Len Ha: Memories of a bygone era and forever.

In July, as the whole country commemorated the 78th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs with heartfelt gratitude, we – those working in information and propaganda – had the opportunity to travel to the mountainous region to visit the National Historical Monument of Len Ha Cave, in Tuyen Lam commune, Quang Tri province. Here, 53 years ago, the silent victories and heroic sacrifices of 13 officers and soldiers who were on duty ensuring communication at Communication Station A69, Company 9, Regiment 134, Communication Corps, at Len Ha Cave on July 2nd, 1972, were commemorated.

The Len Ha Cave National Historical Site is a significant location where people frequently come to offer incense and pay their respects - Photo: T.MAI

Following the village elders and youth union members from Tuyen Lam commune, we visited the Len Ha Cave National Historical Site to offer incense. This is where 13 officers and soldiers of the A69 Communication Station sacrificed their lives, dedicating their youth to protecting the vital communication lines, contributing to the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

Fifty-eight years ago, to meet the requirements of ensuring communication, on January 7, 1967, the Signal Corps decided to establish Company 9, 134th Signal Regiment, consisting of 129 personnel organized into 3 platoots and 3 communication stations. These stations were tasked with protecting and operating 385.35 km of communication lines from Giang Son - Do Luong - Nghe An (formerly) to Hill 316 in Vinh Linh - Quang Tri (formerly) and Communication Station A69 located at Len Ha, Thanh Hoa commune, Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province (formerly).

The A69 Information Station was organized into a squad with 3 switchboards, a power supply squad, a line squad, and a logistics unit, comprising 19 personnel. After its establishment, the A69 Information Station chose Len Ha Cave as its base. This location was advantageous because Len Ha Cave was situated in a forest to the west, surrounded by dense mountains, making it easy to camouflage. Midway up the mountain was a large cave used for installing equipment, radio communication, and storing weapons, supplies, food, and military equipment for the Southern battlefield.

Communication equipment at A69 Communication Station in Len Ha Cave - Photo: T.MAI

Due to its strategically important location, ensuring communication from North to South, the A69 Communication Station's lines connected to the 559th Regiment's communication network, making it a key target for fierce enemy attacks. With the motto "The communication station is the battlefield, the communication lines are the weapons," and "As long as our hearts beat, the communication arteries remain open," the officers and soldiers of the A69 Communication Station bravely fought to ensure timely, accurate, secret, and secure communication.

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At 1:05 PM on July 2nd, 1972, a historic moment marked the heroic sacrifice of 13 officers and soldiers (including 10 female soldiers aged 16 to 20) in the fierce attack on the A69 Communication Station. Their blood, sweat, and tears mingled in the sacred land of Len Ha, ensuring the continuous flow of information.

Their names have merged with the rivers, carved into the mountains, deeply imprinted in the hearts of every Vietnamese person, and will endure with the nation. The noble sacrifice of the officers and soldiers of the A69 Communication Station shook the entire front, strengthening the resolve of officers and soldiers along the entire line.

Transforming grief into revolutionary action, generations of volunteer youth and civilian workers on the front lines fought bravely and maintained the vital communication lines until the day of complete victory. The heroic fighting and sacrifice of the brothers and sisters at Communication Station A69 has become a command from the heart of the communication troops, forever a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism, further enhancing the glorious tradition of the Signal Corps and beautifying the Vietnamese revolutionary flag.

Youth union members and young people learn about the historical significance of the Len Ha cave relic - Photo: T.MAI

Building upon the spirit and achievements of the officers and soldiers of the A69 Information Station, generations of Quang Tri people have always upheld the glorious revolutionary tradition, fostered self-reliance and self-improvement, aspired to progress, and continuously innovated to build an increasingly prosperous homeland.

Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Provincial Youth Union, Dinh Trung Hieu, said: “The Len Ha Cave National Historical Monument is a significant landmark for generations of Youth Union members and young people. Every year, we coordinate activities to commemorate the officers and soldiers of the A69 Information Station; to promote the historical significance of the Len Ha Cave monument, the tradition of "drinking water, remembering the source," and to express gratitude to the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland... From there, we inspire the pioneering spirit, creativity, and dedication of young people's talents and intellect to the cause of national construction and development.”

The war is long over, but we will forever be grateful for the immense contributions of our heroes and martyrs. The more we cherish and take pride in our history, the more deeply we understand our responsibility to strive to preserve the achievements of the revolution that our ancestors have built, and thus we pledge to study, work, and contribute in a way that is worthy of the noble sacrifices of our heroes and martyrs.

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Leaving the Len Ha National Historical Site as the sun gradually set over the Truong Son mountain range, each of us carried with us a mix of emotions as we remembered the glorious historical events of our nation. The resounding echoes of the Len Ha epic, intertwined with the flow of national history, serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for the people of Quang Tri today and in the future to continue writing the song of building a prosperous and beautiful homeland, confidently rising together with the nation.

Nhat Le

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/len-ha-ky-uc-mot-thoi-va-mai-mai-196308.htm