Attending the meeting were Lieutenant General Vi Van Man, former member of the Party Central Committee, former Political Commissar of Military Region 1; Lieutenant General, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Nguyen Nhu Hoat, former Commander of Regiment 4, Division 337, former Director of the National Defense Academy, Head of the Liaison Committee of Lang Son Front, Corps 14; Lieutenant General Duong Cong Suu, former Deputy Commander of Military Region 1; Major General, Associate Professor, Dr. Hoang Manh An, former Director of Military Hospital 103 (Military Medical Academy); representatives of agencies, departments and branches of Lang Son province, Military Region 1, Economic -Defense Group 337 and more than 1,700 members of the Liaison Committee of Veterans of Division 337 in 29 provinces and cities nationwide.

Lieutenant General, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Nguyen Nhu Hoat spoke at the meeting.

On July 28, 1978, the 337th Infantry Division was officially established at Coi Market, Hung Loc Commune, Vinh City, Nghe Tinh Province (now Nghe An Province), ready to carry out international missions to help Laos. While conducting reconnaissance and preparing the area in Laos, on February 17, 1979, war broke out along the entire northern border, from Quang Ninh to Lai Chau. On February 18, 1979, the Ministry of National Defense decided: "Mobilize the 337th Infantry Division of Military Region 4 to reinforce Military Region 1...".

After many days of brave, resilient, resourceful, and creative fighting, with the ideology of "urgency, resilience, and determination to win", the officers and soldiers of Division 337 and other forces of ours defeated many enemy attacks and firmly held the defensive position.

Delegates attended the rally to celebrate the founding day of Division 337.

"On March 10, 1979, after dozens of unsuccessful attacks, the enemy was forced to withdraw troops across the border. Division 337 successfully completed its mission, creating a "Lang Son steel gate", Colonel Chu Lam Hanh, former Division Commander of Division 337, Head of the Division 337 Veterans Liaison Committee, emphasized.

After completing the mission of protecting the northern border, on May 24, 1999, according to Decision No. 739/QD-BQP of the Minister of National Defense, on the basis of changing the mission, Division 337 was renamed Economic-Defense Group 337 under Military Region 4.

At the meeting, the officers and members of the 337th Division Veterans Liaison Committee reviewed the division’s process of building and defending the Fatherland, inspiring the younger generations. The meeting was also an opportunity to pay tribute to and honor nearly 1,000 martyrs of the division who heroically sacrificed their lives in the war to protect the northern border of the Fatherland in 1979.

Colonel Chu Lam Hanh, Head of the liaison committee of the 337th Division's war veterans, presented gifts to policy families in Khanh Khe commune (Van Quan district), Binh Trung and Thanh Loa communes in Cao Loc district, Lang Son province.

On this occasion, the Liaison Committee of War Veterans of Division 337 presented 45 gifts to policy families in Khanh Khe commune (Van Quan district), Binh Trung, Thanh Loa commune of Cao Loc district, Lang Son province.

* Previously, on July 22, cadres and members of the Liaison Committee of War Veterans of Division 337 and delegates offered incense at the Martyrs' Temple in Na Lang village, Thanh Loa commune and the Victory Monument of Division 337 in Binh Trung commune, Cao Loc district, Lang Son province.

The Veterans Liaison Committee of Division 337, Hanoi City, offered incense to commemorate the martyrs of Division 337.

A delegation of former lecturers and youth volunteers from Hanoi Pedagogical University I, a sister unit of Division 337, paid tribute to the martyrs at the Victory Monument of Division 337.

News and photos: THAI KIEN

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