrs Memorial House at the Dong Loc T-junction National Historical Relic Site. Photo: Thanh Duy

To keep the traffic flow from North to South smooth, hundreds, thousands of soldiers and people have fallen. Among them, there was the heroic sacrifice of a squad of 10 female youth volunteers from Squad 4, Company 552, General Team 55 on the afternoon of July 14, 1968 when they were still very young. The youngest was 17 years old, the three oldest were all 24 years old.

The special national historical site of Dong Loc T-junction is a red address for educating traditional and revolutionary ethics for generations, a spiritual tourist destination, a place containing many sacred and noble legends. The heroic sacrifice of 10 female youth volunteers at Dong Loc T-junction along with hundreds, thousands of other heroic martyrs will echo forever.

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and the delegation respectfully paid tribute to the heroic sacrifice of 10 soldiers of Squad 4, Company 552, General Team 55 who died at noon on July 14, 1968 at Dong Loc T-junction. Photo: Thanh Duy

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue offers flowers and incense at the graves of 10 soldiers of Squad 4, Company 552, General 55 who died at noon on July 14, 1968 at Dong Loc T-junction. Photo: Thanh Duy

Nghe An Provincial Party Secretary Thai Thanh Quy offers flowers at the graves of 10 soldiers of Squad 4, Company 552, General Team 55 who died at noon on July 14, 1968 at Dong Loc T-junction. Photo: Thanh Duy

Delegates respectfully offered flowers and incense at the graves of 10 soldiers of Squad 4, Company 552, General Team 55 who died at noon on July 14, 1968 at Dong Loc T-junction. Photo: Thanh Duy

National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue and the delegation respectfully laid wreaths and offered incense at the National Youth Volunteer Martyrs Memorial, listing the names of more than 4,000 youth volunteer martyrs nationwide, and offered incense and flowers at the graves of 10 heroic female youth volunteer martyrs who heroically sacrificed at Dong Loc T-junction; and offered incense at the Temple at Dong Loc T-junction.