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President Truong Tan Sang (second, left) and State officials in northern Hai Phong City commemorate war martyrs who died on the legendary sea route from the North to the South during the American War. — VNA/VNS Photo Trong Duc |
HAI PHONG — A solemn meeting to mark the 50th anniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea was held in the northern Hai Phong port city yesterday.
The event was jointly organised by the Party Central Committee, the Government, the National Assembly and the Viet Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee.
In his speech, President Truong Tan Sang said that the HCM Trail at Sea was the pride of both Viet Nam's armed forces and its people as well as shining example of revolutionary heroism, intelligence, courage and iron will.
"The HCM Trail at Sea served as an excellent transport route for effectively supplying war zones and reflects the strategic vision of President Ho Chi Minh," Sang said.
The President recalled that, after careful preparation on October 23, 1961, the Ministry of Defence decided to establish the HCM Trail at Sea to bring weapons and equipment to areas in the deep South which could not be reached via the HCM Trail along the Truong Son Range.
During 14 years of operation (1961-1975), officers and soldiers of Groups 759 and 125 from the Viet Nam People's Navy (the fleet without license plates) achieved an array of victories despite rough seas and the enemy's modern weapon systems.
Sang said that each voyage had been a tense confrontation entailing wisdom and determination.
"President Ho's teaching "nothing is more precious than independence and freedom" served as the soldiers' only motivation, with many willingly giving up their lives for their homeland," he noted.
The fleet without license plates carried tens of thousands of soldiers from their base in the North to the battlefront in the South.
"Celebrating the 50th anniversary of the HCM Trail at Sea is an opportunity for all of us to deepen our knowledge on the important role of the sea and its islands in socio-economic development, defence and security," Sang said.
On this occasion, the Government presented the Ho Chi Minh Order on officers and soldiers of the HCM Trail at Sea, the title of "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" on seven units affiliated to Brigade 125 as well as six individual post-humous "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" awards.
With 2011 labelled as the Year of the Youth, Nguyen Duc Hanh, secretary of the HCM Communist Youth Union at the Viet Nam Maritime University, voiced commitment to the "study of President Ho Chi Minh's virtue and morality".
Earlier in the day, wreaths were laid alongside the burning of incense in memory of the heroes and martyrs who had died on the legendary sea route. — VNS
