Do Phu Coffee Shop, Korean broken rice, secret base of Saigon - Gia Dinh Special Forces

On the morning of November 14, a scientific discussion on the historical site of House No. 113A, Dang Dung Street, Tan Dinh Ward (HCMC) unanimously proposed to name this site Do Phu Coffee Shop - Korean broken rice, a secret base of the Saigon - Gia Dinh Special Forces.

House 113A, Dang Dung Street, Tan Dinh Ward is considered a "living relic" because it can serve coffee and broken rice like in the past, while also "telling" vivid stories about a difficult time for Saigon Special Forces soldiers - Photo: LINH DOAN

That was the concluding speech after the discussion by Ms. Nguyen Thi Thuy Huong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Monument Conservation.

She emphasized that the relic deserves to be proposed to the City People's Committee for consideration and ranking as a city-level historical relic. In the coming time, the Ho Chi Minh City Monument Conservation Center will continue to coordinate with the Tan Dinh Ward People's Committee to supplement and complete the scientific dossier to rank the relic, and report to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture and Sports.

House 113A, a dangerous place becomes a safe place

Ms. Huong informed that recently, the center has coordinated with the People's Committee of Tan Dinh Ward to establish a scientific dossier to rank the relic House No. 113A Dang Dung Street, Tan Dinh Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, according to the ranking request of Mr. Tran Kien Xuong (aka Mr. Tran Vu Binh, son of Mr. Tran Van Lai).

The house was bought by People's Armed Forces Hero Tran Van Lai and his wife Do Mien and Nguyen Thi Su to be a secret base for the Saigon - Gia Dinh Special Forces operating in the inner city of Saigon - Gia Dinh.

This is one of the secret bases of Saigon Special Forces.

Under the guise of being a businessman and a skilled interior decorator at that time, Mr. Do Mien and Mrs. Nguyen Thi Su built this place into a coffee shop and broken rice shop. But inside the house, they built a secret mailbox, a floating basement and an emergency exit.

Taking advantage of the location near the house of Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong of the Republic of Vietnam, opposite the residence of Korean bridge engineers, House 113A, Dang Dung from a dangerous place became a safe place, a place for travel and communication for the Special Forces soldiers.

The wife of People's Armed Forces Hero Tran Van Lai and her son recount a difficult time when operating secretly in enemy territory - Photo: LINH DOAN

Artifacts on display at House 113A Dang Dung - Photo: LINH DOAN

Promoting the value of relics

According to Ms. Le Tu Cam, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Cultural Heritage Association, House No. 113A Dang Dung is associated with an important period in the revolutionary life of Mr. Tran Van Lai.

At that time, Mr. Lai was responsible for building a series of facilities, communication points for communication between the inner and outer city, shelters, and weapons storage bunkers for the Special Forces in preparation for the General Offensive and Uprising in the Spring of Mau.
In 1968, including house number 113A Dang Dung street.

The wooden cabinet, the secret bunker camouflage in house 113A, Dang Dung - Photo: LINH DOAN

The house was built in 1946, with 3-room architecture with an attic, including a ground floor, a first floor, and a yin-yang tiled roof.

During the period 1964-1968, Mr. Tran Van Lai and Mr. Do Mien built this place into a secret base, a meeting place for cadres, to deliver letters, money...

Ms. Tu Cam said that compared to some other relics, House 113A Dang Dung has almost no change of ownership, so the architecture and heritage are quite well preserved.

Some delegates agreed that this is a "living relic" because Mr. Lai's son is still actively preserving and promoting it.

This place still sells broken rice and coffee in a traditional space in the heart of the city.

Visitors can touch artifacts and listen to vivid stories about a time when loyal Special Forces soldiers secretly operated in the inner city.

They had to stand in the midst of lurking danger, but despite hardships, they were still intelligent and brave to contribute to the great victory of the nation.

That place is also a symbol of the promotion of people's strength. The very ordinary people stood side by side, united, and protected the revolutionary soldiers so that they could operate safely in enemy territory, bringing freedom and independence to the country.

The seminar was held to exchange, discuss and clarify contents such as the process of forming the revolutionary base of House No. 113A, especially in the preparation period for the General Offensive and Uprising in Spring Mau Than in 1968 in Saigon - Gia Dinh;

Revolutionary cadres and soldiers contacted and operated at House No. 113A; Activities and protection for the revolution by the masses, specifically Mr. Do Mien, Ms. Nguyen Thi Su and other related people at House No. 113A;

Information on documents, images, historical figures, events... related to House 113A; Directions for preserving and promoting the value of the relic House No. 113A...

LINH DOAN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/quan-ca-phe-do-phu-com-tam-dai-han-co-so-bi-mat-cua-biet-dong-sai-gon-gia-dinh-20251114152645266.htm