The first victory monument of the Vietnam People's Navy was built at Lach Truong estuary.
More than 6 decades have passed, but the victory of the first battle (August 2 and 5, 1964) still retains its value. Through each page of the book, through each "red address" visited, the atmosphere of a time of fire and bullets and the image of brave and resilient naval soldiers fighting to their last breath to defend the Fatherland's sky are clearly recreated. At that time, to save the failure of the "Special War" strategy, the US imperialists decided to step up the war of aggression in the South with a new strategy and launch a "War of Destruction" against the North, which they considered the "root" and support of the Southern revolution.
To carry out the plan to attack the North with a pre-prepared "scenario", the US imperialists used the navy to "lock" the seaports of the North, used aircraft to launch coastal bombing campaigns, inland targets and hunt for North Vietnam naval bases to destroy. The US imperialists determined that they had to "have a campaign to provoke North Vietnam" to create an excuse. Accordingly, on the night of July 30, they sent commando ships to bombard Hon Me Island (Thanh Hoa) and Hon Ngu Island (Nghe An). On the night of July 31, early morning of August 1, 1964, the destroyer Madoc entered the waters of Quang Binh to collect intelligence and provoke the Vietnam People's Navy. On August 2, 1964, after the Madoc ship was chased away by the torpedo boats of the Vietnamese navy, forcing them to withdraw from Vietnam's waters, the US immediately loudly accused "Vietnamese torpedo boats unjustly attacked the US Madoc ship sailing in international waters..." in order to have an excuse to "punish the North Vietnamese navy". At noon on August 5, 1964, they used 8 jet planes to attack Ben Thuy - Vinh city. The large-scale attack by the US air force on North Vietnam officially began.
Faced with the enemy's sinister plot, in March 1964, President Ho Chi Minh convened a special political conference. He requested that "the Army and the People's Armed Forces must always be ready to fight...; resolutely smash all actions of the US imperialists and their henchmen". Implementing the policy of the Party Central Committee and President Ho Chi Minh, the Party Committee of the Navy issued a leadership resolution, putting the service into a state of combat readiness with the highest determination.
As the provocative and destructive actions of the US increased, the Navy Command decided to establish a forward command post at the Gianh River base (Quang Binh); mobilize patrol boats of Patrol Zone 1 to increase operations in the waters of Patrol Zone 4; order patrol boat squads of Patrol Zone 2 to leave the port and evacuate to anchorages to both strengthen technical and tactical training and raise vigilance and camouflage carefully to prevent enemy air and frogman attacks. Torpedo boats were put on high combat readiness. Coastal artillery units were transferred to level 2 combat readiness. Agencies and units on shore urgently built trenches and fortifications to avoid and fight the enemy. Officers and soldiers on leave were called back to their units to perform their duties. By the end of July 1964, all combat preparations of the Navy were basically completed.
At exactly 1:30 p.m. on August 2, 1964, the American destroyer Madoc invaded the Hon Me - Lach Truong area ( Thanh Hoa ). When detecting the enemy ship, all three of our torpedo boats increased speed to approach the target. Of which, ship 333 increased speed to block the enemy ship, creating favorable conditions for ships 336 and 339 to attack. At this time, 4 enemy planes appeared in the air to attack our ships. With a brave and tenacious fighting spirit, officers and soldiers of the ships concentrated firepower to burn 1 plane that fell into the sea and injured another; the remaining 2 planes quickly left the combat area. The enemy ship Madoc was also hit by bullets and had to retreat from Vietnam's territorial waters. After 9 years of construction, this was the first battle where the Vietnam People's Navy directly fought with large warships and many modern planes of the US empire.
Immediately after the Madoc ship was driven out of our country's waters on August 2, 1964, the US fabricated the "Gulf of Tonkin Incident" as an excuse to launch a "retaliatory" campaign called "Piercing Arrow". On August 5, they used dozens of aircraft to attack almost simultaneously economic targets and most of the bases, warehouses, and shelters of Vietnamese naval ships along the coast from Gianh Port (old Quang Binh) to Hon Gai, Bai Chay (Quang Ninh), opening a large-scale "Destructive War" plan against the North of our country.
In the Lach Truong sea area, at 2:15 p.m. on August 5, 1964, many groups of enemy aircraft from the East Sea rushed in to bombard from Hon Ne island to Lach Truong estuary. After the alarm bell rang, naval units, Border Guard Station 74, Radar Company, Lach Truong Seafood Enterprise militia and militia guerrillas from communes were present at the combat positions. Three naval ships used machine guns; the radar station and Border Guard Station 74 used 14.5mm guns; militia used infantry guns on boats and militia from communes coordinated closely to fight back the enemy aircraft. The Hoan Truong commune militia platoon was commanded by comrade Tran Van Lu, platoon leader. Despite his old age and poor eyesight, Mr. Tuong calmly took charge of the machine gun with his children and grandchildren to fight. 12 female militia from Hoa Loc commune (formerly) commanded by To Thi Dao used boats to supply ammunition to the naval ships and treat wounded soldiers under the enemy's hail of bullets. Two girls, Nguyen Thi Vy (17 years old) and Le Thi Thao (20 years old), who were not used to the waves, still used a boat to sail out to sea to perform the duties of rescuing and supplying ammunition to naval combat ships... At 3:15 p.m. on August 5, the heroic battle between the army and people in the Hoang Truong area ended, with two American planes shot down and two others damaged.
Together with the three-service air defense force and the people of the provinces: Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Quang Ninh, Quang Binh (old), the navy fought bravely to defeat the "Piercing Arrow" attack, shooting down 8 modern American jet planes, damaging many others, capturing one pilot; causing the American imperialist ringleaders surprise and great losses.
The victory on August 2 and 5, 1964 became the first typical feat, opening a heroic page in the history of building, fighting, winning and growing of the Vietnam People's Navy. It was the victory of the people's war policy, comprehensive, relying mainly on one's own strength; the victory of the military art of "using the few to fight the many, using the weak to fight the strong"; of intelligence, of the spirit of daring to fight, determined to fight and knowing how to fight. That victory further enhanced the tradition of the heroic Vietnam People's Army, at the same time creating a great echo in the world, bringing confidence and excitement to millions of people fighting for national independence, democracy, peace and progress in the world.
The army and people of Thanh Hoa are proud to have contributed greatly to the glorious first battle. Today, at the Lach Truong estuary, the First Battle Victory Monument of the Vietnam People's Navy is built majestically, leaning against Con Bo Mountain, in the distance is Ne Island standing tall in the middle of the sea and sky. This is not only a symbol and pride of the Vietnamese navy but also the pride of the heroic Thanh land.
Article and photos: To Phuong
Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/ky-niem-61-nam-chien-thang-tran-dau-cua-hai-quan-nhan-dan-viet-nam-va-quan-dan-mien-bac-2-va-5-8-1964-2-va-5-8-2025-nbsp-tran-dau-lung-lay-chien-cong-256960.htm
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