Veteran naval officers and soldiers shared their memories about thefirst victory of the Vietnam People’ Navy 50 years ago at a talk showbroadcast on central Thanh Hoa province’s TV channel on August 5.
In the programme, Colonel Nguyen Xuan Bot, formercaptain of the ship coded 333 and commander of detachment 3, Battalion135 recalled how his ship and three others faced the US destroyerUSS Maddox.
“I ordered three of our patrolships to approach the enemy ship from different directions to distracttheir attention so that one of us can get closer and launch torpedoes atit.”- he said.
The then secretary of Hau Loc district partycommittee, Le Xuan Na talked about the bravery of local people who senttheir boats to the site of the battle to bring back wounded soldiers.More than 2,000 people were mobilized to repair a 6km road in order totimely transfer the wounded to hospital, and many others donated bloodto save the soldiers.
Audiences of the talk showalso had a chance to hear the wife of a naval officer talk about herfamily’s everyday life while her husband is on duty at sea. She addedthat the family is always a great source of encouragement and love forhim to fulfill his duties.
In early 1964, the USdecided to expand the war in Vietnam by dispatching destroyer USSMaddox deep inside the northern waters, in an attempt to save its“Special War” strategy.
Detachment 3 of theNavy’s Battalion 135 was ordered to secretly set up an ambush on Hon Neisland, Thanh Hoa province, waiting for the USS Maddox.
On August 2, 1964, when the USS Maddox was about 9 nautical milesfrom Hon Me, detachment 3 soldiers and their vessels started anoffensive, braving bursts of bombs and firings to chase the destroyerout of the waters, shoot down a plane and damage others. -VNA
In the programme, Colonel Nguyen Xuan Bot, formercaptain of the ship coded 333 and commander of detachment 3, Battalion135 recalled how his ship and three others faced the US destroyerUSS Maddox.
“I ordered three of our patrolships to approach the enemy ship from different directions to distracttheir attention so that one of us can get closer and launch torpedoes atit.”- he said.
The then secretary of Hau Loc district partycommittee, Le Xuan Na talked about the bravery of local people who senttheir boats to the site of the battle to bring back wounded soldiers.More than 2,000 people were mobilized to repair a 6km road in order totimely transfer the wounded to hospital, and many others donated bloodto save the soldiers.
Audiences of the talk showalso had a chance to hear the wife of a naval officer talk about herfamily’s everyday life while her husband is on duty at sea. She addedthat the family is always a great source of encouragement and love forhim to fulfill his duties.
In early 1964, the USdecided to expand the war in Vietnam by dispatching destroyer USSMaddox deep inside the northern waters, in an attempt to save its“Special War” strategy.
Detachment 3 of theNavy’s Battalion 135 was ordered to secretly set up an ambush on Hon Neisland, Thanh Hoa province, waiting for the USS Maddox.
On August 2, 1964, when the USS Maddox was about 9 nautical milesfrom Hon Me, detachment 3 soldiers and their vessels started anoffensive, braving bursts of bombs and firings to chase the destroyerout of the waters, shoot down a plane and damage others. -VNA
