Resilient Red City

(Baonghean) - During the historic days of August, we returned to the heroic Red village, reliving the "earth-shattering" atmosphere of the time when Vinh city rose up.

Mr. Nguyen Trung Huyen, the heroic commander of Unit 1207 during the resistance war against the US, is now over 70 years old and in poor health, but when he talks about the time when the Red Village "took the lead" in the two sacred resistance wars of the nation, his voice suddenly becomes unusually cheerful. At the age of 17, he was selected by the commune team to join the combat unit to shoot down planes and protect the ward's territory. Then in 1967-1968, as the commander of Unit 1207, he carried out the task of protecting the city's key areas, from the oil depot, Ben Thuy ferry, Vinh Station... "During those months of fighting under the rain of bombs and bullets, we young people were always filled with the spirit of "determined to die for the Fatherland"; forgetting all the difficulties, hardships and dangers... Back then, the soldiers of my unit bravely shot down an F4H plane in 1969, capturing the American pilot alive", Mr. Huyen enthusiastically told about the feats of the heroic city's army and people. The memories of a time when the army and people of "Red Village" merged with the city's resilient fighting spirit suddenly flooded back with emotions in the old veteran's reminiscences.

Vinh City armed forces practice combat readiness.

The glorious feats of arms of the militia and units stationed in the area during the two resistance wars are a highlight in the golden pages of the city's history. Those were the heroic days and nights of fighting under the bombs of American planes, the militia of Hung Dung commune and the militia of Hung Hoa participated in extinguishing the fire of the fuel depot and bringing people to a safe evacuation site (August 1964). On the night of December 19, 1946, the city "did not sleep" with the resounding feat of the officers and soldiers of Vinh town team in coordination with Regiment 57 to destroy and capture 34 French soldiers at Ba Bo field, opening the way to two consecutive victories in Vinh City. The armed forces of Vinh Town together with the army and people of the whole country continued the 9-year long resistance war against French colonialism.

During the resistance war against the US, Vinh City was one of the first key targets of US imperialism in the North. It was thought that it would be easy to destroy Vinh, but the Vinh City Armed Forces became stronger and more mature the more they fought. During the destructive wars of the US Air Force and Navy, the army and people of the City fought bravely, won over 7,000 large and small battles, defeated US air force bombings, shot down 146 planes and captured many pilots. Thousands of Vinh's outstanding sons went to fight on the battlefields and many fell, dedicating their youth to the eternal Fatherland.

The fighting spirit of the Vinh City Armed Forces has been continued, becoming a lesson in patriotism and national pride. The female militia squad of the once-famous "Red Village" was established and has been operating since 2010. The squad now has more than 10 female militiamen, continuing to carry out training and performing arts tasks, participating in reconciliation group activities... In the cradle of the "Red Village" resistance, the work of building forces and combat readiness is still maintained and promoted effectively. Comrade Nguyen Khac Nghia, commander of the Military Command of Hung Dung Ward, said: Currently, along with the Mobile Militia Platoon and 4 military groups selected from active youth union members, Hung Dung also has 19 militia groups with over 100 men and women of all ages, ensuring health and political qualities to participate. The village team leaders and civil defense forces regularly coordinate with the ward police to patrol every night. Thanks to that, the security and order situation in the area has become increasingly stable. Every year, the militia and self-defense force also takes the lead in helping people prevent floods and storms, build charity houses, etc.

Currently, the city's militia and self-defense force has over 5,700 people; the reserve force is over 3,000 people. The city's military coordinates with forces and units stationed in the area to grasp and forecast the situation, proactively advise and propose to the Party Committee and authorities to handle incidents. Strengthen patrols, guarding, and protecting important targets during holidays, Tet and political events; contributing to maintaining political security and social order and safety in the area. During the past term, the city's Military Command conducted 600 combat readiness inspections, mobilized 7,200 regular officers and soldiers and militia and self-defense forces to participate in combat duty, crime prevention, storm and flood prevention, and forest fire prevention.

Hung Dung ward militia builds gratitude houses for policy families.

Promoting the heroic tradition, the Vinh City Military Command also strengthened propaganda activities to mobilize cadres, soldiers of the armed forces and people of the city to participate in the movements of building new rural areas, eliminating hunger and reducing poverty, social policy work and military rear policies. In the past time, together with the Party Committees of wards, communes and relatives of families, 323 martyrs' remains were collected, 8 gratitude houses were built, together with the people of the city, they supported the forces on duty to protect the sea and islands and families with policies with the amount of 3.5 billion VND...

Lieutenant Colonel Le Anh Tuan, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, Political Commissar, Vinh City Military Command said: “Promoting the heroic tradition, in the coming time, Vinh City Military Command will continue to well implement the coordination regulations with the Party Committees of wards and communes and agencies, departments and branches to deploy the implementation of local defense and security tasks with the highest efficiency, build a safe base to master and be ready to fight, the national defense posture of the whole people associated with the people's security posture. Focus on improving the quality of operations of mobile militia platoons, village team leaders, and people's military intelligence and reconnaissance forces. Strive to build 100% of strong combat-ready bases, 25/25 wards and communes organize security combat drills associated with flood and storm prevention and search and rescue drills; determined to build a unit to achieve the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces in the period of innovation...

Dinh Nguyet