Heroic memories
About 1 km east of the 30th milestone and the National Gate, the Memorial House of Martyrs of Border Guard Station 649 (now Le Thanh International Border Guard Station) is a place for officers, soldiers and people to express their gratitude to the soldiers in green uniforms during the years of fighting to protect the Fatherland's borders. This is also where Border Guard Station 649 was located when it was first established.
The station was established in the context of the country's reunification with difficulties and challenges. Just a few months after its establishment, in early 1976, the unit entered the war to protect the southwestern border that lasted more than 1,000 days and nights. For 3 years, together with other forces, Border Guard Station 649 directly confronted the Khmer Rouge army to firmly protect every inch of the sacred land of the Fatherland.
A typical example is the battle that lasted 9 days and nights (from June 18 to 26, 1978) in the encirclement of a Khmer Rouge battalion fully equipped with firepower. In this deadly battle, our troops coordinated "inside and out, outside and in" to eliminate hundreds of enemies from the battle, confiscate and destroy many vehicles, weapons, and equipment of the enemy.
To achieve victory, 11 outstanding sons of the motherland Vietnam fell at the Le Thanh gateway. With such great contributions, on December 20, 1979, Border Guard Station 649 was honored to be awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the Party and State.
Having participated in this battle, veteran Doan Khanh Tan recalled: “The enemy had a battalion with full firepower, while our side had only 16 people. The enemy fired bullets day and night in an attempt to suppress our morale. But the 16 officers and soldiers in the unit were determined to repel the enemy. Not only did we take advantage of the terrain and terrain to return fire, we also came up with the idea of firing at one position and then quickly jumping to another position to continue firing so that the enemy would think that our side had more people. Gunfire was loud all day and night. I remember firing an M79 shell at the enemy, making them afraid and retreating.
During the battle, it was raining, standing in the trenches with water up to our knees. There was no water to drink, so we had to collect rainwater for use. Sometimes, as soon as we raised the water collection device above our heads, the enemy would shoot a bullet and puncture it, so we had to use another one to collect more water.
In peacetime, the unit's officers and soldiers have made outstanding achievements in carrying out the task of maintaining the country's borders. In the past 5 years, the Le Thanh International Border Gate Border Guard Station has been continuously honored with many noble awards. For example, in 2025, the unit was awarded a certificate of merit by the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee for its contributions to organizing and carrying out the tasks of building, managing, protecting border security and sovereignty and building the Provincial Border Guard on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the Gia Lai Border Guard's Traditional Day (April 15, 1965 - April 15, 2025).
Continue the epic
50 years have passed, Le Thanh International Border Gate today has grown to become the gateway for integration between Vietnam and Cambodia. On that journey of transformation, the officers and soldiers of Le Thanh International Border Gate Border Guard Station have left a strong mark.
Not only maintaining each border line and landmark, generations of officers and soldiers of the unit also contribute to building infrastructure, promoting border diplomacy , protecting border security and improving people's lives. From 2020 to now, the unit has deployed 32 border patrols and controls with 214 officers and soldiers participating and maintaining 2 border management posts and preventing illegal entry and exit; coordinating bilateral patrols with Cambodian forces.
In the fight against crime, in 2024, the unit presided over, independently and coordinated with the authorities to arrest and handle 6 cases/7 subjects violating regulations on entry and exit, illegal storage of firecrackers and illegal storage of forest products. In 2025, the soldiers in green uniforms also participated in building a house worth 105 million VND for a disadvantaged household in the border commune of Ia Dom (Duc Co district). The unit also focused on propagating and improving legal knowledge for people in the border area.
Senior Lieutenant Trinh Van Cao Nguyen - Head of the Reconnaissance Team of Le Thanh International Border Post - shared: "We, the young generation, are willing to make more efforts to continue the feats and outstanding achievements that the unit has achieved in the past time. I myself always actively learn, strictly follow the orders of my superiors and am determined to complete the assigned tasks well. In addition, I continue to help people develop the economy and improve their legal knowledge."
Talking to reporters, Lieutenant Colonel Do Nhu Kien - Head of Le Thanh International Border Guard Station - said: Promoting the tradition of 50 years of building, fighting and growing, in the coming time, the unit will continue to uphold the spirit of solidarity, overcome all difficulties and hardships, determined to firmly protect the sovereignty and security of the national border in all situations; be vigilant, resourceful, brave in combat, determined to defeat all enemies, resolutely fight against all types of crime; contribute to maintaining international solidarity, building a peaceful and friendly border with our friend Cambodia.
The officers and soldiers will also continue to be closely attached to the people, unite and coordinate with other sectors and forces; promote the combined strength in building and protecting the border.
Source: https://baogialai.com.vn/don-bien-phong-cua-khau-quoc-te-le-thanh-50-nam-vung-buoc-noi-bien-cuong-post320186.html
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