A solemn ceremony was held inthe northern port city of Hai Phong on Oct. 21 to mark the 50 thanniversary of the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea (Oct. 23).

Addressing the ceremony, President Truong Tan Sang recalled that after1954, with their plot to divide the nation, US imperialists and theirlackies intended to disregard the Geneva Treaty and bring troops toinvade the south to turn it into a new colony in order to attack thenorth.

In that situation, the Party defined the pathto liberate the south as a revolutionary path. The Party advocated thespeedy assistance of personnel and weapons from the north to southernbattlefields and organised team 559 to open a land route passing theTruong Son Mountain Range – the legendary Ho Chi Minh Trail.

On Oct. 23, 1961, the Ministry of Defence decided to establishmilitary transport team 759 to embark on a new strategy – the Ho ChiMinh Trail at Sea – to transport soldiers and weapons to thesouthern battlefields, especially places where the Ho Chi Minh Trailland route on the Truong Son Mountain Range could not reach.

During the 14 years from 1961 to 1975, officials and soldiers of teams759 and 125 of the Naval Service on unmarked ships engaged in heroicexploits.

Hundreds of ships carrying thousands oftonnes of weapons, medicine, cargo and tens of thousands of officialsand soldiers were sent to southern, central southern and zone 5battlefields to joined the people and army to smash the enemy’s plot andbring the anti-US imperialist war to a victory.

President Sang stressed that the Ho Chi Minh Trail at Sea is always apride of the Vietnamese Army and people. It constitutes a bright symbolof the revolutionary heroism, brainpower, bravery, iron will and resolveof the Vietnamese people to gain national independence, freedom andreunification.

“From the tradition of the Ho Chi MinhTrail at Sea, we are further aware of the great role of seas and islandsas Uncle Ho has taught: “In the old days, we had only nights andforests. Nowadays, we have the days, the sky, the sea and a long,beautiful coastline and we need to protect it,” said the President.

On this occasion, the team of officials and soldiers on the Ho ChiMinh Trail at Sea under the Ministry of Defence’s Navy Arm were honouredwith the Ho Chi Minh Order, and seven units of Brigade 125 of the NavyArm and six individuals were presented with the title of Hero of thePeople’s Armed Force.

𝓡 Earlier, a delegation of leadersof the Party, State, Government, National Assembly and Fatherland Frontled by President Truong Tan Sang offered incense at Do Son’s wharf K15in commemoration of fallen soldiers who laid down their lives on the HoChi Minh Trail at Sea./.