Memories of the legendary sea route of Nghe An veterans

The unequal battle of Ship C-69B

Although they are 7 years apart in age, Mr. Ho Dinh Thuan (born 1943) from Cau Giat town (Quynh Luu) and Mr. Ngo Tri Ban (born 1950), a son of Dien Ngoc commune (Dien Chau) were once teammates on the Nhat Le ship (number C-69B) belonging to the unnumbered fleet. Both were born in the Nghe An sea area, their childhood was associated with small fishing boats; when they grew up, they had to witness the artillery attacks of US Navy ships that devastated their villages, causing desolation and sorrow.

Veteran Ho Dinh Thuan recounts memories of the train without a number. Photo: Thanh Toan

As the war escalated, like many young men at that time, two young men from the fishing village joined the army with the desire to make achievements, contributing to driving out the enemy so that the country could soon be at peace and unified. Mr. Ho Dinh Thuan and Mr. Ngo Tri Ban were both assigned to the Nhat Le ship (number C-69B), Brigade 125, Navy, also known as the Ship Without Numbers.

The two soldiers from the past still remember clearly the time in early 1971, when ship C-69B was ordered to set off on a mission to transport weapons to supportbattlefieldSouth. The C-69B set off, following international waters heading south and was pursued by an American destroyer, with planes following closely above. Captain Phan Xa was forced to order a change of course to the Philippine sea, circle around to Indonesia, then Malaysia to distract attention. The enemy still followed, the ship could not reach shore, and was forced to return to its port of departure.

Officers and soldiers of ship C-69B in the past. Photo: NVCC

Half a month later, the C-69B continued on its old route, still being pursued by enemy warships and aircraft. On April 11, 1971, while in Malaysian waters, the Command Board received orders to quickly reach Ca Mau to transfer weapons to the liberation army in the U Minh Ha forest.

On the way to shore, ship C-69B was discovered by the enemy and sent a red signal but did not respond and continued to accelerate straight ahead. When about 10 nautical miles from shore, the enemy ship opened fire and attacked. The ship's commander radioed to his superiors to execute plan 2, which was to open fire in return. All 23 officers and soldiers immediately took up combat positions. At this time, there were 7-8destroyersurrounded, continuously fired mortars at ship C-69B, then dozens of planes rushed in and fired rockets.

Veteran Ngo Tri Ban (right) and his comrades recall old memories. Photo: Cong Khang

Veteran Ho Dinh Thuan recalled: “At that time, all positions on the ship were determined to fight and ready to sacrifice to complete the mission. A rocket hit the ship's hull, killing deputy captain Nguyen Van Tu and gunner Lam Thanh Hong. Then Tran Van Nhan, a fellow Quynh Luu native, was also hit, followed by two more teammates... Captain Phan Xa asked his superiors to implement plan 3, which was to destroy the ship, not letting the goods and people fall into enemy hands.”

Photo of a ship without a number of the Vietnam People's Navy on duty supplying weapons to the Southern battlefield. Documentary photo

Soldier Ngo Tri Ban was assigned to supply ammunition to the gun on deck. The gunner was hit and died. The situation was extremely dangerous, forcing the soldier from Nghe An to load ammunition and fire the cannon at the same time. Receiving orders fromCaptainPutting the bodies of five comrades in body bags to bring them to shore, Mr. Ban and the remaining officers and soldiers brought AK rifles with folding stocks, life jackets and dry food and prepared to swim to shore.

“18 people divided into 3 groups heading towards the shore. Before leaving the ship, we set off 4.8 tons of explosives, scheduled to detonate after 45 minutes. After swimming about 500 meters, a terrifying explosion sounded. I felt my body being thrown off the sea surface and then falling back down, behind me was a huge fire and billowing smoke. More than ever, I felt the boundary between life and death was fragile.”

Mr. Ngo Tri Ban - Veteran of the train without number

Quietly writing a legend

Knowing that the soldiers of the C-69B would swim ashore, the enemy had arranged two battalions to intercept them. At around 4 a.m., Mr. Ho Dinh Thuan's group swam ashore and quickly hid in the middle of the mangrove forest, wading westward with the thought that the further away from the shore, the better chance they had of escaping the enemy. Luckily, thanks to a comrade throwing a grenade and opening fire to distract the enemy, Mr. Thuan and the soldiers in his group were able to escape the encirclement.

Out of dry food, everyone was hungry and thirsty, exhausted, holding on to anything they could eat along the way to gain strength to continue. Finally, more than a week later, they reached the liberation army base, Mr. Thuan joined a unit of Military Region 9 until today.southerncompletely liberated new convalescence in Military Region 4.

Representatives of the Dien Chau District Military Command presented gifts to veteran Ngo Tri Ban on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail (October 23, 1961 - October 23, 2021). Photo: Mai Sao

After the ship exploded, Mr. Ngo Tri Ban continued swimming and was pushed by the waves into a swamp near the shore in the early morning. Almost exhausted, he still tried to hold onto a tree to avoid being swept away by the waves, then waded through the thick mud. Knowing that the enemy was searching, the soldier of the C-69B took off his uniform, smeared mud all over his body, and hid under a mangrove tree to hide from the enemy.

Waiting for a long time, until late afternoon the enemy withdrew, Mr. Ban began to slowly enter the mangrove forest. After 3 days and 3 nights, he met a secret team of Military Region 9 who saved his life and stayed to fight until the day of liberation of the South, in 1976 he was discharged from the army and returned home.seaside villageDien Ngoc. Later, Mr. Ban learned that Captain Phan Xa had died while swimming in the middle of the sea after being discovered by an enemy plane and shot down with a series of bullets.

Returning to his hometown and to normal life, Mr. Ho Dinh Thuan transferred to work at Nghia Dan District Party Committee, attached to the lives of the people of the red land for more than 10 years and retired in 1988. He was loved by the people because he always lived close, harmoniously and was ready to help everyone.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Sin - Chairman of the Association of War Veterans of the Unnumbered Ships in Nghe An - Ha Tinh region reviewed the glorious tradition of the Unnumbered Ships. Photo: Cong Khang

Mr. Ngo Tri Ban returned to the fishing village of Dien Ngoc, making a living on his homeland. No longer strong enough to go out to sea to fish, the former Chinese soldier with no number worked as a net-mender, sometimes processing seafood to make a living, raising his children to adulthood. In their spare time, Mr. Thuan and Mr. Ban often met and visited their comrades to reminisce about the wartime.

On this occasion, we met Mr. Nguyen Dinh Sin - Chairman of the Veterans AssociationShip without numberNghe An - Ha Tinh area and he told touching stories about the fighting spirit and sacrifice of his comrades. For the soldiers of the No Number Train, every time they set out on a mission, they are determined to endure hardship and sacrifice, so the unit organizes an oath-taking ceremony and a "living funeral".

Veterans of the unnumbered ships in the Nghe An - Ha Tinh region met on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the opening of the Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail (October 23, 1961 - October 23, 2021). Photo: Cong Khang

This demonstrates the bravery, courage and determination of the soldiers, many of whom were from Nghe An. During 15 years of operation, the unnumbered train transported a large amount of goods and weapons to support the armed forces in the South, contributing to the victory. Many ships and naval soldiers were forever left in the middle of the ocean, including many from Nghe An.

“During the 15 years of fighting on the Ho Chi Minh trail at sea, Nghe An land has the right to be proud because it has had many sons who fulfilled the mission assigned by the Party, the State and the people. There were people who participated in many trips like comrade Duong Van Luong in Cua Lo town; there were people who survived the fierce and arduous battle like comrade Ho Dinh Thuan in Quynh Luu, Ngo Tri Ban in Dien Chau. They were truly living witnesses of the train without numbers, contributing to writing the legend of a historical road”.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Sin - Chairman of the Association of War Veterans of Ships without Numbers in Nghe An - Ha Tinh region