President Nguyen Xuan Phuc speaks at the meeting with the liaison board of the war veterans’ association of Division 341 on December 12. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc had a meeting with the liaison board of the war veterans’ association of Division 341 in Hanoi on December 12. The event took place on the occasion of the 78th founding anniversary of the Vietnam People’s Army (December 22), the 33rd anniversary of the All People’s National Defence Festival, and 50 years since the “Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu Battle in the Air” victory.
On November 23, 1972, facing urgent requests on the battlefield, Infantry Division 341 was established under the name “Song Lam” (Lam River) Division. The division joined the people in the struggles to liberate the country, safeguard the southwestern border, and perform their international duty in Cambodia.
Fighting different wars, more than 3,000 officers and soldiers of Division 341 laid down their lives while over 9,000 sustained injuries.
With remarkable feats of arms, the division has been honoured with the title of “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” twice, the Ho Chi Minh Order once, the first-class Feat Order twice, and many other noble awards.
Expressing his admiration for the feats of arms of Division 341 officers and soldiers, President Phuc highly valued the veterans’ maintenance of the virtues of “Uncle Ho’s Soldiers”, solidarity, assistance for disadvantaged members, and search for and repatriation of martyrs’ remains.
He asked the liaison board’s members to set examples for their descendants to follow, join hands with the Vietnamese War Veterans’ Association and the Vietnam Fatherland Front to contribute to national development, and continue supporting disadvantaged veterans and martyrs’ families.
The State leader also told the Ministry of National Defence and Military Region 4 to create more conditions for Division 341 to uphold its traditions and fulfill all assigned duties./.
VNA