The immortal epic of 60 years since the Ham Rong victory.

(NLĐO) - The 60th anniversary of the Ham Rong victory remains an immortal epic, leaving behind valuable lessons and profound meanings for present and future generations.

On the evening of April 3rd, the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee solemnly organized a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Ham Rong victory (April 3rd and 4th, 1965 - April 3rd and 4th, 2025). Attending the ceremony were Mr. Do Trong Hung, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Deputy Head of the Central Organization Department; Mr. Nguyen Doan Anh, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam and Secretary of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee; leaders of central ministries and agencies; leaders of Thanh Hoa province; and thousands of citizens.

Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Doan Anh delivered a speech at the commemoration ceremony.

Speaking at the commemoration ceremony, Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Doan Anh said that this was an opportunity to recall the heroic fighting tradition, courageous spirit, and unwavering will of the previous generations, while also arousing pride and responsibility in the present generation in the cause of building and protecting the Fatherland in general, and Thanh Hoa province in particular.

"The victory at Ham Rong was the culmination of many factors, including the wise leadership of the Party and beloved Uncle Ho, who united and embodied the patriotic spirit of the entire nation, along with the unwavering will, resourcefulness, and creativity of the army and people of Thanh Hoa, who overcame countless difficulties and hardships, fought bravely and heroically, and made sacrifices to achieve glorious victories. The air defense and air force soldiers, regular troops, militia, workers, youth volunteers, and people of Thanh Hoa wrote an epic with their courage and selfless actions for the Fatherland," Secretary Nguyen Doan Anh stated.

Central and provincial leaders of Thanh Hoa attended the commemoration ceremony.

According to Secretary Nguyen Doan Anh, the Ham Rong victory, along with many other exemplary victories of our army and people in the battles to defend the Ghep Ferry and the Len Ferry, and the noble sacrifice of the teachers and students of the Medical School and the 7+3 Teacher Training School on the Ma River dike construction site in 1972... further enhanced the glorious tradition of the heroic Thanh Hoa homeland, contributing to the Great Victory of Spring 1975, liberating the South and unifying the country.

The Battle of Ham Rong became an immortal monument, a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people in the face of all invading enemies. It was also the first major defeat of the US Air Force in the skies of North Vietnam, affirming the strength of the Vietnamese people's war.

Leaders and a large number of people attended the ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary of the Ham Rong victory.

Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Secretary Nguyen Doan Anh affirmed that 60 years have passed, but the Ham Rong victory remains an immortal epic, leaving behind valuable lessons and profound significance for present and future generations.

Building on the spirit of the Ham Rong victory, Secretary Nguyen Doan Anh stated that in the coming time, the Party Committee, government, and people of Thanh Hoa are determined to unite and work together to build Thanh Hoa into a prosperous, beautiful, civilized, and modern province, a comprehensively developed and exemplary province of the whole country, worthy of the contributions of the generations of ancestors who fought and sacrificed for our peaceful life.

A moment of solemnity before the red flag with a yellow star.

Hero of the People's Armed Forces Ngo Thi Tuyen, a witness to the defense of Ham Rong Bridge 60 years ago.

Mr. Le Xuan Giang, a former soldier of Ham Rong, delivered a speech at the commemoration ceremony.

Outstanding artistic performances

Recreating the image of the soldiers and people of Thanh Hoa protecting the Ham Rong Bridge in the past.

With the aim of cutting off the supply lines between North and South Vietnam, from 1964 to 1973, the US Department of Defense directly directed the plan to destroy the Ham Rong bridge in order to sever the vital supply route.

At exactly 8:45 AM on April 3, 1965, the US launched a series of surprise bombing raids, starting from Do Len, Tinh Gia, Nong Cong, and advancing into the key Ham Rong area. On the first day, the US used 102 squadrons of fighter planes to launch intense attacks for three hours. Not stopping there, on April 4, the US continued to use a large force of aircraft to bomb with high speed and intensity, launching an attack every 10 minutes.

Despite intense bombing raids by American aircraft, threats from all sides, and heavy bombardment with state-of-the-art weapons and war equipment, the people and soldiers of Thanh Hoa province, across all battlefields and combat positions, held their ground tenaciously, employing intelligent, bold, and unexpected tactics, determined to fight and win to protect their homeland. The names of enemy aircraft—from "thunder god," "ghost," "heavenly enemy," "intruder," to "flying fortress"—were all shot down by the people and soldiers of Thanh Hoa.

Over two days (April 3rd and 4th, 1965), the people and armed forces of Thanh Hoa shot down 47 American aircraft, with 31 of them shot down in the Ham Rong area alone. The Americans had to bitterly admit: "Those were two dark days for the American air force."

Source: https://nld.com.vn/ban-hung-ca-bat-tu-60-nam-ham-rong-chien-thang-196250403222848419.htm