Memories of Co Xin ferry on Lam river
(Baonghean.vn) - More than half a century has passed, but the people of Hung Xuan commune, now Xuan Lam commune (Hung Nguyen), who went through the resistance war against the US, still retain memories of the fierce years in their homeland. Among them, Co Xin ferry was the place where soldiers were transported across the river and was frequently attacked by the enemy, and was also a place that demonstrated the spirit and determination of the army and people of Nghe An.
"Co Xin Ferry"
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Signpost to Co Xin Ferry on Ta Lam dike road in Xuan Lam commune (Hung Nguyen). Photo: Cong Kien |
Having the opportunity to travel up and down the Ta Lam dike route, through Xuan Lam commune (Hung Nguyen), passengers will see a signboard “Co Xin ferry”. Following the directions, we went to the riverbank, going back in time through the local history and memories of those of the anti-American generation. Then, the details and images of Co Xin ferry during the fierce years appeared one by one like a slow-motion film.
On March 19, 1968, a group of planes attacked a ferry while it was transporting people across the river, killing three people, including two ferrymen, the owner of which was Mr. Luu Xuan Khuoi (also known as Co Xin). Many vehicles and houses were damaged.
With the desire to have specific and vivid information, we met Ms. Hoang Thi Dung (born in 1944), one of the witnesses who used to be attached to the ferry. As the Deputy Commune Team Leader, then the Commune Team Leader during the years of fighting the Americans, Ms. Dung was the one who directly commanded the organization of transporting soldiers across the river.
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Ms. Hoang Thi Dung (right) - former Commune Team Leader of Hung Xuan Commune (Hung Nguyen) talks about Co Xin Ferry. Photo: Cong Kien |
“Like Suot’s mother in Quang Binh, Mr. Xin, regardless of day or night and the fierce bombing by American planes, was always ready to transport soldiers across the river in time to support the battlefield in the South. The last ferry carrying 4 soldiers across the river, on the way back, was bombed by enemy planes, the boat was broken, Mr. Xin was hit by shrapnel and did not survive…”, Ms. Dung recalled.
Co Xin ferry is named after the couple who rowed the ferry across the river, connecting Hung Xuan commune (Hung Nguyen) on the left bank with Nam Cuong commune (Nam Dan) on the right bank. Co Xin's real name is Luu Xuan Khuoi (born in 1910), his wife is Pham Thi Dien (born in 1915), they have 5 children (2 girls, 3 boys), built a house next to the river wharf.
During the years of fighting against the US, Ben Thuy ferry was severely attacked by enemy aircraft, so Co Xin ferry was chosen to transport troops across Lam River, continuing their march to the battlefield. Earning a living by rowing boats, Co Xin and his wife were assigned by the commune to transport troops across the river.
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Mr. Luu Xuan Khuoi (late Xin). Photo: GĐCC |
Regardless of day or night, under the fierce bombardment, Mr. Xin always held the oar firmly, ensuring the soldiers crossed the river safely. Having information that the soldiers were crossing the river on a ferry in Hung Xuan, the enemy increased the bombing with increasingly fierce aircraft, destroying houses and villages, causing many civilians to die.
At night, the enemy dropped flares along the ferry, and whenever they found a target, they would bomb it in droves. Despite the enemy's bombs and bullets, Mr. Xin and his wife always held their ground steadfastly, ready to row the boat to transport soldiers across the river. One night, they carried 300 people on dozens of trips and completed the mission before dawn. Sometimes, the boat had to stop in the middle of the river and find ways to camouflage itself, waiting for the flares to stop before continuing the journey.
Affirming historical value
On May 20, 1967, a canoe towing two barges was hit by an enemy mine dropped into the Lam River, about 800 tons of 100mm anti-aircraft artillery shells sank to the riverbed. The Hung Xuan commune militia was ordered to organize a salvage operation, dozens of people dived for months in the river, scooped up each shell, brought it to shore, cleaned it dry and hid it safely, awaiting orders to be transferred to the battlefield.
Mr. Xin and his wife took turns transporting militiamen to the salvage location and then carrying ammunition to shore, contributing to the completion of the task of salvaging the ammunition sunk at the bottom of the river.
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The location where Mr. Luu Xuan Khuoi's boat (formerly Xin) was bombed on March 19, 1968. Photo: Cong Kien |
Nearly a year later, on March 19, 1968, after transporting 4 soldiers across the river, on the way back, American planes dropped bombs, one bomb fell next to the boat, causing Ms. Xin and a rower to fall off... Another bomb fell next to the house, collapsing the house, seriously injuring Ms. Xin, who passed away a while later. At this time, the task of rowing the boat across the river was assigned to Ms. Xin's eldest son, Mr. Luu Van Tin (born in 1949) and his younger siblings.
Mr. Tin recalled: “Since childhood, we have been attached to the river, knowing every whirlpool and the position of the rapids, so when our parents passed away, my brothers and I continued the job of rowing boats to transport soldiers across the river until the day the country was liberated. Like our parents, we were always ready and determined to fulfill our duties, contributing to repelling the enemy, no one asked for or thought about the regime and benefits for ourselves.”
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The eldest son, Luu Van Tin, and the youngest daughter, Luu Thi Vinh, of Mr. Luu Xuan Khuoi, talk about their parents. Photo: Cong Kien |
After the war, Co Xin Ferry continued to be a traffic point for the two communes of Hung Xuan and Nam Cuong, people from the two communes traveled back and forth on ferries rowed by the children of Co Xin. When the Yen Xuan railway bridge was added with concrete slabs for pedestrians, bicycles and motorbikes to pass, the ferry completed its mission.
Through the flow of time with many "tragedies and vicissitudes", the Lam River section through Hung Xuan (now Xuan Lam) formed a floating sandbank with an area of about 10 hectares, dividing the river into two streams. The Nam Cuong side is the main stream, the Xuan Lam side is the secondary stream. The Co Xin ferry in the past is now a small stream, a place to anchor fishing boats of riverside residents.
Most of the children of the late Xin couple live and work near the old ferry, the place associated with their parents' lives, associated with their difficult and hard-working childhood.
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Co Xin ferry terminal has now become a mooring place for fishing boats. Photo: Cong Kien |
In 2020, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision approving the addition of Co Xin Ferry to the inventory of provincial relics. The Decision clearly stated: The historical value of Co Xin Ferry is associated with important historical events in the resistance war against the US to save the country. This is the place where troops, vehicles carrying military provisions and military equipment gathered to cross the river to support the southern battlefield.
Realizing that this was an important traffic point, the enemy bombed and attacked fiercely, causing many tragic scenes. In 1968 alone, there were 3 fierce bombings, dozens of people were injured and died. After transporting soldiers across the river on a mission, the boat was hit by a bomb, and Mr. Xin fell into his hometown river...
Following the direction of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, the commune has arranged a memorial site, collected documents related to Mr. Luu Xuan Khuoi and historical events at Co Xin Ferry and made signs for the relic. At the same time, coordinated with the District Department of Culture and Information to build a dossier to propose the classification of a historical relic. Those who worked at the Ferry during the anti-American war and descendants of the late Xin have a common wish to request the State to recognize Mr. Khuoi's contributions by recognizing him as a martyr.
