Deputy PM seeks heritage tag for war tunnel

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has highly appreciated Quang Tri province for its efforts in healthcare and education and tribute to the families of war heroes and martyrs.

A gate to tunnel Vinh Moc, which was used as a shelter for 60 local families between 1966 and 1972 (Photo: foody.vn)


Hanoi (VNA) - Deputy PrimeMinister Vu Duc Dam has visited the central province of Quang Tri.

He highly appreciated the locality for itsefforts in healthcare and education and tribute to the families of war heroesand martyrs.

The Deputy Prime Minister ordered theconcerned agencies in the province to compile a plan to develop sea tourism in CuTung-Cua Viet-Con Co Island, build Thong Nhat Park and compile a dossier on thewar tunnel Vinh Moc to seek UNESCO’s recognition as a world heritage site.

Vinh Moc Tunnel complex is located in VinhMoc village in Vinh Thach commune, Vinh Linh district, in the central provinceof Quang Tri. The tunnel served as a strategic location on the border of North Vietnamand South Vietnam during the American War. It was built to protect people fromthe intense bombing in Son Trung and Son Ha communes in Vinh Linh district of QuangTri province in the Vietnamese Demilitarised Zone.

The villagers of Vinh Moc supplied food andarmaments to the North Vietnamese garrison on the island of Con Co, whichhindered American bombers on their way to bomb Hanoi.

The villagers built the tunnel measuring30m in depth and shifted the entire village there. The tunnel was constructedin several stages beginning in 1966 and was used until early 1972. The complexgrew to include wells, kitchens, rooms for each family and spaces forhealthcare. Some 60 families lived in the tunnel complex, with as many as 17 childrenbeing born inside.

The tunnel proved to be a success as novillager died. The only direct hit was a bomb that failed to explode, and theresulting hole was used as a ventilation shaft. - VNA
VNA

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