In the festive atmosphere of April, we visited Colonel Nguyen Van Ai in Linh Dong ward, Thu Duc City, Ho Chi Minh City. In his reminiscences, Mr. Ai recounted shooting down an enemy plane when he was a guerrilla fighter in Phuoc Thanh commune, Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province.

On June 12, 1967, upon hearing the roar of aircraft in the distance, the guerrilla forces of Phuoc Thanh commune, positioned in an ambush, prepared their guns to intercept the enemy planes. With a rifle in hand, guerrilla Nguyen Van Ai seized the opportunity to shoot down an enemy F-4H as it was descending to drop bombs. Following this achievement, Nguyen Van Ai left his hometown of Ben Tre and volunteered to join the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces, initially operating secretly in the outskirts, and later penetrating deep into the heart of Saigon.

Colonel Nguyen Van Ai (on the right) recounts his time serving in the commando force.

On December 21, 1972, during a battle against enemy forces sweeping through Ba Song hamlet, An Nhon Tay commune, Cu Chi district, Comrade Chin Ai fought valiantly, intelligently, and creatively, eliminating 10 enemy soldiers before being wounded. Fortunately, his comrades bandaged and treated him in time. Later, on December 22, 1972, three enemy helicopters relentlessly attacked. Despite his unhealed wounds and lingering pain, Comrade Chin Ai used his AK rifle to shoot down one helicopter. This heroic deed thrilled the local people and earned the admiration of his comrades for his courageous, fearless, and resolute fighting spirit.

Later, Comrade Chín Ái fought in the commando unit and consistently achieved many outstanding accomplishments. In March 1974, when the 316th Special Forces Brigade was established, he joined the unit. The task of a commando soldier was to guide and coordinate combat with the Gia Định Regiment's troops in attacking enemy outposts and bases in the direction of Xuân Thới Thượng commune (Hóc Môn district). On April 28, the 316th Special Forces Brigade destroyed enemy outposts and fortifications along the march towards Saigon. Subsequently, locations from Xuân Thới Thượng to Tân Sơn Nhì (Tân Phú district), the Phú Nhuận district area, and part of Tân Sơn Nhất airport were quickly liberated. At noon on April 30, Comrade Chín Ái's unit, along with the Gia Định Regiment, took over the entire area of ​​the puppet regime's General Staff Headquarters. “The atmosphere in Saigon that day was indescribable. Wherever our troops advanced, the people crowded the streets, cheering and waving to warmly welcome the soldiers. The enemy fled in disarray to escape, abandoning their helmets, uniforms, and weapons, which piled up haphazardly along the road,” Mr. Chín Ái recalled the blissful moment of the day of complete victory, when the nation rejoiced.

On May 5, 1975, Mr. Chín Ái was transferred to become the Commander of the Military Command of Tự Đức Ward (now Đa Kao Ward, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City). His nhiệm vụ was to work with the hamlets and villages to review the list of officers and soldiers of the old regime in order to gather them, disseminate information, and call on these individuals to surrender, register for re-education, and undergo rehabilitation.

In Saigon during the early days after liberation, the security situation was complex. Mr. Chín Ái and his comrades in the Military Command of Tự Đức Ward regularly coordinated with the main army units to patrol, protect, and organize propaganda and education to eliminate social evils, maintain security and order, and protect the peace in each neighborhood of the ward.

Text and photos: THE ANH

* Please visit the section commemorating the 50th anniversary of the great victory of Spring 1975 to view related news and articles.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/ky-su/nguoi-hai-lan-ha-may-bay-dich-826025