Quang Tri Province inaugurated a project to honor heroic martyrs Hang Tam Co

14 delegates — Delegates observed a minute of silence to commemorate the heroic martyrs who heroically sacrificed their lives for the cause of national liberation. Photo: PV

Attending the ceremony were Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of General Secretary To Lam; representatives of leaders of central ministries, branches, Quang Tri and Thanh Hoa provinces. Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Da Nang City Party Committee Le Ngoc Quang attended the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chairman of Quang Tri Provincial People's Committee Tran Phong emotionally recalled the tragic moment exactly 53 years ago. On November 14, 1972, at Hang Tam Co on Route 20 - Quyet Thang, 8 Youth Volunteers and 5 artillery soldiers heroically sacrificed their lives while on duty to ensure traffic during the fiercest days of the resistance war against the US.

From 1966 to 1973, American bombs and shells rained down on this route "uncountably", turning this place into one of the most fiercely attacked areas in Truong Son.

The blood, sweat and tears of soldiers, youth volunteers, frontline workers and people have soaked into every inch of land, contributing to creating an immortal heroic epic in the nation's history.

The Chairman of the People's Committee of Quang Tri province expressed his deep gratitude to General Secretary To Lam and his wife Ngo Phuong Ly; to the leaders of the Party, State, leaders of central and local departments, ministries and branches for their attention and support in the work of preserving and restoring the relic.

In particular, the province respectfully acknowledges the trust of the martyrs' relatives in entrusting the care of the graves of 13 heroic martyrs to Quang Tri; at the same time, commends the spirit of overcoming difficulties of the construction units and the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park Management Board who worked regardless of harsh weather to ensure the quality and progress of the project.

14 balls 2 — Delegates performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony to inaugurate the project. Photo: PV

At the ceremony, the wife of General Secretary To Lam and delegates performed the ribbon-cutting ceremony, officially putting the restoration project of Hang Tam Co into use.

It is known that, following the direction of the provincial leaders, Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park and related units started the restoration of the relic on September 28, 2025. Despite prolonged rain and wind, after 47 days of construction, the project was completed on the occasion of the 53rd anniversary of the sacrifice of 13 martyrs (November 14, 1972 - November 14, 2025).

During the construction process, on October 1, 2025, the construction unit discovered a number of martyrs' remains in the cave area that had been buried by bombs. Immediately, Quang Tri province directed the Martyrs' Remains Collection Team 589 to search and collect them.

In accordance with the wishes of the families, on November 8, 2025, the province solemnly held a memorial service and burial ceremony. The common grave of 13 martyrs was designed in a traditional style, using stones from Thanh Hoa and some of the martyrs' hometowns - as a meaningful way of paying tribute.

In parallel with the construction of the communal grave, the entire campus of the National Special Monument of Hang Tam Co and the Memorial Temple of the heroic martyrs was restored in the direction of "green ecology" architecture, in harmony with the natural landscape.

The lighting system, auxiliary items and decorative panels are synchronously renovated, using sustainable, environmentally friendly materials and suitable for Vietnamese cultural identity.

The completion of the project is not only a deep gratitude to the 13 heroic martyrs who fell here, but also affirms the responsibility of today's generations in preserving historical memories.

After restoration, the Eight Ladies Cave relic has become a red address, a sacred destination in the journey of educating patriotic traditions, fostering a spirit of resilience and gratitude towards those who sacrificed for the Fatherland.

14 ladies gave gifts — Mrs. Ngo Phuong Ly, wife of General Secretary To Lam (6th from right) presents gifts to relatives of heroic martyrs. Photo: PV

Quang Tri province hopes that ministries, branches and localities will continue to pay attention and support to make the restoration and embellishment of historical relics in the area more and more effective, contributing to protecting and spreading great historical values for present and future generations.

On this occasion, Ms. Ngo Phuong Ly presented many gifts to relatives of heroic martyrs.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/tinh-quang-tri-khanh-thanh-cong-trinh-tri-an-anh-hung-liet-si-hang-tam-co-duong-20-quyet-thang-3310075.html