The spirit of the Binh Thuan Provincial Urban Working Group will forever shine.

During the period of fighting against the American invaders, Binh Thuan province had a special unit specializing in mass mobilization; gathering, enlightening, attracting intellectuals, teachers, youth, students to voluntarily and enthusiastically participate in patriotic movements. That was the Binh Thuan Province Urban Working Group.

60 years ago, in the face of the strong development of the youth and student movement fighting against the US in the temporarily occupied enemy areas, the Standing Committee of the Binh Thuan Provincial Party Committee realized the need for a special, specialized, and capable organization to gather, organize, and lead the intellectuals, while also taking on the task of directing the revolutionary struggle movement in urban areas. Therefore, in early 1965, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee decided to establish the "Binh Thuan Provincial Urban Work Committee" as a Party Committee, directly directed by the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, with 2 parts including a number of key members in the war zone and the majority operating secretly in enemy areas.

The secret bunker was kept safe and top secret by the Task Force from 1970 until its liberation in 1975.

When it was first established, the Working Committee had 4 comrades: Nguyen Mai Ly (Hai Mau) - Head of the Committee; Dang Thi Hong (Nam Hong) - Deputy Head of the Committee and 2 members Pham Van Kinh and Le Van Tan. In the early period, the Working Committee mainly mobilized and gathered intellectuals, religious people, and people from all walks of life in Phan Thiet (youth, women, Buddhists, workers, etc.). From mid-1968 onwards, because the main task and target of the unit was to focus on mobilizing intellectuals, youth, students, it was no longer called the Committee, but called the Binh Thuan Province Urban Working Team or the Binh Thuan Province Youth, Students, and Pupils Working Team, but was still under the direct leadership of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee.

During the 10 years of resistance war (1965 - 1975), the two units in the war zone and in the enemy area always coordinated well, carried out well the 2 legs, 3 prongs, 5 steps of Mass Mobilization, Youth Mobilization, Intellectual Mobilization; strongly developed the legal public movement, connecting from Saigon to Phan Thiet to La Gi... Especially, in the years 1965 - 1975, the grassroots team members were the core in the major struggles in Phan Thiet. Thanks to the direct leadership of the Provincial Party Committee Standing Committee, the Working Team did many unique things such as: Designing, promoting, and protecting the top secret safety of the bunker in Ham Thang commune, located close to National Highway 1, surrounded by enemy posts from 1970 until liberation. Along with that, the public organizations were transformed into "Green and Red Martial Arts", organized speeches in the enemy's headquarters... Developed real strength, built youth union branches in schools, most notably at the end of 1972, established a student party branch at Phan Boi Chau High School, which was the only party branch in a school in Zone 6 and the South Central region at that time. At the same time, the Working Team was also skillful and persistent in successfully building 2 legal organizations in Phan Thiet, licensed by the enemy government, namely: Huong Duong Du Ca Troupe and Thien Chi Youth Union, which carried out many tasks in the legal public movement, following our direction. With outstanding achievements and contributions, in 1972, the entire Team was awarded a "Certificate of Merit" by the Binh Thuan Provincial Revolutionary People's Committee.

During those 10 years of fierce resistance, many cadres and team members fought tenaciously, experiencing all three battlefields: In the enemy's heartland, in the war zone and in the enemy's prison. Most of the cadres and team members of the Working Team fought and sacrificed heroically, true to the spirit of a communist. There were 17 martyrs, 8 wounded soldiers, 33 people were captured and imprisoned by the enemy. What is proud is that whether operating in enemy territory, in prison or in the war zone, the majority of the Working Team members - a class that at that time was classified as "Petty Bourgeois Students", were not afraid of hardship, sacrificed and fought to the end, ready to dedicate their youth, contributing to national independence and national reunification.

Ms. Vo Thi Kim Huong was one of the members of the Task Force with the code F16 who was captured and imprisoned by the enemy in 1973. At that time, Ms. Kim Huong was only 16 years old and a student at Tinh Hat High School (Phan Thiet). Remembering the days when I was captured by the enemy, and the undying flame of revolutionary will burning in my heart, Ms. Kim Huong shared: “On December 15, 1973, I was captured by the enemy while carrying a copy of the Paris Agreement for propaganda and dissemination. Faced with the enemy's brutal torture, but with a strong will and strong belief in the revolution, I determined that even if I had to sacrifice myself, I would not let the organization be harmed. I took advantage of every loophole of the enemy to turn disadvantages into opportunities and find ways to contact my comrades. Thanks to the revolutionary family tradition, I was able to inform my mother in time to organize the collection of documents and protect my comrades. I was imprisoned until late at night on April 19, 1975, when our army stormed in to liberate the prison, breaking the chains. At that moment, from a prisoner who had lost my freedom, I suddenly became a free person, master of my life, and devoted all my efforts to building my homeland. I vow to remember that feeling forever. forever, it follows me throughout my life every April!

After 1975, when the war had just ended, the Working Team had 125 members, completed its mission and was dissolved. However, all members of the Team continued to stick together and encourage each other. Most of them continued to work, strive to mature and continue to make many contributions to their homeland. 60 years have passed, the remaining 93 former youth, students and pupils have always maintained the steadfast spirit of the Binh Thuan Province Urban Working Team, being a shining example for their descendants, living loyally with their comrades and the people.

Source: https://baobinhthuan.com.vn/sang-mai-tinh-than-doi-cong-tac-do-thi-tinh-binh-thuan-129374.html