A legacy of unwavering faith

In the bustling Tan Dinh ward of Ho Chi Minh City, the small house at 113A Dang Dung Street stands silently amidst the comings and goings of people. Outwardly, it's just an old two-story house with wooden doors and yellowed walls that have faded with time. Few would guess that more than half a century ago, this place was one of the secret bases of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces, a place that was both the most dangerous and the safest.

Perfect casing

Following the 1954 Geneva Accords, the country was temporarily divided into two regions. The Southern government intensified its repression, searching, arresting, and terrorizing. Revolutionary forces in Saigon-Gia Dinh operated under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions. It was in this context that the Saigon-Gia Dinh City Party Committee directed the construction of a system of secret revolutionary bases deep within enemy territory, creating "silent fortresses" amidst the bustling city.

According to Colonel Nguyen Thanh Trung, Political Commissar of the Ho Chi Minh City Command, the Tan Dinh area was chosen at that time because of its strategic location: the center of Saigon - Gia Dinh, near major roads… convenient for mobility, observation, and easy integration into daily life. The people here were mostly laborers, patriotic, and had participated in the resistance against the French, so they strongly supported the revolution.

The house at 113A Dang Dung Street was built in 1946 under the direction of People's Armed Forces Hero Tran Van Lai (alias Nam Lai, Mai Hong Que, Nam U.SOM), a commander of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces. Legally, the house was registered under the names of Mr. Do Mien and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Su, creating a perfect and legitimate family cover. To facilitate operations, the "Do Phu Rice Restaurant" was established. Opposite the restaurant was the engineering barracks of South Korean soldiers, allies of the US and the Republic of Vietnam.

Understanding customer psychology, Mr. and Mrs. Do Mien added kimchi to the menu, both to please customers and to rationalize the bustling flow of people. The affectionate name "Dai Han Broken Rice" also appeared naturally, becoming a vibrant facade, sustaining itself and masking any suspicion.

Young people visit and learn about history at house number 113A Dang Dung Street, Tan Dinh Ward.

Unlike the massive weapons caches (like the one at 287/70 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Street, Ban Co Ward), the facility at 113A Dang Dung Street served a special function: a liaison station and information processing center. In that small house, secrets were concealed with astonishing sophistication. On the second floor, there was a hidden compartment – ​​a wall-mounted mailbox, only about 20cm wide, cleverly concealed beneath the wooden floor.

Letters and documents were placed in metal cans and lowered down using a small rope. This method allowed for quick and discreet exchange. Also located here, right at the bottom of the wardrobe, was an escape tunnel leading to other routes... In case of trouble, the liaison officer could escape from inside the house within minutes.

Mr. Do Tan Cuong, the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Do Mien, recounted: "Back then, the rice restaurant was where liaison officers met, exchanged letters, and held meetings. My house was situated between two enemy strongholds; on one side was the house of General Ngo Quang Truong (Commander of the 1st Corps, Republic of Vietnam), and diagonally across was the People's Self-Defense headquarters. But my parents believed in the revolution, and the most dangerous place turned out to be the safest. And indeed, the enemy never suspected that under this roof was a base of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces."

A vivid testament to the people's support.

The story of house 113A Dang Dung is not only a memory of a revolutionary base, but also a vivid testament to the people's support in people's war. Surrounded by the enemy, without the protection of the people, these "silent fortresses" could not have survived. Every resident of Tan Dinh at that time was a "hidden soldier," silently keeping secrets and protecting those they believed were fighting for independence and freedom.

After reunification, Mr. and Mrs. Do Mien - Nguyen Thi Su handed over the house to Mr. Tran Van Lai, who directly led and was closely associated with the base throughout the years of resistance. To this day, the house still retains its special details: the wooden cabinet concealing the escape tunnel, the wooden staircase leading to the attic, and the corner of the wall that once served as a "living mailbox," now weathered by time.

According to Dr. Vo Thi Anh Tuyet (University of Social Sciences and Humanities - Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City), to maximize the value of historical sites, it is necessary to combine the preservation of physical objects with the digitization of documents, 3D scanning of space, and the creation of virtual reality (VR/AR) tours. The "living museum" model in the form of a historical cafe here is an innovative approach that needs support and replication. House No. 113A Dang Dung could completely become a highlight in the "Following the Footsteps of the Saigon Commandos" tourist route, connecting with other historical sites such as the Commando Museum (No. 145 Tran Quang Khai, Tan Dinh Ward), the weapons bunker (No. 287/70 Nguyen Dinh Chieu, Ban Co Ward)...

Associate Professor Dr. Ha Minh Hong (Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Historical Science Association) commented: "The house at 113A Dang Dung Street is a vivid testament to the ingenuity, courage, and creativity of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces. This force was established earliest during the resistance against the French and also disbanded earliest after the country's reunification, so many bases and soldiers operated independently, without records or documents left behind. Therefore, recording and preserving these bases is of special significance."

More than half a century has passed, yet the house at 113A Dang Dung Street remains, each brick, each step of the staircase carrying the story of ordinary people who dedicated themselves to the Fatherland. The place that once echoed with the sounds of knives and cutting boards, the smoke of cooking mingled with the smoke of war, has now become a symbol of resilience and patriotism. Today, amidst the bustling life, this "silent fortress" continues to tell, in its own unique way, the story of the ordinary people who accomplished extraordinary things, a tale of Saigon - Gia Dinh - Ho Chi Minh City.

OCEAN

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/di-san-cua-niem-tin-son-sat-post824952.html