Located in Hoa Thanh village, Tan Hop commune, Huong Hoa district, Ta Con airfield covers an area of approximately 10,000 square meters and is situated in the middle of the Khe Sanh stronghold. With its valley-like topography surrounded by hills and mountains, Ta Con airfield was one of the strategic military strongholds of the US army during the years 1966-1968 in the Khe Sanh battlefield.
This airport held a strategically important military position not only on the Quang Tri battlefield but also in the entire Indochina region because it was located near the border, close to National Highway 9 connecting Dong Ha (Vietnam) with southern Laos. Therefore, Khe Sanh was used by the US military as a launching pad for ground sweep operations.
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Ta Con airfield was considered by the US military as an invincible fortress. |
This location became a landing and takeoff point for various types of armed helicopters, fighter jets, and heavy military transport aircraft, serving reconnaissance, targeting, sabotage, and blockade operations along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
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Reconnaissance aircraft inspected and pinpointed targets for various bombing, interception, and disruption operations along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. |
Returning to Ta Con after more than half a century, visitors can witness firsthand the war trophies that still bear the marks of time: M48 tanks lying silently under the forest canopy, a broken UH-1A helicopter soaring through the blue sky, or the rusted remains of 155mm artillery – all telling the heroic story of the spring of 1968.
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The American military's fortified bunker at Ta Con airfield. |
After 170 days and nights of fierce fighting, more than 17,000 American and Saigon soldiers were eliminated, 480 aircraft were destroyed, and numerous advanced vehicles and military equipment were annihilated.
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The American military barracks remain intact at Ta Con airfield. |
On July 9, 1968, the victory flag of our army flew over the Ta Con airfield. The Route 9 - Khe Sanh campaign ended in resounding victory.
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A small museum at the Ta Con Airfield historical site. It displays many documents and artifacts related to the Route 9 – Khe Sanh Campaign. |
Today, Ta Con Airport is one of the most attractive tourist destinations in Quang Tri.
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A corner at the Museum of Victory on Highway 9 - Khe Sanh |
In addition to the artifacts displayed outdoors, the historical site also has a small museum – which houses hundreds of valuable artifacts, images, and maps related to the Route 9 – Khe Sanh campaign.
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Some equipment of the South Vietnamese Liberation Army. |
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The museum houses hundreds of artifacts of historical and scientific value. |
This place also displays many airplanes, helicopters, tanks, along with bomb casings and ammunition. These are weapons and war vehicles that the US military used in the Khe Sanh – Ta Con battlefield 57 years ago.
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| These are the types of bombs the US dropped on western Quang Tri province between 1965 and 1972. |
Amidst the vast green expanse of the mountains and forests, Ta Con Airport still resonates with the immortal epic of a time when "we traversed the Truong Son mountain range to save the country." There, history is not only recorded but also present, vibrant, and silently passing on the flame to future generations.
Source: https://baophapluat.vn/san-bay-ta-con-chung-tich-hao-hung-giua-mien-dat-lua-hoi-sinh-post546799.html
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