Meeting the Special Forces soldier from Sac Forest

(Baonghean)In the past, the sound of the Sac Forest Special Forces would strike fear into the hearts of the American and South Vietnamese forces, due to their skill, courage, and ingenuity in combat. Among the thousands of soldiers of the Sac Forest Special Forces Regiment, many hailed from Nghe An province. On this occasion, we were fortunate to meet Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung, a son of Nghe An who served in the Sac Forest Special Forces, and hear him recount stories from his time in combat...

Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung and his war relics.

We visited Hamlet 8, Hung Xuan Commune (Hung Nguyen District) to meet Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung on a late April day, as the whole country was commemorating the 39th anniversary of the complete liberation of Southern Vietnam and the reunification of the country. At 63 years old, Mr. Dung is still very agile and active, his legs and arms still strong. Perhaps the years of training on the battlefield have given him such abundant strength and resilience. Over a cup of green tea, the former special forces soldier from the Sac Forest recounted his wartime memories. Beginning the story, Mr. Dung confided: “In our generation, most men took up arms to fight the enemy, facing countless dangers and hardships. But as a special forces soldier, the hardships and dangers increased many times over; the boundary between life and death was always just a hair's breadth away. Therefore, returning to my family and homeland is truly a blessing.”

Nguyen Viet Dung was born and raised in Hung Xuan commune, a rural area downstream of the Lam River, home to the historically famous Yen Xuan bridge. In 1970, as the war against the US intensified, the 19-year-old volunteered to enlist in the army, aspiring to contribute to the victory over the invaders and bring peace to his homeland. Upon joining the army, Nguyen Viet Dung was assigned to a naval commando unit under the Naval Command. He spent a year training in Hai Phong. More than 40 years have passed, but Mr. Dung still cannot forget the freezing winter nights training with his comrades to cross rivers. The cold penetrated his skin, his flesh, and even his bones. Sometimes, they would lie in the muddy swamp all day, enduring the relentless bites of mosquitoes and other insects. During such times, the courage of the commando soldiers was further honed, and everyone expressed their determination to endure hardship and sacrifice to fulfill their duty to the Fatherland. After completing his training, Nguyen Viet Dung was transferred to the Sac Forest Special Forces Regiment. At this time, he and his unit traversed the forests, "cutting through the Truong Son Mountains to save the country," enduring countless hardships under the enemy's bombardment. This was not to mention the bouts of malaria that afflicted and struck down many of his comrades during the march. Dung's unit operated in the Southeast region, tasked with attacking enemy ships and depots in the port to prevent the enemy from transporting weapons, equipment, fuel, and other supplies to the battlefields, thus inflicting losses on our forces. Here, the special forces soldier from Nghe An province participated in many fierce battles, facing danger numerous times, and together with his comrades, sank four enemy transport ships. He also participated in counter-offensive operations in the Dong Nai area and sank two enemy warships on the Thi Vai River.

Mr. Dung still vividly remembers the feeling of his first battle, a mix of nervousness and anxiety amidst the vast expanse of water and rain lashing against his face, but above all, a fighting spirit of determination to win prevailed. That time, Company Commander Pham Ngoc Bay and his compatriot Phung Ba Dien were ordered to win at all costs, to cross the river into Rach Dua port (Vung Tau) to sink enemy ships. He and his two comrades were tasked with reconnaissance, understanding the enemy's operational patterns, and then finding a way to approach the enemy transport ship. Seizing the opportunity when the enemy was distracted, the three men pushed a mine weighing over 100kg close to the ship's side, near the engine room, set the timer for detonation, and safely retreated in different directions. At their shelter, Mr. Dung anxiously waited... Then a loud explosion echoed across the river, followed by a series of smaller explosions.

The river was engulfed in flames, columns of smoke rose high into the air, spreading to the surrounding villages. Air raid sirens blared, and enemy boats, ships, and planes swarmed in, but it was too late; it was practically impossible to save the area. The mission assigned by his superiors was accomplished, and soldier Nguyen Viet Dung was overjoyed, tears welling up in his eyes. At that moment, he remembered his fallen comrades, then his homeland, where his parents toiled in the fields, and where his younger siblings gleaned potatoes and rice stalks daily. Returning to base, the three soldiers reunited, clasped hands, and shared a triumphant smile. Immediately afterward, tears streamed down their faces, and choked sobs escaped as they remembered their fallen comrades: “Brothers! We have avenged you!”

A former commando from the Rừng Sác forest recounted that commandos, especially naval commandos, must possess an iron will, as they constantly operate in extremely dangerous environments. In many situations, the line between life and death is as thin as a hair. To infiltrate enemy ships and warehouses in ports, commandos from Rừng Sác had to dive underwater, breathing air through a small tube in their mouths. At key locations like warehouses and ports, the enemy maintained tight security, dividing into multiple layers of guards. This is in addition to barbed wire fences and German Shepherd dogs. To prevent our commandos from infiltrating, enemy guards frequently threw hand grenades into the water. Many of our soldiers were killed by shrapnel during infiltration operations. Therefore, to minimize risks and casualties, and to ensure victory, it was essential to conduct thorough reconnaissance, understand the situation, and grasp the enemy's operational patterns. Special forces soldiers had to spend all day submerged in water, breathing through tubes or camouflaged under layers of water hyacinth to evade the enemy. The most important thing was to understand the enemy's eating and resting schedules and find moments of vulnerability. At the same time, they had to know the time intervals between enemy grenade throws so that as soon as the enemy finished throwing, the soldiers could immediately approach the target, plant the mines, set the timer, and withdraw safely, ensuring that the next grenade throw would not cause injury. This is not to mention the times they had to penetrate deep into enemy territory, hiding behind trees and bushes to avoid detection by enemy spies and to prevent German Shepherd dogs from sniffing them out.

At times, they had to lie in the middle of swamps or mangrove forests for days and nights to scout the enemy situation. During those times, the greatest worry wasn't the enemy's guns or grenades, but the sharp, ferocious teeth of crocodiles. Crocodiles were incredibly abundant in the swamps and mangrove forests of the Southeast region at that time. Nguyen Viet Dung himself witnessed his comrades being attacked and wounded by crocodiles, their blood flowing profusely and pooling in puddles. Approaching a target was extremely risky; a single mistake or being discovered by the enemy and having grenades thrown into the river meant a very rare chance of safe retreat. If they perished, their bodies were often not intact, frequently swept away by the water or devoured by crocodiles. But as commando soldiers of the Sac Forest, everyone was ready to accept the mission, everyone was undeterred by the risk of death. Because they fought to avenge their comrades, to avenge their loved ones who had fallen due to American and South Vietnamese bombs and bullets.

Naval commandos in the Rung Sac special zone. (Archival photo)

The operational areas of the special forces soldiers in the Sac Forest were often under enemy control, so the protection and support of the local people were always vital. Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung once received green bananas, bamboo shoots, and wild yams from local guerrillas and villagers when their food supplies ran out. In one battle, due to the strong river current, he and his comrades were swept out to sea. There, he clung to a fishing boat, where the boat owner allowed him to lie close to the bottom of the boat, next to several baskets of fish, covered him with a tarp to protect him, and carried him back to base. And Mr. Dung can never forget his memories with Mrs. Ba and Mr. Nam Kiem. Both husband and wife participated in revolutionary activities, fighting in the local guerrilla army. Even when heavily pregnant, Mrs. Ba still followed her husband to base. Then she gave birth to a baby boy right in the middle of the forest where our troops were sheltering. Mr. and Mrs. Nam Kiem named the boy Dung to express their admiration for a special forces soldier in the Sac Forest. That's because Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung was the team leader in charge of operations in this area at the time.

Mr. Dung confided, "For me, the time fighting on the Southeast battlefield was the most glorious and proudest period of my life." It's understandable, as during the war, this special forces soldier was awarded the Third Class Military Merit Medal, five Certificates of Merit, the Medal for Outstanding Combatant in Transportation, and was a Regimental-level Emulation Soldier. In 1972, after a deep penetration into enemy territory, reconnaissance, and the destruction of an enemy fuel depot, the 21-year-old soldier was admitted to the Party right in the middle of the battlefield. Even more proudly, to date, his Rung Sac Special Forces Regiment has been twice awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces. Mr. Dung himself and his comrade, fellow soldier, and hometownmate, Phung Ba Dien, are currently being considered for the title of Hero by the State.

In 1974, after participating in a battle against the enemy, Nguyen Viet Dung was wounded and transferred to the North for recuperation. On April 30, 1975, upon hearing the news of the complete liberation of the South, he and his wounded comrades embraced each other, cheering with joy. Then, tears suddenly streamed down his face; at that moment, he remembered his fallen comrades who had perished on the battlefield, never to witness the joyous day of reunification.

Returning to civilian life, Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung actively contributed his efforts to building his homeland. He was formerly a production team leader, served as Party branch secretary for many years, and is currently the chairman of Hung Xuan Agricultural Cooperative. A courageous soldier in combat, Mr. Dung is regarded as enthusiastic, dynamic, and proactive in business and production. Under his leadership, the cooperative is becoming increasingly efficient, developing various services related to agricultural production.

Last year, during a visit to meet with officers and soldiers of the Rung Sac Special Forces Regiment and revisit the old battlefield, Mr. Dung was truly astonished by the changes in this area. The swamps, river sections, and forests where fierce battles once took place have now become attractive tourist destinations. Here, he met Mrs. Ba (Mr. Nam Kiem's ​​wife), who is over 90 years old and still vividly recounts stories from decades ago. And the boy Dung, born amidst the fighting, is now a 41-year-old man. Walking through the Rung Sac Cemetery, he was filled with emotion as he remembered his comrades and fellow soldiers who rest in peace. The days of hardship and sacrifice came back to him vividly, like a slow-motion film...

Cong Kien