The place of sacrifice of 16 Youth Volunteers at Long Dai Ferry Terminal 2

During the years of fighting against the destructive war of the American imperialists, Long Dai Ferry was located in the “pot handle” area of Military Region IV, becoming the “throat”, “blood vessel”, a particularly important traffic bridge on Route 15 between the great rear of the North and the battlefields of the South and neighboring countries of Laos and Cambodia. The ferry was also a key point for crossing the river, the most fierce of the historic Ho Chi Minh Trail.

It was here that the US imperialists concentrated on pouring hundreds of tons of dense bombs and ammunition in an attempt to destroy and “strangle” the resources from the rear to support the front line. Long Dai ferry, along with other places such as Mu Da, Xuan Son, Cong Troi, Gianh ferry, Quan Hau ferry, became “bomb bags” and “fire pans” in the US imperialists’ war of destruction in the North, especially from 1967 to 1971.

To ensure the smooth flow of traffic, to avoid the possibility of transporting goods and weapons when attacked by the enemy, from January 1971, Long Dai area was developed into 2 ferry terminals: Ferry Terminal I is located near Long Dai bridge today; Ferry Terminal 2 is about 500m east of Ferry Terminal 1. Ferry Terminal 2 marked a historical event about the heroic sacrifice of 16 C130 Youth Volunteers of Thai Binh province during two devastating bombings by the US imperialists in September 1972.

16 volunteer youths from Thai Binh province sacrificed their lives at Long Dai ferry 2, belonging to Company 130, Battalion 2, Division 571, Group 559. The company consisted of 150 people from Kien Xuong district, Thai Binh province. They were 18 or 20 years old, left their hometown to volunteer to open Route 18 of the Truong Son – Ho Chi Minh road system from April 1971, serving the South – Laos campaign.

In July 1972, the US imperialists fiercely attacked Long Dai ferry and Highway 15A. The youth volunteer unit of Thanh Chuong district, Nghe An province, while on duty, was carpet-bombed by the US, causing heavy casualties and forcing the unit to move to the rear to consolidate its forces. To ensure smooth traffic flow, the C130 unit was mobilized to station and stand guard here, along with the engineering troops, to promptly clear the route. Living and fighting in a place known as a “bomb bag” and a “trick pan”, the Youth Volunteers of Company 130 were never shaken, always maintaining their will and determination: “Fight the enemy and go, clear the way and advance”, “The enemy destroys us, repair us, the enemy destroys us, repair us again”, “Live clinging to the bridge and road, die steadfastly and bravely“. Despite the dangers and hardships, the brothers and sisters always completed their assigned tasks well, ensuring the traffic arteries on the support route for the beloved South.

Besides the feats, achievements, joys and happiness when fighting together, Unit C130 still could not avoid losses and sacrifices. One of the biggest losses was the sacrifice of 16 Youth Volunteers in September 1972 while on duty at Long Dai Ferry Terminal 2.

At 3:00 p.m. on September 19, 1972, while soldiers of the C130 unit of Thai Binh province were on duty at Long Dai ferry 2, American aircraft continuously bombed the Long Dai ferry and attacked the C130 formation. The enemy’s bombing only lasted about an hour, causing extremely heavy damage and great losses to the unit. 15 soldiers were killed (7 women, 8 men), including 3 soldiers who died while transporting goods by boat from the North bank to the South bank of the Long Dai river; 12 soldiers died at the ferry and in the shelter, and several other comrades were injured. After the American aircraft stopped bombing, the area where the unit was stationed was left with only a field littered with bomb craters; The soldiers rushed to the tunnel area to dig quickly in the hope that their comrades were still safe, but after each layer of soil, their hearts ached when they saw their comrades lying there, some soldiers’ bodies were no longer intact. The whole unit suppressed their grief to bury their brothers and sisters and continued their mission.

The pain of the unit had not yet subsided, on September 23, 1972, the US imperialists continued to bomb Long Dai ferry, soldier Tran Manh Ha was killed while on duty. Unit C130 once again had to say goodbye to his comrade in infinite grief, in extreme pain. After two rounds of carpet bombing by the US imperialists, Unit C130 lost 16 comrades, including 7 women and 9 men. They bravely sacrificed while on duty at Long Dai ferry 2 at the most fierce moment, their blood and bones merged into the Truong Son mountains and forests, into the flow of the Long Dai River – a place known as the “coordinate of fire” in the resistance war against the US, saving the country.

Long Dai ferry terminal 2 is the place that marks the crimes of the American empire, the place where our army and people fought fiercely against the invaders, especially the place that witnessed the heroic sacrifice of 16 Youth Volunteers of Unit C130 of Thai Binh province who fell for the cause of liberating the South and unifying the country. To express gratitude to the C130 Youth Volunteers of Thai Binh province who sacrificed at Long Long Dai ferry terminal 2, Quang Binh Provincial Youth Union has joined with kind individuals and organizations to build a Memorial House at the place where they fell for their homeland. The Memorial House was inaugurated on December 21, 2012. This is a spiritual work of the young generation, of the people of Quang Binh in particular and the people of the whole country in general to commemorate the brave fighting spirit and sacrifice of 16 Youth Volunteers at Long Dai ferry terminal 2 in September 1972 for the cause of unifying the country.

Along with the Truong Son martyrs’ memorial temple, the relic is a “red address” in the tourist journey to revisit the old battlefield and pay tribute to comrades. And every citizen, when coming here to burn incense in memory, feels proud of the feats of the generations of fathers and brothers who fought bravely and sacrificed for the independence and freedom of the nation.

Quang Binh Monuments and Scenic Spots