The lower reaches of the Cam River

(Baonghean) - With its endless flow, each river leaves its own mark in the heart of the homeland and the country. Not as wide and long as many other rivers, but the Cam Giang River (Nghi Loc) has carved into the history of Nghe An with its resounding feats of arms, its brave yet simple people, especially in the downstream...

My friend is from Nghi Quang commune (Nghi Loc) - in the lower reaches of the Cam River, born and raised in poverty, as soon as he was born he was hit by a hurricane from the sea, and at the age of weaning he tasted cassava and sweet potatoes. However, when he is away from home, his nostalgia is always burning, he misses the salty taste of the sea breeze, he misses the scorching sun at noon in summer. This time he returned to his hometown for a long time, he invited his close friends to the lower reaches of the Cam River to taste the seafood when it first landed, and to feel the source of a land with so much historical depth. According to him, this countryside has a history of 500 - 600 years, associated with the pioneering work of Grand Tutor Cuong Quoc Cong Nguyen Xi and his descendants.

Today, the Nguyen Xi Temple (Nghi Hop Commune - Nghi Loc) and the Temple of Thai Uy Quan Cong Nguyen Su Hoi - his eldest son (the temple was built in Nghi Tan Ward - Cua Lo Town) are still majestic in the face of the sun, wind and the flow of time, a vivid testament to the depth of tradition in this countryside. This issue has been highlighted through many channels of information, from family documents to books, newspapers and scientific research works.

Cage fish farming brings high income in Lo Lach, Nghi Quang Commune (Nghi Loc). Photo: Cong Kien

We sat next to Nghi Quang bar, from here we could enjoy the majestic and poetic scenery of the coastal countryside. The landscape painting seemed to converge the strokes and colors of Nghe An homeland, with vast sea, high mountains, winding rivers, peaceful villages and bustling streets. In front of such a charming scene, people often immerse themselves in their own private emotions, each person finding a way to think and contemplate the flow of life.

My friend was fascinated by the exploits of the time of fighting the Americans, because this land was a “shield” protecting the districts and communes behind. American planes from the 7th Fleet off the Pacific Ocean attacked Vinh town and important routes and constructions, often flying over this area and encountering “air defense bullets” from the ground. Therefore, there is a place that has gone down in national history, affirming the indomitable spirit and resilience of the Vietnamese people and denouncing the brutality and barbarity of the enemy.

That is Cam Bridge - the bridge on National Highway 1A named after the river, a fierce target of American bombing, enemy bombs and bullets buried hundreds of young volunteers and civilians. But when the bombing just ended, the smoke of bombs had not yet cleared, hundreds of people tried to fill in bomb craters, repair the bridge surface to allow vehicles to pass, ensuring the supply of human and material resources to the southern battlefield.

The lower reaches of the Cam River include the communes of Nghi Yen, Nghi Quang, Nghi Thiet, Nghi Tien of Nghi Loc district and part of Cua Lo town. Here, in addition to the Cam bridge, each village and commune has a place name associated with a past victory. That is Trung Kien village (Nghi Thiet) with a history of about 700 years with a famous shipbuilding profession, one of the "birthplaces" of "ships without numbers", crossing the sea, storms and bullets to support the battlefield in the South, contributing to the cause of national liberation.

In early 1967, the coastal defense platoon of Nghi Thiet commune burned a destroyer of the US 7th Fleet with 75mm artillery, relieving fishing boats that were surrounded by the enemy, forcing the enemy to flee in panic. Before that, soldiers of the 7th Fleet used small boats to break into Hai Ba village of Nghi Tien commune to kidnap people to exploit information. The army and militia promptly discovered and fought back fiercely, forcing them to retreat without being able to carry out their plan. Nghi Quang commune has hills 200 and 170, which are the high points chosen to deploy anti-aircraft artillery and anti-aircraft artillery positions, serving as a "shield" for key points in the rear.

Grilling fish – a job that creates jobs for the elderly and women in Nghi Quang commune (Nghi Loc). Photo: Cong Kien

Not wanting to be outdone by other communes, the militia unit on duty in Nghi Thuy commune (now part of Cua Lo town) shot down an American F4 on March 31, 1965, becoming the second militia unit in the province (after Dien Hung commune - Dien Chau) to shoot down a fighter plane with infantry guns, contributing to promoting the movement of shooting down American planes. On June 6, 1966, Nghi Tan militia (now part of Cua Lo town) shot down the 1,100th American plane in the North. Just one week after this event, the militia group of Nghi Tan, Nghi Thuy and Nghi Khanh communes (Nghi Loc) coordinated to shoot down an A4 in the area of ​​Hill 200...

Also in the lower reaches of the Cam River, we met people living simply in the coastal villages, quietly making a living in their daily lives, few people know that they have been through life and death in the midst of bullets, bombs, and fire. In Nghi Quang, Mr. Nguyen Minh Duc was a Sac Forest commando who shot down an American warship in the Southeast, then infiltrated the enemy's military port, planted mines to blow up an anchored weapons ship. Ms. Tran Thi Binh and Ms. Tran Thi Man were female militiamen who fought at Hill 200 and Hill 170, the locations of the observation posts of the Navy Command, Military Region 4 and Nghe An Provincial Military Command.

This was also the place where our army's anti-aircraft artillery and ground artillery positions were located, contributing to preventing enemy sabotage. At that time, Mrs. Binh and Mrs. Man were still very young, having just left school and joined the commune's militia platoon. With 25 comrades, of which 6 were women, 3 12.7mm guns and machine guns, the platoon had the task of supplying, supporting and "sharing the fire" with the main force, fighting together to protect the homeland.

On March 31, 1965, the enemy attacked day and night, the militia force steadfastly held out, and coordinated with the air defense troops to shoot down an American F-4 aircraft, and coordinated with the militia of Nghi Tien and Nghi Thiet communes to capture two enemy pilots who parachuted toward the sea. With that feat, the Nghi Quang commune militia platoon was awarded the Third Class Military Exploit Medal, and female militia Tran Thi Binh had her party admission ceremony right at the front.

In Nghi Tien, Mr. Tran Cong Don - a diligent farmer with the fields, that man was once a Navy commando, once a terror to the American troops in the Cua Viet sea area (Quang Tri) and Da Nang. Mr. Don was also the one chosen to board the ship to liberate the Truong Sa archipelago in the Spring campaign of 1975. And this land also has two sons who sacrificed heroically in the Truong Sa naval battle in 1988, their flesh and blood were left on Gac Ma island.

They are martyrs Ho Van Nuoi (Nghi Tien) and Dau Xuan Tu (Nghi Yen) - young men from the coastal region who sacrificed their lives for the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands. Their names will be remembered forever by the Fatherland and the people, because they are "Those who lie on the horizon", the monument and the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial are about to be inaugurated on Cam Ranh peninsula (Khanh Hoa).

Tien Phong Beach, Nghi Tien Commune (Nghi Loc). Photo: Cong Kien

We went up hill 200, now covered with green casuarinas, in front of us was the vast ocean, ships returning from the open sea with a lot of shrimp and fish. Closer, on Lo creek, near the mouth of Cam river, countless fish cages began to light up, looking like a "floating street" on the river, bringing in a large source of income for the people here. To the south, Cua Lo urban area was bustling and bustling with many splendid lights; to the north was the picturesque Bai Lu resort, the pristine Tien Phong beach with golden sand.

Surrounding the mountains and beaches are prosperous villages, spacious houses competing to grow, roads interwoven in a chessboard pattern. Route D4 connecting National Highway 1A with Nghi Thiet seaport has been opened, will be the road to help people here "take off" and rise up. Behind is the Cam River winding like a drawing, the busy highway going back and forth, Nam Cam Industrial Park is developing...

Located in the planning of the Southeast Economic Zone, the lower reaches of the Cam River are rising up with their own internal strength and resilience. In the past, it was a “shield” of bombs and bullets, but now it has become a dynamic and beautiful countryside. The past has been and is the foundation for the present, and the present is continued from the ancient source...

Cong Khang