Shelter, now home

“In March 1968, I was one of 72 sailors in a special transport convoy of Canh Duong commune (now Hoa Trach), Quang Binh province (old) to bring weapons to the southern battlefield. On a windy night, we set sail. The convoy of boats quickly glided through the night sea. The next morning, the convoy arrived at Vung Si, Vinh Moc, Vinh Linh, Quang Tri (old). The fierce war made the trip longer. Many people were captured by the enemy, the rest were forced to disperse to villages, and asked the people to hide them. The days living under the protection of the Quang Tri people left indelible memories in my heart!”

Mr. Nguyen Van Nhuong at Hien Luong bridge - Photo: NGOC MAI

Journey into the "land of fire"

That is the memory of Mr. Nguyen Van Nhuong (born in 1950, old Canh Duong commune), a member of the special transport team, former Deputy Head of the National Assembly Delegation of Quang Binh province. The transport team was led by Mr. Dau Thanh Long as Team Leader; Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Lien as Company Political Commissar, Mr. Nhuong as Branch Secretary.

After a night of drifting, under the cover of a fishing boat, the group landed at Vung Si, near Vinh Moc tunnel. They anchored the boat in a rock crevice, hiding in the tunnel. That afternoon, enemy planes discovered and bombed the two boats, sinking them. The Party cell held an urgent meeting, assigning people to stay behind to salvage the boats, while the rest continued their journey.

With intelligence, courage and determination to support the Tri Thien battlefield, the group passed Cua Tung and Ben Hai, entering the fierce battlefield. A few kilometers from Cua Viet port, enemy flares clearly illuminated every person on the boat in suffocating suspense. The boats carrying weapons were specially designed, with a "lu" hole in the cockpit to self-sink when discovered by the enemy. Many times when facing dangerous situations, the captain ordered the "lu" to be withdrawn and the boat sank. After escaping from the enemy's sight, they bailed out water, covered it up and continued their journey.

At dawn, Mr. Nhuong and some sailors went deep into the territory of Village 1, Trieu Van Commune (now Nam Cua Viet Commune). Sailors from other boats entered scatteredly from Village 1 to Village 9. They urgently handed over weapons to the army units in indescribable joy. 22 sailors who went deep into the war zone were arranged in houses of people in Trieu Van Commune (old). "The days of being protected and sheltered by the people here have left deep memories in my heart," Mr. Nhuong recalled.

Canh Duong village boat dock, the starting point of the VT5 transport campaign to supply weapons to the Tri - Thien battlefield in 1968 - Photo: THANH HAI

Unforgettable faces

Nearly 60 years have passed, there are things he can't remember clearly, but the memories of the heroic people of Trieu Van and their silent protection during dangerous days, he will never forget.

During the time the convoy stopped at Trieu Van, the Tri Thien battlefield was extremely fierce. Enemy planes and warships operated day and night, continuously shelling villages. People were forced to leave their villages and live crowded on the coastal sandbar, under strict control. The My Thuy military port was always brightly lit, ambulances, patrol boats, aircraft carriers, and enemy helicopters were on standby offshore. In the air, reconnaissance planes and helicopters continuously dropped leaflets, pointed loudspeakers to broadcast propaganda, swept, and landed troops... making the situation always tense and dangerous.

In Village 1, Mr. Nhuong was placed in the village captain's house. The family had a son named Hoa, about 9-10 years old, with dark skin, smart and very agile. Although still young, he was assigned the task of guiding and protecting him. During a raid, Hoa led him to a secret bunker, camouflaged with cogon grass and dry willow leaves. "Stay in there, I'll come back if anything happens," he told clearly and then turned away. More than once, that boy saved him and many cadres from dangerous raids.

Nearby is Tinh’s mother’s house. She was assigned to take care of a wounded soldier who had suffered severe phosphorous burns, his whole body was festering and smelling. She and her son took care of him without a single complaint. Whenever there was a raid, the villagers together moved him to another place for safety. “That loving image has followed me all my life!”, Mr. Nhuong emotionally recounted.

After staying in Village 1 for a while, because the situation was too dangerous near My Thuy military port, the group leader moved the group deeper into Village 4. Mr. Nhuong and a sailor were arranged to stay in a civilian's house, taking shelter in a secret bunker when there was a sweep. They were instructed to dress like civilians to avoid being discovered if they could not escape in time. Here, he was lucky to meet a heroic mother, Trieu Van, with two children, Ms. Xuyen and Mr. Luyen, who many times protected them and helped them escape death by a hair's breadth.

After many intense sweeps, the Front had planned to take the delegation from Trieu Lang back to the North by land through Cua Viet and Cua Tung, but both failed due to strict enemy control. Finally, the leaders decided to move the delegation to the Western Quang Tri war zone and from there to the North. Knowing that the delegation was about to leave, the people secretly gave gifts, but the delegation was ordered absolutely not to bring or accept anything, except a few small items as souvenirs.

Meet the benefactor

After the country was reunified, some old sailors returned to visit Trieu Van commune. People thought they had died, so the reunion was extremely emotional. They met the liberation soldier who was on duty as a radio operator and had received the news that the group was delivering goods that year. Mr. Nhuong met Mr. Luyen and reminisced about the secret bunker of the past. Ms. Xuyen had died, and Mr. Luyen's mother was now blind. Mr. Luyen and his wife also went to Quang Binh to visit Mr. Nhuong's family, keeping their deep affection forever.

Now, when Quang Binh and the old Quang Tri are under one roof, the sailors of the special transport convoy of the past, some still alive, some deceased, some seriously ill, still deeply remember the time they lived among the flesh and blood of the people. In their memories, those were unforgettable days. They are deeply grateful to the people here, not only for being sheltered and protected, but also because this land has become their homeland, first the homeland of kindness in the midst of fierce war, now the true homeland after the two provinces merged, the homeland of simple but great people, always open-heartedly protecting and connecting.

Ngoc Mai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/noi-cho-che-nay-thanh-que-huong-195543.htm