Airplane destroyer

(Baonghean) - During these historic autumn days, joyful news came to the officers and soldiers of the 324th Division and the family of Colonel Dang Tho Truat when he was officially awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces. Throughout his military career, Colonel Truat was renowned as a "killer" in shooting down aircraft, having shot down 31 planes and eliminated many American and South Vietnamese soldiers.

Colonel Dang Tho Truat (born 1951) was from Nghi Long commune, Nghi Loc district. In 1968, he wrote a letter of commitment to go to war and was assigned to Company 3, Battalion 54, Division 324. After 5 months of training, in November 1968, his unit was ordered to go to war, marching on foot from Nghe An to Quang Binh, into Laos, and then back to Thua Thien Hue. In Southern Laos, in the first battle, he and his comrades shot down one enemy aircraft. Following that was the Abia campaign, which the American press called "the hill of American minced meat," attacking Hill 935 and destroying an American regiment in Thua Thien Hue. In the battle of Campaign 935, he was the top marksman, shooting down 5 American aircraft (including one F4H jet). At the end of the campaign, after 23 days and nights of fighting, he was awarded the Third Class Liberation War Merit Medal, the Anti-Aircraft Hero Medal, and the Anti-American Hero Medal.

Colonel Luong Hong Phong, Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, presents flowers to congratulate Colonel Dang Tho Truat. Photo: Phong Quang.

Co Pung is a high mountain range located in A Sau and A Luoi districts (Thua Thien Hue province). The peak of Co Pung is 1,650 meters high. In 1968, the US military occupied Hill 1478 to use as a launching pad for attacks on northwestern Thua Thien, targeting our rear bases and disrupting our logistical and supply lines. In late July 1970, the enemy used 27 B-52 sorties to carpet bomb the Co Pung mountain range up to Hill 1478. They dropped 7-ton CPU bombs to clear the summit of Co Pung. Afterwards, a group of three helicopters circled over Hill 1478 to "clear the area" and conduct reconnaissance, preparing for troop deployment.

Around 11 a.m., groups of 10 UH-1 helicopters from Phu Bai Airport (Hue) flew to Co Pung, landing one by one on Hill 1478. Mr. Truat recalled: "At that time, we decided to wait for the enemy to land four helicopters before firing. This forced the enemy to deploy troops according to plan to support each other, and at the same time, they didn't dare to 'clear the landing zone' again. We maintained the element of surprise and preserved our forces. In the very first burst, three 12.7mm rounds hit one UH-1 helicopter, causing it to crash on the spot. For each subsequent landing, he fired three rounds in quick succession. In the first 10 minutes, five helicopters crashed on the spot. The enemy frantically called for reinforcements. They deployed jet aircraft and armed helicopters, firing indiscriminately at the Co Pung mountain range. Because our position was close to the enemy's encampment and due to the mountainous terrain and saddle-shaped slopes, we suffered no casualties." Subsequently, the enemy continued to deploy troops, and many of their aircraft were shot down by our forces.

The victory on the Co Pung mountain range was assessed by the Liberation Army of Tri Thien Hue as "an outstanding achievement, an extremely glorious victory." Meanwhile, the enemy's technical station reported to its superiors: "The Big Red Division (US) organized a landing on Co Pung, had 13 aircraft shot down and 11 aircraft damaged by the liberation army on the spot, and were counterattacked by the liberation army, resulting in the deaths of 25 enemy soldiers." After the victory at Co Pung, he and his unit participated in the Coc Bai Campaign, and directly shot down one helicopter...

In 1971, he and his unit marched to participate in the Route 9 Southern Laos Campaign. As a seasoned sharpshooter with an extremely courageous and resourceful fighting spirit, Dang Tho Truat and his 2nd gun crew, 1st platoon, 3rd company, 54th battalion, steadfastly held their positions, fiercely repelling enemy air attacks and shooting down 6 American aircraft. In 1972, as the commander of the 2nd gun crew, he continued to fight and, together with his crew, achieved many outstanding victories, such as participating in the liberation of Quang Tri; commanding his gun crew in fierce combat, holding their assigned position on Route 12 Southwest Hue and shooting down 3 aircraft...

During the resistance war against the US, as the number one sharpshooter, Dang Tho Truat, along with his squad, shot down dozens of American aircraft. With his outstanding achievements, Comrade Dang Tho Truat was awarded three Second and Third Class Military Merit Orders by the Party and State, five times the title of "Hero of Destroying Aircraft," two "Hero of Decisive Victory" titles, one "Hero of Destroying Americans" title, twice the title of "Emulation Soldier," and numerous Certificates of Merit and Commendation. On August 10, 2015, the President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Truong Tan Sang, signed Decision No. 1673/QD-CTN conferring the title of "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" on Comrade Dang Tho Truat. The ceremony honoring Colonel Dang Tho Truat, a Hero of the People's Armed Forces, was held at the end of August, filled with joy, emotion, and pride for Colonel Truat himself, as well as generations of officers and soldiers of the 324th Division, his family, and the local people.

Le Tuong Hieu

(HT: 5NK 3039 Do Luong)