In late March, we met historical witnesses who participated in the liberation of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa in April 1975. 50 years have passed since that historic moment, but the memories of the battle at Phuong Hoang Pass, the moment the liberation army entered the coastal city, are still as fresh as if it were yesterday. Just a hint, and the memories flow again in an endless emotion...
Smashing the "steel shield" on Phoenix Pass
In the spring of 1975, after being defeated in the Central Highlands front, the enemy sent the 3rd Airborne Brigade along with the existing forces to set up a defensive line at M'Drak - Phuong Hoang Pass (nearly 20km long, located between Dak Lak - Khanh Hoa) to prevent our troops from advancing to the coastal areas to capture Nha Trang and Cam Ranh - where the enemy had strategic military bases. On March 18, the 10th Division received orders to destroy the enemy's "steel shield" at all costs in M'Drak - Phuong Hoang to advance to liberate Khanh Hoa province. According to Mr. Hoang Gioi - former Chief of Staff of Regiment 24, Division 10 (currently living in Van Thanh ward, Nha Trang), to complete that task, Division 10 was reinforced with the 234th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment, 1 armored tank company... After capturing Khanh Duong district, our army approached M'Drak - Phuong Hoang pass. The combat plan was outlined to attack with combined arms, encircle and destroy each part of the enemy to destroy the entire 3rd Airborne Brigade.
 |
| Liberation Army entered Khanh Hoa in April 1975. Photo: Archive |
At dawn on March 29, our artillery began to fire. The artillery pieces that our army had just captured in Buon Ma Thuot were transferred and delivered thunderous blows to the enemy's 3rd Airborne Brigade. The 10th Division used the 28th Regiment and the 66th Regiment to take turns breaking through in the main direction along Route 2. "I was in charge of the 82mm mortar, tasked with destroying the enemy's artillery positions. The two sides fought fiercely. On the ground, the enemy's 105mm and 155mm artillery continuously fired at our positions. In the sky, the enemy mobilized bombers but were fiercely fought back by our anti-aircraft artillery. In the evening, all the artillery positions on both sides were firing at each other like a net of fire in the middle of the pass," recalled Mr. Le Thuan Kha - former squad leader of the Firepower Squad of the 66th Regiment, Division 10.
After a day of fighting, the 3rd Airborne Brigade had eliminated from combat 2 infantry battalions, 1/3 of the heavy artillery and armored vehicles. On the night of March 30, the 3rd Airborne Brigade Commander asked his superiors to allow him to retreat to avoid being completely annihilated. However, the enemy continued to fall into ambushes that our troops had set up. Before that, the superiors had ordered the 24th Regiment to secretly go through the forest to hide behind the enemy formation (at the foot of Phuong Hoang Pass) to intercept the fleeing enemy, and at the same time block the enemy's reinforcement route from Lam Son - Duc My military school to come to the rescue. Mr. Luong Van Nhan - former Political Commissar of Company 11, Battalion 6, Regiment 24, Division 10 recalled: “We set up a position right below Suoi Chinh Bridge (Ninh Tay, Ninh Hoa), not far from the enemy's 105mm artillery position. On the afternoon of March 31, 1975, when the enemy fled, our unit charged straight into the enemy formation and defeated them. Battalion 5 of Regiment 24 fought fiercely with the enemy... In the early morning of April 1, 1975, Division 10 divided into many groups to attack all remaining troops. All enemy resistance was quickly crushed, we completely controlled the position”.
Heading to Nha Trang
After 3 days (from March 29, 1975 to the morning of April 1, 1975), the 10th Division and its coordinating units had broken through the enemy's defense line at Phuong Hoang Pass, opening the door to the coastal plains. Hearing that Phuong Hoang Pass had fallen and the 3rd Airborne Brigade had been destroyed, despite the curfew order from the commander, soldiers and puppet government officials in Nha Trang automatically fled.
At noon on April 2, 1975, from Ninh Hoa, the 10th Division's forces began moving along the national highway towards Nha Trang without encountering any resistance. "Company 11 of the 24th Regiment went with Battalion 3 of the 28th Regiment. I was in the first group, sitting on a tank heading towards Nha Trang. Without a guide, we scouted as we went, so the marching speed was quite slow. At the bends at Ro Tuong Pass and Ru Ri Pass, the vehicles stopped for the infantry to check both sides of the road and fire at bunkers to prevent enemy ambushes. By the afternoon of April 2, we approached Xom Bong Bridge. People told us that that morning, the enemy had sent planes to bomb and destroy Xom Bong Bridge, but fortunately the bombs did not hit the bridge, so the vehicles still passed the bridge normally...", Mr. Luong Van Nhan recalled.
With the directions of the people, the liberation army advanced to occupy the enemy's headquarters such as the headquarters of the 2nd Corps and the provincial governor's palace (the current location of the provincial People's Committee headquarters). Our army's tanks drove along the main roads to demonstrate their power. That night, the forces of the 10th Division continued to advance into Nha Trang. Then, on April 3, 1975, the forces of the 10th Division liberated Cam Ranh town and the Cam Ranh military complex.
Right after April 2, 1975, the people of Khanh Hoa were very excited when their homeland was liberated. The people's spirit was high, they sewed their own Front flags and hung them all over the streets to welcome the liberation army and together with the local forces in the city, guarded the agencies and warehouses. Mr. Vo Dinh Thu (Vinh Hoa ward, Nha Trang) recalled: “At the time of Nha Trang's liberation, I was working at the Khanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee's Organization Board. Right after the liberation, we marched to take over Nha Trang. The two-color blue and red liberation flags were hung all over the streets. When we passed the Information Department (the area of the April 2 monument today), we saw a lot of guns, ammunition, and enemy uniforms thrown away there... On the night of April 3, 1975, our working group stayed in the provincial governor's palace. After so many hardships and sacrifices, so many years of waiting, our homeland was finally liberated, we were so happy that we couldn't sleep...".
 |
| Mr. Luong Van Nhan (left cover) and Mr. Le Thuan Kha in the recording of the story of the liberation of Khanh Hoa province in 1975 by Khanh Hoa Radio and Television Station. |
Unforgettable days
Immediately after that, the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee decided to establish the Provincial Military Administration Committee, with comrade Le Tung as Chairman; at the same time, it set out a number of immediate tasks: quickly taking over the enemy's material and technical facilities; strengthening security and order, stabilizing the social situation, and stabilizing people's lives; gradually consolidating the government apparatus at all levels and revolutionary mass organizations as a solid foundation for launching the following movements. After the Provincial Military Administration Committee was established, Mr. Thu was assigned to be the Chairman of the Tan Lap Ward Military Administration Committee. “Tan Lap Ward was very large at that time. When we entered the airport, we saw that the enemy had left behind a lot of guns, ammunition, motorbikes, and many planes that had not yet been evacuated. The enemy fled and even left behind a reserve rice warehouse for the Central region in the coastal park (the former Ana Mandara Resort section). As soon as I returned to the ward, I selected comrades who supported the revolution to form a ward self-defense company to maintain order, propagate the revolutionary policies, and capture hooligans and opponents. At that time, the people were very enthusiastic, and traders in the markets contributed rice and necessities to cook for the ward self-defense team for a whole month. While working, we followed the news of the liberation army advancing to Saigon,” Mr. Thu recalled.
Also present in Nha Trang during the historic days of April 1975, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hanh (Tan Tien ward, Nha Trang) still remembers clearly the day of liberation, because that was the day she escaped from enemy prison. “In March 1975, I was captured by the enemy for the second time. On April 1, 1975, I was in prison camp 24 Nguyen Cong Tru when I heard that our army was attacking Phuong Hoang Pass. The prison manager fled, taking the prison key with him. We consulted with fellow prisoners and called on the guards to break down the prison gate and release the prisoners. When I escaped from the prison camp, I took some fellow prisoners home to Dien An, then escaped to the mountains. On April 3, 1975, when I learned that Nha Trang was liberated, I returned and went to work. In the following days, the city was as happy as a festival, we participated in propagating the policies of the revolutionary government. The people in the province contributed their manpower and resources to serve the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign. People gathered on both sides of the road to bring gifts and cakes for the troops marching to the South."
50 years have passed since that historic day. From Nha Trang, the 10th Division marched to Saigon on the historic day of April 30. Later, many soldiers of the 10th Division chose Nha Trang as their place to live. They, along with the cadres who took part in the takeover of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa in the past, became historical witnesses of the liberation of Khanh Hoa, witnessing the changes of the land of Agarwood, Sea Swallows and Bird's Nest. And every time April comes, the heroic history revives in everyone's heart.
XUAN THANH
Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/chinh-tri/202504/ky-uc-ngay-giai-phong-nha-trang-khanh-hoa-73170b5/
Comment (0)