The untold story of the gunner from Nghe An on tank 843 that captured the Independence Palace

Two military service

Born and raised in Dien Bich commune, now Ngoc Bich, at the age of 18, young Thai Ba Minh joined the army, assigned to Company 27, Group 22, Military Region 4, trained in Quynh Tam commune (Quynh Luu). After 2 months as a new soldier, he was ordered to go to B, to fight in the South.

Veteran Tran Ngoc Vinh (75 years old) in Bac Chien Thang hamlet, Ngoc Bich commune said that he and Mr. Minh enlisted on the same day and trained in the same unit. When the army was handed over in Vinh Linh (Quang Tri), he was assigned to the 304th Division, while Mr. Minh joined the 203rd Armored Brigade, 2nd Corps. During the years of fighting in Quang Tri, he and Mr. Minh occasionally met each other.

Veteran Tran Ngoc Vinh (middle) is a comrade of Mr. Thai Ba Minh. Photo: Huy Thu

During the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, on the morning of April 30, 1975, in the combat formation of Company 4, Battalion 1, Armored Brigade 203, Sergeant Thai Ba Minh was the number 1 gunner in the crew of T54B tank number 843, with Company Commander, Lieutenant Bui Quang Than as the vehicle commander. The crew also included gunner number 2 Corporal Nguyen Van Ky and driver Corporal Lu Van Hoa.

On the way to attack the Independence Palace, Tank 843 burned 3 enemy tanks and armored vehicles. At 11:00 a.m. on April 30, 1975, Tank 843 crashed into the side gate of the Independence Palace and stalled. Company Commander Bui Quang Than jumped out of the tank and ran to the roof of the Independence Palace to plant the flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam.

Tank 390 followed behind and crashed into the gate of the Independence Palace. This event marked the sacred moment of the nation, the glorious end of the resistance war against America to save the country.

Tank crew 843 during the Ho Chi Minh campaign. Gunner Thai Ba Minh (second from left). Photo: Document.

At this historic moment, in addition to Sergeant Thai Ba Minh - gunner number 1 of tank 843, also from Nghe An, there was also Sergeant Ngo Sy Nguyen (Dien Ky commune, Dien Chau district) who was gunner number 1 of tank 390.

After the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, soldier Thai Ba Minh was demobilized and returned to his hometown. In 1977, he married Ms. Dang Thi Tuyen - a village girl in the area. Ms. Tuyen said that the two had been in love for several years, but only got married when Mr. Minh was demobilized.

Tank 843 participated in the parade after the liberation of the South and national reunification. Photo: Document

In early 1979, when the Northern Border War broke out, following the general mobilization order, veteran Thai Ba Minh enlisted for the second time, participating in the fight against the Chinese army in Lang Son. During the years when Mr. Minh re-enlisted, Mrs. Tuyen visited and encouraged her husband at the border front.

In 1982, he returned to his hometown to participate in production, worked as a cooperative warehouse keeper, commune team leader... with the enthusiasm of a veteran.

Pride of family and homeland

50 years after the great victory in the spring of 1975, two tanks crashed through the gate of the Independence Palace at noon on April 30, 1975 - artifacts of special significance in the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign have been recognized as national treasures. The 4th tank company of the 203rd Armored Brigade, Colonel Bui Quang Than was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces...

Mrs. Dang Thi Tuyen lights incense before her husband's altar. Photo: Huy Thu

The tank crew of that year, some are still alive, some are gone, but the vivid historical story associated with the legendary tank is forever a testament to a heroic period of fighting of the nation. Currently, tank 483 is on display at the Vietnam Military History Museum (Hanoi).

When mentioning her late husband - the number 1 gunner on tank 843, Mrs. Tuyen (72 years old) with white hair shared: These days, the whole country is looking towards Ho Chi Minh City, watching the training atmosphere of the armed forces to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, I am extremely moved, honored and proud, because my husband and relatives contributed to the great victory of the nation. Unfortunately, my husband passed away early, so I could not witness this scene.

Ms. Dang Thi Tuyen next to the portrait of Mr. Thai Ba Minh. Photo: Huy Thu

According to Ms. Tuyen, when he was still living in his hometown, Mr. Minh returned to visit his unit several times and reunited with his old comrades. In 1995, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, during a meeting of the tank soldiers of the 203rd Armored Brigade, he took a photo with the members of the 843rd tank crew. This was also the last photo he took with his comrades.

In 2009, upon receiving an invitation from the unit, at which time Mr. Minh had passed away, Ms. Tuyen and her youngest son went to the North to attend the program commemorating the “50th anniversary of the Armored Corps’ tradition”. In her house, there is currently a photo of a tank crashing into the gate of the Independence Palace, signed by Colonel Bui Quang Than.

The invitation from the Armored Command is being kept by Ms. Tuyen. Photo: Huy Thu

The only military souvenir that Mr. Minh left for Mrs. Tuyen’s family now is his party membership card, which has been stained by time and most of the letters have faded. Holding the card in her hand, his daughter burst into tears: “I miss you so much, Dad.”

Veteran Thai Ba Niem (67 years old) - Mr. Minh's younger brother said: "The two times he enlisted, all the documents, medals and awards he brought back were swept away by the flood, the family could not keep anything."

Ms. Thai Thi Duyen - the second daughter of Mr. Minh and his wife burst into tears when holding her father's keepsake. Photo: Huy Thu

For the people of the coastal village of Ngoc Bich commune (Dien Chau), Mr. Thai Ba Minh, along with his stories of fighting and defeating enemies on all battlefields, and being a tank gunner who captured the Independence Palace, have become unforgettable memories for many generations.

Local people often refer to him by the affectionate name "Mr. Minh Xe" (when he was young, people often called him Cu Xe). Everyone still remembers the number 1 gunner with a thin figure, dark skin, often appearing on the beach with fishing nets, a raincoat made of sedge mats...

Every April 30th, when the whole country joyfully celebrates the day of the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, deep in the hearts of the people of the coastal villages, they remember him with great respect and affection.

Concerns of relatives

Mr. Thai Ba Minh is the third child in a family of 8 brothers and sisters (4 brothers joined the army, participated in the resistance war against the US and did international missions). Veteran Thai Ba Niem - Mr. Minh's younger brother added: In the 90s, life in the countryside was extremely difficult, local people often invited each other to go to the South to fish. At that time, Minh and I also went to the South on the same bus. After working in Sa Huynh (Quang Ngai) for a while, we each went our separate ways, Minh went to Ca Na (Ninh Thuan) and I went to Kien Giang.

Mr. Minh and his wife have 5 children (3 boys, 2 girls), who work far away. Every year, he usually comes home to visit once during Tet, and then leaves again the following year. Although he and his wife work hard all year round, they still cannot get rich.

Mrs. Tuyen recalled that in early 1999, on the 30th day of the Lunar New Year, her family received the bad news that Mr. Minh had passed away on a fishing boat in Ninh Thuan, leaving her and her mother speechless.

Her husband died at the age of 47, leaving behind Mrs. Tuyen and her young children, the youngest of whom, Thai Ba Vuong, was only 9 years old at that time. Mrs. Tuyen became a widow, both mother and father, raising her children alone.

Mrs. Tuyen's family house in Quyet Thang hamlet, Ngoc Bich commune (Dien Chau). Photo: Huy Thu

The mother and her six children lived in a dilapidated, leaky house, sometimes hungry, sometimes full. When she went to the market, the eldest daughter had to stay home to help with chores and take care of her younger siblings. Pitying the widowed mother and orphaned child, in 2000, the paternal and maternal relatives borrowed money and supported the mother and her children to build a two-room house with tiled roof and meter-long beams.

Ms. Tuyen shared: Due to difficult family circumstances, the children did not have a full education, only studying until grade 6 and grade 7, then had to drop out of school to work to help their mother.

Decades have passed, life in the fishing village has changed a lot, but her family seems to remain the same. Currently, her two daughters have married people in the village. The eldest son works in Binh Thuan, has been married for 10 years but has no children. The two younger children are working on the island.

Inside the old, dilapidated house of Ms. Tuyen's family. Photo: Huy Thu

Ms. Tuyen is living alone in an old, dilapidated house with cracked and crumbling walls, sagging tiles, and crooked windows...

Lighting incense on her husband's altar in the middle of the house, Mrs. Tuyen could not hide her worries: Mr. Minh's grave had been exhumed and moved back to his hometown by his brothers several years ago for his wife and children to take care of, now all that remained was the old, dilapidated house that had not been renovated.

“I have been sick all the time and my son is also having difficulties so I cannot repair the house. Previously, I called Mr. Minh’s old unit to ask for help from the collective and his teammates, but for a long time there was no news,” said Ms. Tuyen.

Ms. Dang Thi Tuyen said she called her old unit twice to ask for financial help to renovate her house. Photo: Huy Thu

Referring to Mrs. Tuyen's family, Mr. Dau Trong Quyet - Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ngoc Bich Commune (Dien Chau) shared: "On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the Veterans Association of the commune organized a visit, encouraged and gave gifts to Mrs. Tuyen's family. We see that Mrs. Tuyen's family is very difficult and needs help to repair and rebuild the house."

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Source: https://baonghean.vn/chuyen-chua-ke-ve-phao-thu-que-nghe-an-tren-xe-tang-843-danh-chiem-dinh-doc-lap-10295898.html