Attending the ceremony were Comrade Nguyen Trong Nghia, Politburo member, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda and Education Commission; General Pham Van Tra, former Politburo member, former Minister of National Defense ; General Ngo Xuan Lich, former Politburo member, former Minister of National Defense.

Also attending were General Nguyen Tan Cuong, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, Deputy Minister of National Defense; leaders and former leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnam People's Army; and leaders of a number of central departments, ministries and branches.

Comrades: General Secretary To Lam, Secretary of the Central Military Commission; President Luong Cuong... sent congratulatory flower baskets.

Leaders of the Ministry of National Defense and the Air Defense - Air Force welcomed Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

After the Air Defense - Air Force Service was established (October 22, 1963), the Ministry of National Defense built and developed a three-service air defense force, with the Air Defense - Air Force Service as the core, forming a widespread and interconnected air defense combat posture. Under the conditions of "using the few to fight the many", "using the small to win the big", the Air Defense - Air Force Service focused on studying and firmly grasping the enemy, building unique and creative fighting methods for each force, especially fighting the enemy's B-52s, reconnaissance aircraft, tactical fighter aircraft, jamming aircraft and unmanned aircraft.

Along with that, the Air Defense - Air Force Service actively deployed training, drills and through combat activities to supplement and perfect the way of fighting, train troops, improve the level and mettle of officers and soldiers. With the spirit of daring to fight, knowing how to fight and determined to win, successfully ending the resistance war against the US to save the country, the Air Defense - Air Force Service shot down 2,635 aircraft out of a total of 4,181 US aircraft shot down by our army and people, including all the most modern types of the US Air Force, including 64 B-52s; 13 F-111s, destroying and capturing hundreds of enemy pilots.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and delegates at the ceremony.

Over the past years, the Air Defense - Air Force Service has received attention from the Party, the State, the Central Military Commission, and the Ministry of National Defense to build it straight towards modernization. The organization, staffing, and equipment have been adjusted in the direction of being lean, compact, and strong, with reasonable force arrangement; the overall quality and combat strength of the Service have been increasingly improved, meeting the requirements and tasks of protecting the Fatherland in the new situation.

With outstanding achievements and feats in construction, combat and development, the Air Defense - Air Force Service has 147 collectives and 150 individuals awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Hero of Labor, and many other noble awards; the Service was honored to welcome Uncle Ho to visit 17 times.

News and photos: SON BINH - TUAN HUY

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/tin-tuc/thu-tuong-pham-minh-chinh-du-le-don-nhan-anh-hung-luc-luong-vu-trang-nhan-dan-cua-quan-chung-phong-khong-khong-quan-887294