Proud of tradition, continuing achievements, worthy of the heroic 363rd Air Defense Division

Proud of tradition

Over 60 years of building, fighting and growing, generations of officers and soldiers of the 363rd Air Defense Division have always maintained and promoted the noble qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers - "Excellent Air Defense - Air Force soldiers" writing the glorious tradition of the heroic 363rd Air Defense Division.

Combat readiness training at Battalion 72, Regiment 285 (Air Defense Division 363).

Immediately after its establishment, with the attention of the Party Committee and the Air Defense - Air Force Command (PK-KQ), the enthusiastic support of the Party Committee, the local government and people, the coordination of agencies and units stationed in the area, after only nearly 2 months of perfecting the organization and staffing, focusing on training, in the first battle, on July 11, 1965, the 363rd Air Defense Division achieved an outstanding feat, shooting down an American F-104 aircraft in the sky of Hai Phong City. This was the first American aircraft to be shot down on Hai Phong mainland; at the same time, it was an important historical event, marking the remarkable development of the Division. That feat made the unit's officers and soldiers proud, contributing to encouraging the determination to defeat the American invaders of our army and people.

With the spirit of “”, “”, during the resistance war against the US, to save the country, officers and soldiers of the 363rd Air Defense Division mobilized to fight in 11 provinces and cities, participating in thousands of battles. In particular, the Division participated in 4 major campaigns: Rolling Thunder - Road 5 (1967); Sea of ​​Fire (1967); Binh Tri Thien (1971 - 1972) and the Hanoi - Dien Bien Phu in the air campaign (1972), shooting down 381 aircraft, 82 crashed on the spot, including 12 types of US imperialism (including 12 B-52s; 1 F-111), destroying and capturing many enemy pilots.

 

With its outstanding achievements, the 363rd Air Defense Division has been honored to receive many noble awards from the Party and the State: 1 First Class Independence Medal, 11 Military Exploit Medals, 1,014 Exploit Medals of various types. The Division, 16 collectives and 12 individuals were awarded and posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces. In 2019, the Division was awarded the Emulation Flag of the Government; in 2023, the Division successfully completed its mission of being a model for training regulations, building discipline, and managing discipline for the Ministry of National Defense ; in 2024, the Division successfully completed its mission and was awarded the Emulation Flag and Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of National Defense; many units were commended by Hai Phong City and Quang Ninh Province for their achievements in working with local people to prevent, combat, and overcome the consequences of natural disasters, storms, floods, and forest fires. In particular, on March 4, 2025, the Division was honored to receive the First Class Fatherland Protection Medal from the President.

Continue writing exploits

Along with the development of the country and the requirements of the task of protecting the Fatherland, the task of building a revolutionary, disciplined, elite, and modern Air Defense - Air Force Service; the officers and soldiers of the 363rd Air Defense Division today always uphold the spirit of solidarity, responsibility, focus on performing well the political tasks, improving the overall quality and combat readiness, training, creating a comprehensive and solid progressive change. The annual training results are 100% satisfactory, of which over 86.5% are good and excellent; participating in drills, competitions, sports, and live ammunition shooting organized by the Ministry of National Defense and the Air Defense - Air Force Service all achieved excellent results, with high prizes, ensuring absolute safety. The officers and soldiers always have absolute trust in the leadership of the Party, uphold the spirit of revolutionary vigilance, fight to defeat all plots and sabotage tricks of hostile forces...

K54 gun shooting test for officers and soldiers of Air Defense Division 363.

 

Colonel Nguyen Trong Tien, Party Secretary and Political Commissar of Division 363, said: “To create a comprehensive strength and win in combat, the Party Committee and the Division's command always identify political and spiritual strength as the most important factor. Accordingly, the Division strengthens political and ideological education, enhances fighting spirit and will, ensuring that the unit is always politically strong. Agencies and units in the Division promote the implementation of Directive No. 2324-CT/QUTW, dated November 9, 2023 of the Central Military Commission Standing Committee on innovation and improvement of the quality of political education in the new period; closely combining regular education with traditional education. Focus on thoroughly informing soldiers to grasp the Party's viewpoints and policies on military, national defense and homeland protection tasks, especially the requirements and tasks of the Service, partners and subjects; update and disseminate information on offensive means. new air routes, combat tactics in wars and military conflicts around the world... Thereby, promptly orienting the army's ideology, ensuring that 100% of officers and soldiers have a deep awareness of their tasks, have political will, a steadfast mindset, trust in the Party's leadership and the art of air defense warfare, and existing weapons and equipment, feel secure in their work, are attached to their units, and are ready to receive and complete well all assigned tasks."

Along with that, the Division attaches special importance to Party building work, identifying this as the key content to build a politically strong unit. To do that, the Division regularly directs the consolidation, improvement, and enhancement of the leadership capacity and fighting strength of Party committees and organizations at all levels, especially at grassroots units; linking the building of Party organizations with command organizations and mass organizations. Currently, the Division focuses on leading and directing the successful organization of Party congresses at all levels towards the 16th Division Party Congress, term 2025-2030, contributing to improving the leadership capacity and fighting strength of grassroots Party organizations and promoting the vanguard and exemplary role of cadres and Party members in performing their tasks.

Combat crew of Radar Station 25, Regiment 295 (Air Defense Division 363) practicing radar station recovery

 

Private Nguyen Trung Hieu, Guard Soldier, Staff Department of Air Defense Division 363 shared: “It is an honor and pride to study and work in a unit with a long tradition. We pledge to unite, stick together, overcome all difficulties, follow the tradition of previous generations, strive to study, train, and excellently complete assigned tasks; contribute to building a strong, comprehensive, “exemplary, typical” unit.

Being proud of the 60-year tradition of the heroic 363rd Air Defense Division is also an opportunity for each officer and soldier of the unit to remember the contributions of previous generations, vow to join hands, be of one mind, unite, be proactive and creative, dare to think, dare to do, dare to take responsibility, not be afraid of hardships and sacrifices, strive to study, practice, make efforts, strive to rise up, master weapons and technical equipment, be highly combat-ready, successfully carry out all assigned tasks, meet the requirements and tasks in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland today.

Article and photos: CAO THANH DONG

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Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/xay-dung-quan-doi/tu-hao-truyen-thong-viet-tiep-chien-cong-xung-danh-su-doan-phong-khong-363-anh-hung-829000