Heroine bomb disposal expert

During my business trip to Central Vietnam, I had the opportunity to visit Heroine of the People's Armed Forces La Thi Tam - the inspiration for the character in the song "The Girl of the La River" by composer Doan Nho, set to a poem by Nguyen Phuong Thuy.

In her house on Nguyen Bieu Street, Thanh Sen Ward, Ha Tinh Province, Heroine La Thi Tam emotionally recounted her arduous yet proud years as a youth volunteer at Dong Loc Crossroads. Born into a poor farming family in Gia Hanh Commune, Ha Tinh Province, at the age of 18, La Thi Tam volunteered to join the youth volunteer force, tasked with ensuring traffic flow on National Highway 15A at Dong Loc Crossroads.

Heroine of the People's Armed Forces La Thi Tam recounts traditional stories at the Dong Loc Crossroads historical site in Ha Tinh province. Photo provided by the subject.

Within the unit, despite being the youngest and smallest in stature, La Thi Tam was quick-witted and resourceful, so she was assigned the task of bomb reconnaissance—a particularly dangerous job, always facing death. During 1967-1968, Dong Loc Crossroads was a key target of fierce bombing by the US Air Force aimed at cutting off the supply line from the North to the Southern battlefield. Between March and October 1968 alone, the area suffered over 48,000 bombs of various types. Despite being dubbed a "death zone," the forces stationed there remained steadfast, determined to keep the vital transportation route open.

Heroine La Thi Tam recounted: “From December 1967 to August 1968, I was assigned the task of observing enemy planes dropping bombs, determining the bomb drop locations, counting the number of bombs that had exploded and those that hadn't, in order to mark the positions for the engineering troops to handle. Every day, I wore a camouflage parachute, stood on the summit of Moi Mountain, and used binoculars to monitor the bombing raids. Only from that position could I observe most clearly.”

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After each bombing raid, La Thi Tam would immediately rush to the scene to mark the unexploded bombs. The work demanded high precision because even a small mistake could endanger the bomb disposal team and passing convoys. Under the scorching sun of Central Vietnam, the feet of this young volunteer were often blistered and bleeding from constantly running up and down the slopes. Yet, she never missed a single bomb. There were times when enemy planes returned to attack while she was approaching the scene, burying her under rocks and debris. As soon as she escaped, she would continue her mission.

Initially, she was also afraid of the unexploded bombs. But thinking about the safety of the engineering troops, she gradually became bolder, approaching closer to accurately mark the targets. There were days when she worked until she was exhausted, suffering from sunstroke and unable to eat, but the next morning, upon hearing the sound of enemy planes, she would go to the top of Mount Moi to observe. For nearly 200 days and nights, La Thi Tam stayed on the mountaintop, directly counting and marking more than 1,200 unexploded bombs, making a significant contribution to helping the engineering troops clear mines and ensuring the smooth flow of traffic at Dong Loc Crossroads.

For her exceptionally outstanding achievements, at the end of 1968, La Thi Tam was honored to receive a badge from President Ho Chi Minh . In 1969, she was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State.

After the reunification of the country, Heroine La Thi Tam returned to her hometown to build a family and work at a civil and political agency under the Ha Tinh Provincial Party Committee. In every position she held, she upheld the fine qualities of a Vietnamese woman, actively educating the younger generation about patriotic traditions and national pride.

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Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/anh-hung-luc-luong-vu-trang-nhan-dan/nu-anh-hung-trinh-sat-bom-1043930