Intelligence officers - the architects of silent victories.

Mr. Tran Le recounts the glorious years of Team 7.

In the heart of enemy territory - silent footsteps

During the years of resistance against the US, Tay Ninh province served as both the frontline and the rear base of the revolution in Southern Vietnam. Mount Ba Den, the Tan Bien, Tan Chau, and Chau Thanh areas were not only bases for the main army units but also shelters, training grounds, and strategic intelligence networks. From here, hundreds of intelligence officers were sent into Saigon, Cambodia, or to key strategic areas, carrying out the mission of gathering and transmitting information, paving the way for resounding victories later on. Among them, the 7th Reconnaissance Team (Military Intelligence Department of the Southern Region) stood firm, fought bravely, and provided crucial information that contributed to the safety of the Central Committee of the Southern Region and the Command Headquarters of the Southern Region.

Mr. Vu Tran Tac (also known as Tran Le, originally from Ba Tri district, Ben Tre province), currently residing in Binh Minh ward, was the Political Commissar of the Reconnaissance Team from its inception. In his memory are 4,806 days and nights of hardship and heroic struggle alongside his comrades on the slopes of Mount Ba Den. Mr. Le stated that from the very beginning of the war of aggression against Vietnam, the American army had built a "watchtower" on the mountaintop. This observation post covered a vast area, pinpointing coordinates for artillery and air strikes to suppress our activities. Eliminating this stronghold would "blind the enemy" and expand our control, widening the strategic corridor to the north and northwest of Saigon, creating favorable conditions for subsequent military operations. On February 20, 1962, the Reconnaissance Team was established with 14 members, designated A14, with Mr. Tran Le as its Political Commissar. Mount Phung (part of the Ba Den mountain range) was the base of operations. Each person created their own cave to live in and store food and supplies.

“We were tasked with establishing observation posts to monitor all enemy activities attacking the base in the region, fighting to halt the enemy's advance; organizing a people's intelligence network to gather information on the enemy in the Tay Ninh town area and its surroundings; preparing ammunition, food, supplies, and medicine for long-term combat and operations; and being able to retaliate and hold out for at least 1-2 months when the enemy attacked or was surrounded,” said Mr. Tran Le.

The reconnaissance team arrived at the Yen Ngua area in Phung Mountain (part of the Ba Den Mountain range) to establish a base. Each person created their own cave to live in and stockpile food. The reconnaissance team also received assistance from local people in terms of food and intelligence. In January 1964, the reconnaissance team was reinforced with two platoots, redesignated as C14, and in March 1969, C14 was reinforced with another platoon, renamed Regiment 7. At that time, Regiment 7 was very active; enemy military activities such as the movement of infantry, tanks, military vehicles, and heavy artillery were all detected and destroyed by the soldiers. Simultaneously, they provided many important pieces of information to our forces. Therefore, the enemy was determined to destroy this base at all costs, organizing many attacks on the Ba Den Mountain range.

During their 13 heroic years of resistance, the officers and soldiers of Regiment 7 fought more than 30 battles; killed and wounded 1,941 enemy soldiers; shot down 8 helicopters, destroyed 56 military vehicles, and seized a large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and military supplies.

An unnamed victory

Intelligence work is a battle of wits between life and death. Some fall without a name known, while others survive but carry the memory of their fallen comrades for the rest of their lives.

Lieutenant General Trieu Xuan Hoa - former Commander of Military Region 7, along with former Secretary of the Tay Ninh Provincial Party Committee Le Thi Ban and delegates who were former intelligence officers and soldiers, attended the reunion of Brigade 7 and Reconnaissance Battalion 47 in Tan Ninh ward on October 24, 2025.

In mid-October, we had the opportunity to meet Lieutenant General Trieu Xuan Hoa, Hero of the People's Armed Forces, former Commander of Military Region 7, and former Deputy Head of the Steering Committee for the Central Highlands. He still vividly remembers his time operating in Tay Ninh. He and his comrades provided much important information and participated in the Spring Offensive of 1975. Lieutenant General Trieu Xuan Hoa slowly recounted: From mid-1974, the 47th Reconnaissance Battalion was assigned the task of attacking and destroying the Saigon army's communications base on the summit of Ba Den Mountain. The 47th Reconnaissance Battalion organized four assaults on the mountain from four directions. He was assigned as a liaison soldier for the superior officer who came to command the battle. The battle unfolded with extreme ferocity.

The Liberation flag flies atop Ba Den Mountain on January 7, 1975 (Photo courtesy of Tay Ninh Newspaper's battlefield correspondent)

After 31 days and nights of heroic fighting by the soldiers of Regiment 7 and Reconnaissance Battalion 47 under a hail of bombs and bullets, at 1:00 AM on January 6, 1975, the US-puppet regime's communications base on Ba Den Mountain was razed to the ground. Throughout that fierce battle, 181 comrades sacrificed their lives for a greater cause, leading the nation to the great victory on the historic April 30th. On February 28, 1975, Reconnaissance Battalion 47 handed over the Ba Den Mountain base to Battalion 14 in Tay Ninh to take on other duties. The Lieutenant General stated: “At that time, the General Offensive and Uprising throughout South Vietnam entered its decisive phase. The 47th Reconnaissance Battalion was ordered to reinforce the units of the 232nd Regiment. I was assigned to the deep penetration reconnaissance unit of the 47th Battalion. The unit's task was to quickly move to the Binh Chanh area, monitor enemy activities along Highway 4, from Binh Chanh to Ben Luc. Every day, the teams advanced, setting up observation posts about 500 meters from Highway 4 to monitor enemy movements from Saigon to the West and vice versa, reporting back to the Command Headquarters every three hours.”

On April 26, 1975, the Ho Chi Minh Campaign began. His unit did not participate in the southwestern advance into downtown Saigon, but was assigned to set up an observation post at an unnamed canal near Binh Dien Bridge, tasked with monitoring enemy movements and the movements of Saigon army units on National Highway 4.

With peace restored, he was once again present on every battlefield, defending the southwestern border and carrying out international missions. The image of an intelligence officer in the Swallow and Dove units, infiltrating deep into enemy territory to connect with progressive and insurgent forces to build the current Royal Cambodian Army, is like a captivating espionage film. “Without the people, there would be no us. We are also very proud to have been in those ranks – those who fought without gunfire, but every report, every signal sent contributed to changing the destiny of the country,” Mr. Hoa said.

From the darkness of the mountains and forests to the light of peace, the journey of those intelligence agents of yesteryear remains a symbol of absolute loyalty, intellectual strength, and the courage of the Vietnamese people. They deserve to be called "the architects of silent victories" - those who have, are, and will forever protect the Fatherland with unwavering hearts and beliefs.

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