Victory News April 29, 1975: Liberation of Truong Sa archipelago

At 9:00 a.m. on April 29, 1975, the Truong Sa archipelago was completely liberated. The navy and its affiliated forces of Military Region 5 successfully completed a mission of special importance on the seaward front, during the 1975 Spring General Offensive and Uprising.

At 10:00 a.m. the same day, the Politburo and the Central Military Commission instructed the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Command: Continue to attack Saigon as planned; advance with the strongest momentum, liberate and occupy the entire city, disarm the enemy army, and dissolve the enemy's government at all levels.

Naval Special Forces Group 126 patrols the area of the sovereignty marker on the liberated Truong Sa island, April 29, 1975. (Photo: VNA)

In the Southeast direction, from 4:30 a.m., the 2nd Corps began firing at Tan Son Nhat airport. At 5:30 a.m., the 304th Division launched a decisive attack on the enemy at the Infantry School, the armored vehicle parking lot at the Nuoc Trong base, and the Long Binh intersection.

At 10:00 a.m., Regiment 9 occupied the intersection of Route 15, then the entire 304th Division followed Route 15 to occupy Song Buong Bridge, Long Binh base. The penetrating troops quickly moved forward, established contact with Special Forces Group 116 holding Dong Nai Bridge, and prepared to break into the inner city.

In the East, on the morning of April 29, the 341st Division (4th Corps) led by tanks successively destroyed many enemy resistance nests. At the same time, the Corps's penetrating force, the 7th Division, followed Route 1 to destroy the 6th Marine Battalion and a part of the 82nd Regiment (18th puppet Division) 1,500m from Ho Nai, then broke through Tam Hiep and accelerated the attack.

Coordinating with the main forces in these two directions, the coastal forces operated quite effectively. On April 29, Special Forces Group 116 raided the enemy's logistics command post in the southwest of Long Binh, the Long Binh fuel depot, and organized a checkpoint to hold the Dong Nai highway bridge. Special Forces Group 115 captured Ghenh bridge for the second time. Special Forces Group 10 captured Phuoc Khanh, Dong Tranh junction, and burned 10 enemy ships on the Saigon River.

In the Northwest direction, the 198th Special Forces Regiment (3rd Corps) captured Bong Bridge and Sang Bridge and defeated the 81st Airborne Commando Battalion and then handed it over to the 10th Company (64th Regiment) to hold.

In the West and Southwest, on the night of April 29, Regiment 3, Division 9 deployed in the Ba Lac area - Dai Han dike line. Regiment 28, Regiment 24, Infantry Battalion of Long An province expanded their foothold to Can Giuoc, Hung Long, preparing to penetrate deep into southern Saigon.

By the end of April 29, on the entire battlefield, our troops had smashed the enemy's outer defense line, destroying and disintegrating most of the enemy's Divisions 5, 25, 18, 22, and 7. The penetrating troops had advanced to the outskirts, 10 to 20 km from the center of Saigon. The local armed forces were active in all areas, holding the bridges on the way into the city.

In the Southwest region, according to the coordination plan with the Ho Chi Minh campaign, the main and local forces coordinated with the people of the provinces and districts to attack enemy bases and facilities, liberating their localities.

Libra

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/ban-tin-chien-thang-29-4-1975-giai-phong-quan-dao-truong-sa-ar940574.html