Youth power to build new economic zones
On April 27, 1976, nearly 2,000 Youth Volunteers were mobilized from Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Ninh Hoa, Van Ninh, Dien Khanh... gathered in front of the Information House (No. 5, 2/4 Street, Nha Trang City) to hold a ceremony to go to build new economies in Dat Set, Dong Trang (now Xuan Dong Commune, Dien Khanh District), Ben Khe (Khanh Binh Commune, Khanh Vinh District), Ninh Thuong (Ninh Hoa Town).
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| Ceremony to send off youth volunteers to build a new economy on April 27, 1976. |
At that time, Dat Set was a deserted and desolate area. In Dat Set, there were 5 Youth Volunteers companies with 582 cadres and team members mobilized from Nha Trang and Cam Ranh. The Youth Volunteers companies cut trees, felled bamboo, and cut thatch to make camps. At each new economic construction site, there were medical stations and commercial stores selling some items for daily life and work. The Youth Volunteers units built soccer and volleyball fields for team members to practice and compete in friendly matches. The competitive atmosphere between the companies was very exciting. At 7 p.m. every day, the Radio Station of the Youth Volunteers Battalion of Dat Set broadcasted news about the production and labor achievements of the units, praising the units for their outstanding performance. In the evening, the units organized political and cultural activities according to the weekly and monthly schedules.
At Ben Khe, the Youth Volunteer Force came from Van Ninh, Ninh Hoa and Nha Trang. The units set up camps, set up landmarks, cleared forests to expand production land. Living far from home, lacking everything, and suffering from malaria... but the Youth Volunteer Force was still optimistic, enthusiastic, and devoted to work, contributing their youth to enrich their homeland with the dream and ideal of making a small contribution to rebuilding the country after the war; ready to sacrifice, work tirelessly on construction sites, in fields... Many adults in the Youth Volunteer Force environment were honored to be admitted to the Youth Union right at the construction sites and farms.
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| The youth volunteers that day used thatched roofs to make their camps. |
At the end of the first phase, the Youth Volunteer Force and the mechanized force had reclaimed nearly 2,000 hectares of land, creating conditions for 20,000 people to go to the new economic zone to do business and live. Most of the Youth Volunteer Force continued to go to new lands; some stayed, started families, and lived right on the newly reclaimed land.
Having completed the Youth Volunteers' mission in the new economic zones: Dat Set, Ben Khe, Suoi Thom, Soi Mit, in early 1978, Phu Khanh Provincial Youth Union continued to call on Youth Volunteers to go to Phu Yen . On March 21, 1978, more than 1,000 Youth Volunteers set out from Nha Trang to march to the eastern area of Song Hinh (Phu Yen), establishing the Thanh Nien 26-3 land reclamation site. With an area of up to 5,100 hectares, the Thanh Nien 26-3 land reclamation site became the largest construction site of Youth Volunteers at that time. The force mobilized for the site at times reached up to 2,000 Youth Volunteers. In addition to the task of land reclamation and food production, the site also raised 500 cows. With the strength of youth, although only working with rudimentary tools, the Youth Volunteer Force of Phu Khanh province has reclaimed thousands of hectares of hills and mountains, improving the land to grow short-term industrial crops and rice...
Do international duty to help our country Cambodia
When the Southwestern border war broke out, the Party and the State called on the Youth Volunteers to go on international duty. The Phu Khanh Provincial Military Command at that time established the Le Dinh Chinh Youth Volunteer Battalion to serve in combat at the Cambodian border with a force of about 410 people recruited from the Thanh Nien 26-3 construction site and the Vuon Xoai - Son Thanh construction site (Tay Hoa, Phu Yen).
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| Go to the construction site to reclaim land and expand production area. |
In December 1978, the Le Dinh Chinh Battalion held a ceremony to send off troops to serve in combat at the 19-8 Stadium (Nha Trang). Comrade Nguyen Phung Minh - Deputy Secretary of Phu Khanh Provincial Party Committee directly instructed and assigned tasks to the Le Dinh Chinh Youth Volunteer Battalion. The battalion was stationed in Ratanakiri Province (Cambodia), and was assigned the task of building a logistics warehouse for Military Region V; coordinating with the 270th Engineer Regiment to build roads, communication lines, transport ammunition and dry food to the front line and transfer wounded and martyrs to the rear line. The volunteer days in Cambodia were much more difficult and hungry than at the Thanh Nien 26-3 construction site, but the Youth Volunteers of that day completed their tasks excellently. In March 1979, after completing their noble international duty, the Le Dinh Chinh Battalion returned home.
Promoting the tradition of the youth volunteer force
Returning to their homeland, the Youth Volunteer Force was assigned to work in state agencies, companies, factories and as freelance workers. Each comrade had his own life, but when we met again, we always encouraged each other to preserve the glorious tradition and qualities of the Youth Volunteer Force. Currently, the Provincial Youth Volunteer Force Veterans Association has nearly 3,500 members, most of whom are the post-1975 Youth Volunteer Force generation. In the province, there are 6 districts, towns and cities that have established district-level Youth Volunteer Force Veterans Associations, including: Nha Trang, Cam Ranh, Dien Khanh, Ninh Hoa, Khanh Vinh, Cam Lam. The Provincial Youth Volunteer Force Veterans Association agreed to take April 27, 1976 as the Traditional Day of the Khanh Hoa Provincial Youth Volunteer Force and the Day of the Nha Trang City Youth Volunteer Force Departing to Build New Economic Zones.
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| Former youth volunteers receive commemorative medals from the Vietnam Veterans Association. |
49 years have passed, each time we meet is an opportunity for us to review the exciting time of the Youth Volunteers, remember the fast steps, the strong shoulders that conquered Hon Du peak to get cassava seedlings, cut grass, dig wells, do irrigation or the peak competition periods of the harvest season, preparing the land for planting, at 2, 3 am, we all went to the construction site without waiting for the gong to urge us. In the impression of 49 years, there is no shortage of exciting days with physical education and sports events that echoed in the mountains and forests; or still remember the malaria that left us bedridden, tormented until our skin was pale, our face was yellow, and remember the couples, the pure Youth Volunteers love that chose the new land to build a home, to get rich. The hardships have forged the young generation of that day, who have now matured in life and career. If anyone asks us which period is the most memorable in our lives, we will not hesitate to answer that it is the Youth Volunteers.
NGOC VAN
Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/tin-top/202504/sang-mai-ngon-luathanh-nien-xung-phong-b5863c0/
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