The Party, State and people are always grateful to heroes and soldiers who once directly participated in and served on the legendary Ho Chi Minh shipping line during the war against the US , said the top State leader.

President Nguyen Minh Triet made the comment while receiving in Hanoi on April 15 veterans and relatives of soldiers who opened the sea route for unmarked and unnumbered ships to transport weapons and medicines from the North to the southern battlefield.

The soldiers operating on unmarked ships were outstanding examples of the bravery and resilience of the Vietnamese army and people, he said, adding they were also the embodiment of revolutionary heroism and the pride of generations of Vietnamese people, and left valuable lessons about the building of forces and comradeship.

The president asked the association of veterans of the Ho Chi Minh sea route to work closely with sectors and localities to improve living conditions for veterans who have difficult lives, especially war invalids.

Fifty years ago, Mission 759, the precursor of the unmarked ship fleet (Brigade 125 of the Vietnam People’s Navy) was set up and tasked with shipping weapons, equipment and goods to the southern battlefield.

In 14 years, the forces conducted almost 2,000 trips, carrying around 80,000 people, more than 150,000 tonnes of weapons, and tens of thousands of goods items.

These operations helped maintain and develop the revolutionary war and contributed to the nation’s complete victory in 1975, gaining liberation for the South and national reunification.

The Party and State twice conferred the title “Hero of the people’s armed forces” on Brigade 125 – the unmarked ship fleet – and presented the title to five ships and eight individuals./.