Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Hồ Đắc Thạnh, is honoured with the 70-year Party membership badge. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Triệu

PHÚ YÊN — Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Hồ Đắc Thạnh, can never forget the days when he and his crew celebrated the Lunar New Year aboard an unnumbered ship loaded with weapons at Vũng Rô Port during the resistance war against the United States 60 years ago.

At that time, Thạnh was the captain of an unnumbered ship – one of the vessels transporting weapons from the North to Vũng Rô Port in the central province of Phú Yên to support the battlefront in Military Region 5 and the Central Highlands during the fiercest phase of the war against the US.

At the end of 1964, Phú Yên was under enemy blockade and all vessels were prohibited from entering or leaving Vũng Rô Bay. Opening a supply route right in the heart of enemy-controlled territory was a significant challenge.

However, the enemy's overconfidence in their control over the area unexpectedly contributed to the success of the unnumbered ships in transporting weapons to Vũng Rô.

Within just two months, from late 1964 to early 1965, Vũng Rô Port received four ship arrivals, three of which were successful, delivering over 200 tonnes of weapons, ammunition and essential supplies to the battlefields of south-central Việt Nam and the Central Highlands.

Although 60 years have passed, Thạnh will never forget this extraordinary journey in his naval career. As a captain, he commanded 12 unnumbered ship missions carrying weapons to the South, but his most vivid memories are of the three successful landings at Vũng Rô.

At the end of 1964, after successfully leading two arms shipments to Vũng Rô, Captain Thạnh was assigned a third mission. This time coincided with the Lunar New Year of 1965 (also the Year of the Snake).

Now 93 years old and living in Tuy Hòa City, Phú Yên Province, Thạnh reminisced about the emotional moments of that historic voyage through stormy seas.

He recalled that before departure, in addition to weapons and technical equipment, there was a large wooden box in the cargo hold labelled 'Spring Festival Gifts', accompanied by a branch of Nhật Tân peach blossoms.

In the final days of the year, the ship sailed through harsh winter monsoon winds. After five days braving rough seas, it changed course toward Vũng Rô, arriving precisely on Lunar New Year's Eve.

With permission from their superiors, the ship’s officers and crew stayed at the port to celebrate the 1965 Lunar New Year aboard the vessel alongside local forces.

“That night, as the ship anchored at Vũng Rô, enemy flares suddenly lit up the sky over Đèo Cả. My first thought was that we had been discovered, so I immediately ordered the crew to prepare for battle. But then, from the radio room below deck, the sound of President Hồ Chí Minh’s New Year poem broadcast over the radio. At that moment, everyone was overwhelmed with emotion, realising that the enemy was merely firing flares to celebrate the new year,” Thạnh recalled.

Celebrating the 1965 Lunar New Year at Vũng Rô Port, Captain Thạnh and his comrades deeply felt the bond between the North and the South, between the frontline and the defence. He vividly remembered the ship being concealed against the mountainside, camouflaged with foliage.

After positioning sentries at key locations, the crew held a Lunar New Year celebration on the cargo hold’s deck under the cover of camouflage leaves. The Nhật Tân peach blossoms alongside golden apricot flowers added to the festive atmosphere of spring.

During this mission, after unloading the cargo and preparing to depart, a young female volunteer, Nguyễn Thị Tảng, approached Thạnh and handed him a handful of soil from Vũng Rô. It was a heartfelt gift from the soldiers and people of Phú Yên to the Party, President Hồ Chí Minh and their beloved compatriots in the North.

That handful of soil was later displayed at the Việt Nam People's Navy Museum. Nguyễn Thị Tảng, the southern volunteer, was immortalised in a bronze statue as a symbol of the deep-rooted bond between the North and the South.

In 2025, Hero of the People's Armed Forces Hồ Đắc Thạnh was honoured with the 70-year Party membership badge. Despite his advanced age, he remains sharp-minded, documenting and sharing his unforgettable memories of war with future generations.

Thạnh often reflects on the deep camaraderie between comrades and the close-knit relationship between the military and the people. Spending the 1965 Lunar New Year on an unnumbered ship at Vũng Rô Port, right in the heart of enemy territory, remains an unforgettable chapter in his naval career.

The ship he once commanded is the only vessel to have twice received the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces and has been recognised by the Prime Minister as a National Treasure.

Today, the ship, bearing the number 671, is proudly displayed at the Việt Nam People's Navy Museum. —VNS