Proactively build up forces and establish a solid air defense posture.

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first victory against the bombing campaign in North Vietnam (August 5, 1964 - August 5, 2024)

Sixty years ago (August 5, 1964), the Air Defense Forces, in coordination with the Navy and the armed forces of Quang Binh , Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, and Quang Ninh provinces, won the first victory in the fight against the US imperialist war of destruction in North Vietnam.

This victory had many causes, the most prominent of which was the proactive building of forces and the timely establishment of an air defense system to counter the enemy right from the start.

Clearly identifying the subversive plots and tactics of the US imperialists against North Vietnam, in June 1964, the Politburo issued a directive: Strengthen combat readiness and thwart the provocative and destructive schemes of the enemy air force against North Vietnam. In compliance with the Politburo's directive, the General Staff ordered a combat readiness alert for all armed forces in North Vietnam and directed the development of air defense forces.

At this time, the 3rd Air Defense Force of the North was organized on a regimental scale (comprising 12 regiments) and battalion scale (2 battalions), equipped with all types of anti-aircraft guns from 37mm to 100mm, 5 platoons of 14.5mm anti-aircraft machine guns, protecting the battlefields, along with an air defense warning system and militia teams to shoot down low-flying aircraft.

To proactively defeat the enemy, the General Staff directed the Air Defense-Air Force Command to coordinate with the navy, deploying anti-aircraft artillery positions to protect naval bases along the coast from Quang Binh to Quang Ninh. Regiment 280 was deployed to protect Vinh City ( Nghe An ), Battalion 217 to protect the Hon Gai-Cam Pha industrial zone (Quang Ninh), and anti-aircraft machine gun platoons to protect radar stations, bases, and warehouses. The three branches of the Air Defense Force were deployed across a vast and dispersed area. Although facing certain difficulties in command and coordination, the officers and soldiers remained united and highly determined to fight.

The Vietnam People's Navy repelled American aircraft over Ha Long Bay on August 5, 1964. (Archival photo)

According to the operational plan, air defense units, along with friendly units and local armed forces, took advantage of opportunities to train on tactical coordination in ambushing and shooting down enemy aircraft flying at medium and low altitudes. The training program reduced theoretical instruction and increased time for practicing individual technical skills and combat coordination between gun crews and air defense forces of the three branches of the armed forces. By July 1964, the work of building up forces and establishing air defense positions in the North had undergone significant changes, ready to counter the enemy in all situations.

After fabricating the "Gulf of Tonkin Incident" to deceive international and domestic public opinion, on August 5, 1964, US President Johnson decided to launch the war, using the air force to conduct an air raid codenamed "Operation Pierce Arrow," with 64 surprise bombing raids along the coast, from Gianh River port (Quang Binh), Cua Hoi-Vinh-Ben Thuy (Nghe An), Lach Truong (Thanh Hoa) to Hon Gai-Bai Chay (Quang Ninh). With high vigilance and readiness, our radar network detected enemy aircraft formations in various directions, reporting to the Ministry of National Defense and the General Staff, who directed anti-aircraft artillery units and naval air defense forces to coordinate closely with local armed forces to promptly counter the enemy aircraft.

The battle began at Cua Hoi-Vinh (Nghe An) at 12:30 PM on August 5, 1964. Companies of the 280th Regiment coordinated closely with naval units, anti-aircraft units on Hon Ngu Island, and militia and self-defense forces, fighting resolutely. Ten minutes later, at Gianh River port (Quang Binh), anti-aircraft units on ships 181 and 183 of the 7th Naval Detachment opened fire promptly when enemy aircraft attacked. At the same time, anti-aircraft units on ships 173, 175, and 177 of the 6th Naval Detachment coordinated with anti-aircraft positions on both banks of the Gianh River, including the Gianh River fishing grounds self-defense forces, the People's Armed Police (now the Border Guard), and militia from several communes in Quang Trach and Bo Trach districts, fighting and intercepting bombing and shelling attacks by enemy aircraft.

At Lach Truong (Thanh Hoa), at 2:30 PM, the anti-aircraft units on naval ships 130, 132, and 146 coordinated with militia forces from several communes in Hau Loc and Hoang Hoa districts, the Lach Truong fisheries self-defense force, and the People's Armed Police Post 74 to fiercely repel enemy aircraft. At Hon Gai-Bai Chay (Quang Ninh), at 2:41 PM, companies 141, 142, and 143 (Battalion 217) coordinated with anti-aircraft units on naval ships in Patrol Zone 1, the People's Armed Police, and militia to continuously repel attacks by enemy aircraft. The battle on August 5, 1964, against the US Air Force lasted from 12:30 PM to 5:00 PM. As a result, we shot down 8 planes, damaged another, captured an American pilot for the first time, and defeated Operation "Piercing Arrow," catching the American government completely by surprise and leaving them stunned.

In the first confrontation with the modern, professional American air force, our army and people achieved victory, strongly boosting the fighting spirit and reinforcing the confidence of the entire nation in daring to fight and determined to defeat the American enemy. Regarding the art of air defense warfare, a notable achievement was our proactive force building and deployment of a three-pronged air defense system, engaging enemy aircraft at low and medium altitudes in a dense, interwoven formation. When enemy aircraft attacked, our air defense forces proactively intercepted and engaged them from various directions, minimizing damage from enemy air raids, protecting naval vessels, and safeguarding key targets. The battle also affirmed the effectiveness of the three-pronged air defense forces in utilizing conventional weapons to defeat the enemy.

The experience of building up forces and establishing air defense positions to win the first battle against the US Air Force was creatively and effectively applied and developed by our army and people throughout the following years, leading to the complete defeat of the US imperialist war of aggression against Vietnam.

According to the People's Army Newspaper

Source: https://www.baoquangbinh.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/202408/ky-niem-60-nam-chien-thang-tran-dau-chong-chien-tranh-pha-hoai-mien-bac-581964-582024-chu-dong-xay-dung-luc-luong-lap-the-tran-phong-khong-vung-chac-2220040/