The hero known as the 'king of Hai Van pass mines'

The person mentioned is People's Armed Forces Hero Trinh To Tam.

Trinh To Tam, born in 1945 in My Cau village, Dong Tan commune, Ung Hoa district, Hanoi, in a family of 4 children. His father died early, and his older brother also died in the early years of the resistance war against the French.

Born and raised in a countryside rich in revolutionary tradition, in 1965, when the US army bombed the North, even though he was a student, Trinh To Tam volunteered to participate in the "Three Ready" movement (a patriotic emulation movement of the Youth Union during the anti-American period: ready to fight; ready to join the army; ready to go anywhere the Fatherland needs him).

Then the young man Trinh To Tam wrote an application to join the army, volunteered to fight in the Southern battlefield and was mobilized to the Quang Tri - Thua Thien battlefield.

Hero Trinh To Tam (left) during his meeting with General Vo Nguyen Giap. (Photo: VNA)

From 1967 to 1970, Trinh To Tam participated in and commanded the unit in 58 battles, annihilating 1,500 enemies, including 700 American soldiers, destroying nearly 100 military vehicles as well as collapsing dozens of bridges and culverts... to prevent the enemy's advance. In those battles, he personally killed more than 270 enemies (including 185 American soldiers), shot down and destroyed 3 enemy planes and many military vehicles.

At that time, realizing that the Hai Van Pass was the enemy's lifeline, Trinh To Tam and his teammates sought to attack and cause difficulties and losses for the enemy. In 1968, he once went on a reconnaissance mission and when he returned to Hai Van Pass, he discovered that the American bandits were patrolling and often gathered at a high point near the road near dawn, so he led a team to lay mines, killing and injuring 60 enemies.

In early 1970, he was Deputy Company Commander, accurately predicted where the enemy landed and commanded the unit to place mines on the American landing group, destroying two platoons.

With his resounding achievements in combat, Trinh To Tam was awarded the title of brave American killer 53 times, and was called "Hai Van Pass mine king" by his comrades, while the enemy at that time continuously offered generous rewards to anyone who captured "the gray tiger of Hai Van Pass - Trinh To Tam".

In 1971, Trinh To Tam was awarded the noble title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the Party and State when he had just turned 27 and became Captain of the 21st Engineering Company, Group 4, Tri Thien Military Region.

When the country was completely unified, Trinh To Tam held many important positions such as: Secretary of the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union, Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (formerly). No matter what position he held, he always completed the assigned tasks excellently and was an inspiration to the younger generation about dynamism, enthusiasm, dedication in work, especially patriotism.

Trinh To Tam died in 1996 from a malignant disease, a consequence of the effects of chemical toxins during his years on the battlefield.

Libra

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/nguoi-anh-hung-duoc-menh-danh-vua-min-deo-hai-van-ar937011.html