Visiting the heroic unit twice.

In early 1961, the Central Committee instructed the provinces of Ca Mau , Ben Tre, Tra Vinh, Ba Ria, etc., to proactively prepare ports and harbors, and to send boats across the sea to the North, both to explore and open routes, and to study and gather information on the enemy and transportation means. If conditions permitted, they were to receive weapons to transport back to serve the battlefield in the South. This was an extremely important strategic task, requiring absolute secrecy. On August 1, 1961, Ship No. 01 from Ca Mau (under the overall supervision of Comrade Bong Van Dia, Party Branch Secretary, along with 7 other comrades) departed from Vam Ca Moi (now Dat Mui commune, Ngoc Hien district). The ship was rudimentary, and it traveled in conditions of high waves, strong winds, and rough seas; Their only tools for navigation were an old model of the sea, a ruler made of mangrove wood, and a map printed on a student's notebook cover... After seven arduous days at sea, overcoming all dangers, blockades, and enemy searches, the ship safely docked at the mouth of the Nhat Le River (Quang Binh province). They were the first heroes to successfully open the way to the North.

After numerous reconnaissance and troop organization activities, on September 19, 1962, Unit 962 (the predecessor of Brigade 962) was established by the Central Committee of the Southern Region in Tan An commune, Ngoc Hien district (Ca Mau province). For decades of resistance, generations of officers and soldiers overcame countless difficulties, shortages, hardships, and the fierce battles of the battlefield. With a spirit of self-reliance, initiative, and creativity; with the unity and cohesion of a unit assembled from all over the country; and with the motto "Nothing is more precious than independence and freedom," Unit 962 successfully completed the tasks assigned by the Party and the army.

This unit safely received 94 shipments of 5,159 tons of weapons from the North to support the Southern battlefield; safely stored and transported weapons and equipment to Military Regions 7, 8, and 9 and the Regional Command, contributing to the defeat of the "Wave of Compassion" campaign, the "Phoenix GT-1" offensive, the "Fog of Battle," "Net and Spear," and "Green Forest Commando" tactics of the US-puppet regime, thus foiling the US "Special War" strategy. To complete the mission and to hold the port, 163 officers and soldiers bravely fell, and thousands more suffered injuries and lifelong disabilities from chemical toxins. The Party and State awarded the unit the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces on October 20, 1976; bestowed 169 medals of various ranks; and Company 169 was awarded the title of "Iron Fortress." Four port units and eight individuals were honored as Heroes of the People's Armed Forces; thousands of officers and soldiers were awarded various medals and many other prestigious awards.

After national reunification, the unit continued to participate in the Southwestern border battlefield, fulfilling its international duty to help Cambodia escape the Pol Pot genocide; expanding its operational area into the Mekong Delta region, contributing to the firm protection of the independence, sovereignty , unity, and territorial integrity of the country. In 2020, Brigade 962 was honored by the State with the title of Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces in the Renovation Period. These prestigious awards are a solid foundation for the brigade's officers and soldiers to continue striving to successfully complete their tasks, achieve many new accomplishments, and further uphold the 16-word tradition: "Unity, secrecy - Courageously opening the way - Resolutely defending the port - Outstanding achievements".

“In peacetime, Brigade 962 is a specialized unit tasked with mobile combat operations on rivers and at sea; coordinating closely with forces to firmly protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands of Military Region 9, and carrying out disaster prevention, rescue, and relief missions. From 2010 to the present, the brigade has successfully rescued hundreds of people in distress on the river; relocated households from landslide-prone areas; and built thousands of meters of dikes to prevent flooding. When the COVID-19 pandemic appeared, officers and soldiers of Brigade 962 were present from the beginning, standing side by side on the front lines of the fight against the pandemic, and to this day remain steadfast in maintaining the Tien River border (the border area between An Giang and Dong Thap provinces),” shared Colonel Le Thanh Nha (Political Commissar of Brigade 962).

These traditions were briefly summarized in a few minutes during a warm meeting between the Command Board of Brigade 962 and new recruits and their families, in the spacious grounds of Battalion 3 (Kien An commune, Cho Moi district). Having enlisted for over two months and donned the distinctive uniform of the "sailors," the new recruits seemed overwhelmed by the unit's rich traditions. Many of the new recruits' relatives were encountering the history of their sons' military service for the first time. Ms. Ho Ngoc Thuy (residing in Binh Khanh ward, Long Xuyen city) shared: "Seeing my son's uniform, which was issued to him, was completely different from the regular army uniform, I initially found it very strange. Many times when I visited the unit to see my son being trained, studying, and living in a well-equipped environment, gaining new knowledge..."

The shade of the trees in the unit's compound, the sunlight streaming over the naval squadrons… all hold stories of the twice-heroic brigade, of the resilient naval soldiers who steadfastly held their ground on the seas and rivers, keeping the national flag flying high in the wind.

GIA KHANH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/tham-don-vi-2-lan-anh-hung-a419843.html