Unforgettable memories of a private and an architect at the Independence Palace on April 30, 1975

Hanoi man and his teammates escorted the President of the Saigon government

At noon on April 30, 1975, Private Nguyen Huy Hoang, along with his commander and comrades of Regiment 66, Division 304, escorted the then President of the Saigon government, Duong Van Minh, from the Independence Palace to the Saigon radio station to read the declaration of surrender to the liberation army.

“ That was an important order, to let the whole world know that: The Vietnam War had ended, Vietnam had been unified ,” Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang, 74 years old, recalled.

Soldier Nguyen Huy Hoang (far left) and his comrades escorted Saigon government president Duong Van Minh (middle) and Prime Minister Vu Van Mau (bespectacled man in the back) to Saigon radio station to read the declaration of surrender to the liberation army.

... and returned to the Independence Palace (Private Nguyen Huy Hoang is the far left). Photo archive.

As a communicator who always accompanied the regimental officers to convey orders and protect the commander, Private Nguyen Huy Hoang sat in a Jeep with the serial number 15770 and directly took Mr. Duong Van Minh to the radio station.

“ At that moment, my heart was broken. After so many years of resistance, so many comrades fell, now was the moment of total victory. But that joy was accompanied by tears. I remembered my friends who had remained forever in Thuong Duc, at Rach Chiec bridge… The nameless heroes of the glorious day of liberation ,” Mr. Hoang recalled.

The Ho Chi Minh Campaign was not only a lightning-fast military campaign but also a great epic that ended the war of national liberation. Among them, communicators like Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang are authentic and emotional pieces in the great picture of history.

Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang at the meeting with veterans of Regiment 66 in Ho Chi Minh City, April 2025. Photo: NVCC

In 1972, while a student at Hanoi University of Architecture, Nguyen Huy Hoang, like many others, put down his pen and went to the South to fight. After the war, he continued to stay in the army to fight against Fulro bandits.

In October 1976, he left the army and returned to school to continue his studies. After graduating, the architect worked in the construction industry in Hanoi until his retirement. His son will follow in his father's footsteps so that the family will have another architect.

“ Today's young generation should live up to the sacrifices of previous generations, to preserve and promote the values ​​that our nation had to exchange with blood and tears to have today ,” Mr. Nguyen Huy Hoang shared.

“I still write books about my country”

A very beautiful coincidence is that the moment the president of the Saigon government, Duong Van Minh, read the surrender declaration was also witnessed by an architect - Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai.

At noon on April 30, 1975, following the Jeep carrying Mr. Duong Van Minh was another Jeep carrying Mr. Thai and several other people, including German journalist Borries Gallasch, the only person with a tape recorder to record Mr. Duong Van Minh's words.

These were the only two Jeeps running on the streets of Saigon at that time.

At Saigon Radio, it was past noon. The announcement ceremony began, with Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai being trusted to host the program. Without having to write it down, his voice was clear and full of emotion.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai (in white shirt on the right, holding a stack of papers) at the recording of the surrender declaration of the President of the Saigon government, Duong Van Minh (wearing glasses, wearing a black shirt, looking up). File photo.

Born in 1940, this architect has spent a lot of effort over the years on books about historical moments in the past, about the country of Vietnam.

Present in Hanoi on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai introduced his latest book, "April 30, 1975 - 50 years in retrospect".

Architect Nguyen Huu Thai next to a historical photo at the launch of his new book in Hanoi, April 2025. Photo: QL

From an insider's perspective, through the book, Mr. Nguyen Huu Thai provides readers with valuable documents to clarify the important events that took place at the Independence Palace on April 30, 1975, and at the same time offers some of the author's new interpretations of the war.

“ My biggest message in writing the book is that I hope today’s young generation, the generation born in the peace and unification of the country, will have a more comprehensive view of the war so that they can reject the distorted propaganda. Today’s generation living in peace should understand and appreciate the values ​​that we have. The liberation flag raised on the roof of the Independence Palace officially opened a new era for our country .”

He then said he was urgently focusing on a new book also about Vietnam. “ I will write this book in English so that it can reach a wider audience ,” said Mr. Thai.

The 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day is a historic moment for all Vietnamese people, all classes of people, compatriots of all ethnic groups and religions, Party members and all people at home and overseas, millions of people as one, to unite, join hands, and turn towards the Fatherland for the goal of building a prosperous, prosperous, civilized, and happy Vietnam.

Quang Loc

Source: https://congthuong.vn/ky-uc-kho-quen-cua-binh-nhat-va-kien-truc-su-tai-dinh-doc-lap-ngay-3041975-385581.html