Upholding the heroic spirit of the victory at Truong Bon

On the night of October 30th and the morning of October 31st, 1968, Company 317 was assigned to ensure traffic flow for a military convoy heading south. After numerous bombing raids that devastated the road, the urgent requirement was to fill in the bomb craters at all costs so the convoy could pass through Truong Bon before dawn. Therefore, the Youth Volunteer soldiers concentrated all their efforts to complete the task on time. Tragically, at dawn on October 31st, 1968, while the soldiers were filling in the bomb craters, American planes swooped down and dropped a barrage of bombs, creating thick smoke and claiming the lives of 13 out of 14 soldiers of the "Steel Squad" (only Tran Thi Thong miraculously survived).

Today, 50 years later, Truông Bồn has returned to a peaceful life. Forests have covered the hillsides in lush greenery. A victory monument and memorial to the martyrs have been erected in a dignified manner. Photo: Thành Cường

Nine months after the victory at Truong Bon, in July 1969, President Ho Chi Minh sent two letters to Nghe An (one to the Provincial Party Committee and one to the Youth Volunteers). He expressed his joy at seeing that the people, soldiers, cadres, party members, and youth union members of the province had fought and served well: shooting down 439 aircraft, sinking 14 American warships, and performing well in transportation; hundreds of thousands of young men and women had joined the army and the Youth Volunteers. This demonstrated the revolutionary heroism and glorious traditions of the Soviet homeland, contributing significantly to the revolutionary cause of the nation.

Youth volunteers fill in bomb craters at Truông Bồn. Photo: Archival material.

At the same time, he expressed: “I am also pleased to see that officials at all levels and in all sectors of the province have initially begun to correct bureaucratic and authoritarian tendencies, striving to stay close to the people to organize and mobilize them to implement the policies of the Party and the State,” and did not forget to instruct: “Humorously listen to the opinions of the people to promote good deeds, correct mistakes, and do better work… Pay special attention to war-torn areas, orphans, the elderly, and the families of martyrs, wounded soldiers, and volunteer youth… Nghe An is a large province with abundant resources, a hardworking and very revolutionary people. I sincerely hope that the people and comrades of the province will strive to make Nghe An one of the most prosperous provinces in the North.”

The ceremony to unveil the plaque for the "Youth Tree Garden" project demonstrates the gratitude of young people for the great sacrifices of the Youth Volunteer Martyrs of Truông Bồn. Photo: Phương Thúy

Officials and youth union members from Nghe An province offer incense at the Truong Bon historical site. Photo: Duc Anh.

The victory at Truong Bon (1968) is a tradition and a foundation that helps us move forward in the new era, reminding us to work together to make Nghe An break through and rise to become a prosperous province in the North - fulfilling the expectations of our beloved Uncle Ho, worthy of being the heroic Soviet homeland!

In the current process of building our homeland of Nghe An, we find many valuable lessons inspired by the victory at Truong Bon 50 years ago.

Every day, hundreds of visitors come to offer incense and flowers at the Truông Bồn Historical Site. Photo: Huy Thư

The victory at Truong Bon taught us a valuable lesson: we must value, promote, inspire, and foster in young people the unwavering will to sacrifice themselves for a great cause and make significant contributions to the common good of our homeland and country. Therefore, Party committees, government agencies, the Fatherland Front, and mass organizations at all levels need to know how to gather, organize, educate, train, and nurture young people, forming a unified force for action; stimulating creativity, efforts to overcome difficulties, and planning for building a prosperous and strong homeland; and implementing appropriate policies to encourage young people to develop their full potential.

Building upon the victory at Truong Bon in educating today's youth about revolutionary ideals, ethics, and lifestyles, it is essential to always prioritize the interests of the Fatherland; to cultivate an unwavering determination to achieve set goals and to complete tasks in any difficult circumstances, maintaining consistency in objectives and unwavering faith in the victory of the revolution.

Tourists visiting the Truông Bồn historical site. Photo: Archival material.

Leveraging the internal strengths and advantages of our homeland to implement tasks; resolutely protecting the Party and the regime in all situations, and focusing on the set goal: successfully building socialism. Actively promoting and introducing the culture and people of Nghe An, its historical achievements, especially the steely spirit of the Truong Bon victory, to a wide range of people, particularly the youth in the province and tourists from all over.

The 50th anniversary of the Truông Bồn victory allows us to once again respectfully remember and express our gratitude for the contributions and sacrifices of those who made that victory possible; at the same time, it encourages us to reflect on the meaning, value, and lessons of the Truông Bồn victory, inspiring ideas for practical contributions to the development of our homeland, Nghe An, today.

As the US Department of Defense acknowledged the number of bombing raids: nearly 3,000 in February 1968, 5,000 in March 1968, 7,000 in May 1968, and 10,000 in June 1968. In Nghe An province alone, when the Hoang Mai Bridge (now in Mai Hung ward, Hoang Mai town), the Bung Bridge (Dien Chau district), the Cam Bridge (Nghi Loc district), and the Ben Thuy ferry (now Ben Thuy Bridge, Vinh City) were destroyed and controlled by the US imperialists, Route 15A (extending from Bo Lan slope bordering Thanh Hoa, through Truong Bon in Nghe An to Linh Cam ferry, connecting to Dong Loc intersection in Ha Tinh) became the only vital transportation artery for the large rear area of ​​the North to supply and support the battlefield in the South with manpower and resources.