50th anniversary of Ho Chi Minh Sea Trail
A solemn ceremony was held in
the northern port city of Hai Phong on Oct. 21 to mark the 50 th
anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea (Oct. 23).
Addressing the ceremony, President Truong Tan Sang recalled that after
1954, with their plot to divide the nation, US imperialists and their
lackies intended to disregard the Geneva Treaty and bring troops to
invade the south to turn it into a new colony in order to attack the
north.
In that situation, the Party defined the path
to liberate the south as a revolutionary path. The Party advocated the
speedy assistance of personnel and weapons from the north to southern
battlefields and organised team 559 to open a land route passing the
Truong Son Mountain Range – the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail.
On Oct. 23, 1961, the Ministry of Defence decided to establish
military transport team 759 to embark on a new strategy – the Ho Chi
Minh Trail at Sea – to transport soldiers and weapons to the
southern battlefields, especially places where the Ho Chi Minh Trail
land route on the Truong Son Mountain Range could not reach.
During the 14 years from 1961 to 1975, officials and soldiers of teams
759 and 125 of the Naval Service on unmarked ships engaged in heroic
exploits.
Hundreds of ships carrying thousands of
tonnes of weapons, medicine, cargo and tens of thousands of officials
and soldiers were sent to southern, central southern and zone 5
battlefields to joined the people and army to smash the enemy’s plot and
bring the anti-US imperialist war to a victory.
President Sang stressed that the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea is always a
pride of the Vietnamese Army and people. It constitutes a bright symbol
of the revolutionary heroism, brainpower, bravery, iron will and resolve
of the Vietnamese people to gain national independence, freedom and
reunification.
“From the tradition of the Ho Chi Minh
Trail at Sea, we are further aware of the great role of seas and islands
as Uncle Ho has taught: “In the old days, we had only nights and
forests. Nowadays, we have the days, the sky, the sea and a long,
beautiful coastline and we need to protect it,” said the President.
On this occasion, the team of officials and soldiers on the Ho Chi
Minh Trail at Sea under the Ministry of Defence’s Navy Arm were honoured
with the Ho Chi Minh Order, and seven units of Brigade 125 of the Navy
Arm and six individuals were presented with the title of Hero of the
People’s Armed Force.
Earlier, a delegation of leaders
of the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and Fatherland Front
led by President Truong Tan Sang offered incense at Do Son’s wharf K15
in commemoration of fallen soldiers who laid down their lives on the Ho
Chi Minh Trail at Sea./.