Memories shatter Phan Rang's "steel shield"

With a fierce fighting spirit, our army smashed the "Phan Rang steel shield", contributing to the great victory in the spring of 1975.

After the defeat on the battlefields of the Central Highlands and the Central Coastal provinces, the puppet army was determined to build a defensive line in Phan Rang in order to stop our army's advance and maintain a defensive position from afar to protect the Saigon headquarters. But with a fighting spirit like a storm, our army smashed the "steel shield of Phan Rang", contributing to the great victory in the spring of 1975.

April 16 Square, Phan Rang - Thap Cham city, Ninh Thuan province

Phan Rang - Thap Cham City is a rising urban area of ​​Ninh Thuan. 40 years ago, this was the place where our army fought fierce battles to destroy the remote defense line of the Nguyen Van Thieu puppet regime. Mr. Le Van Nhiem, former Head of the Political Department of the Front Command C of Ninh Thuan province, recalled: In early April 1975, implementing the policy of the Politburo, the Regional Party Committee and Military Region 6 directed Ninh Thuan province to mobilize all forces in the plains and bases, immediately advance to the front to attack the enemy, support the masses to rise up and destroy hamlets, liberate the homeland. The Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Military Command of Ninh Thuan decided to consolidate the Front Command C to be ready to join the main force to liberate Ninh Thuan.

Mr. Le Van Nhiem said: “The main task of Frontline C is to fight the enemy and liberate Highway 11 as soon as possible, to act as a pillar to prevent the enemy from reinforcing Lam Dong, and also to prevent the enemy from reinforcing Phan Rang. At the same time, coordinate with the main force to contribute to the liberation of Ninh Thuan province.”

From April 1 to 3, after losing in Lam Dong and Khanh Hoa, the remaining troops in Da Lat who fled along Highway 11 to Phan Rang were all intercepted by our troops. Our troops also launched successive attacks to capture hamlets along Highway 11, liberating Krong-Pha district. Local troops from Bac Ai and Anh Dung districts and a number of other units of the province were directed to supplement Battalion 610 to guard Cau Pass, intercept enemy troops from Thanh Son airport who launched counterattacks, while protecting Highway 11 and being ready to coordinate with the main force to liberate Phan Rang town.

At this time, in Phan Rang, the Saigon puppet government mobilized a powerful military force, including: the 6th Air Division, the 2nd Airborne Brigade, the 2nd Infantry Division, the 31st Ranger Group, 2 armored battalions along with artillery, security, militia, and police forces with more than 10,000 soldiers; 150 aircraft of various types ready to counterattack. Offshore, the 7th Fleet was also ready to support. The puppet army took the Du Long gateway, more than 20 kilometers from Phan Rang, as a key defense line. Along Highway 1 from Du Long to Ca Du, they also organized many solid defense lines.

Implementing the Politburo's policy of completing the liberation of the South in April, Lieutenant General Le Trong Tan - Commander of the Coastal Army ordered the 3rd Sao Vang Division and the 25th Regiment of Military Region 5 to immediately attack and capture Phan Rang. In the early morning of April 14, our artillery and infantry captured Du Long district and neighboring positions, destroying a part of the enemy's forces and breaking many enemy counterattacks.

Mr. Huynh Huu Long, former Chief of Staff of the C Front Command supporting the Coastal Army to liberate Ninh Thuan province, recounted: “On the morning of the 14th, our troops smashed the steel shield at the outpost in Du Long district and captured Suoi Vang, Suoi Da, and Ba Rau. The enemy at that time reacted mainly with bombers and artillery helicopters, and ground troops used artillery to fire at our positions. But we could not do it because we had fired and limited all those support reactions.”

On the morning of April 16, our army divided into 3 main forces: The first force led by tanks advanced along Route 1, after capturing Phan Rang, it would advance to Thanh Son airport. The second force from the Northwest attacked directly to Thanh Son airport. The third force captured Ninh Chu port, not allowing the enemy to flee to the sea. Coordinating with the main force, the 311 force in Ca Du mountain launched an attack, attacking the flank of the fleeing enemy. In the Northwest, the special forces and engineers of Military Region 6 coordinated with local forces to attack directly to Phuoc Thien, Ninh Quy, and attack the Bao An - Thap Cham area.

Puppet General Nguyen Vinh Nghi sent planes to attack Regiment 101 37 times, but our troops still advanced quickly into the town. At 9:30 a.m. on April 16, the victory flag flew over the Administrative Building - the headquarters of the puppet government of Ninh Thuan province, marking the complete liberation of Ninh Thuan. Mr. Pham Viet Dung, former Assistant of the Military Propaganda of Regiment 18, Division 325, Corps 2, who entered to liberate Phan Rang, recalled: “At that time, we were informed that Regiment 101 of Division 325 had been the first attack with friendly units to liberate Phan Rang. On April 16, we crossed Du Long and began to enter Phan Rang - Thap Cham town, both sides of the road were littered with 105mm artillery guns, at this time there was not a single puppet soldier running away.”

The victory of the Phan Rang defense line had great historical significance, contributing significantly to the historic great victory of the spring of 1975. Mr. Nguyen Trong Nghia, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ninh Thuan province, former Chief of Staff of Battalion 610, said: “We smashed the Phan Rang defense line with many meanings. Firstly, we smashed the plot of the Saigon puppet army and puppet government to defend from afar. Secondly, the enemy's defense line in Du Long and Ninh Thuan province was completely liberated. Thirdly, we created an opportunity, a springboard for the main force - the Central Coastal Army to quickly attack the southern provinces, smashing the steel gate of Xuan Loc, contributing to the liberation of Saigon”.

Ninh Thuan was liberated. The Phan Rang “steel shield” - the long-distance defense line to protect Saigon was destroyed, marking the failure of the enemy’s last effort to protect the Saigon regime. From this moment on, the spirit and fighting strength of the puppet army became increasingly weak, signaling that the Saigon regime was about to end, and the South was about to be liberated.

According to VOV