The statue of Cuban leader Fidel Castro at Fidel Park in the central province of Quảng Trị.— VNA/VNS Photo Tường Vi

QUẢNG TRỊ — When 77-year-old Hoàng Thị Chẩm, known as 'O Chẩm' to locals, shook hands with Cuban leader Fidel Castro on September 15, 1973, she had no idea that moment would become a treasured piece of history.

Living by the southern bank of the Hiền Lương Bridge over the Bến Hải River, then part of Trung Hải Commune, Chẩm was among the brave fighters who welcomed Castro during his visit to the Dốc Miếu Base — once a key US military stronghold on the McNamara Line, now in Gio Linh Commune.

More than five decades later, the people of Quảng Trị Province’s liberated zone still hold a deep respect for the Cuban leader and the heroic nation he represented.

Between 1969 and the province’s liberation on May 1, 1972, Chẩm made her name as a skilled female sniper at Dốc Miếu Base.

Her distinguished service earned her a place among the local fighters chosen to greet Castro.

A rare photograph from that day captures the Cuban leader warmly shaking hands with the young sniper — a keepsake Chẩm has cherished for more than 50 years.

She recalls how, in the days leading up to the visit, everything was shrouded in secrecy.

All she received from her superiors was a brief order to prepare for 'an assignment.'

Cuban leader Fidel Castro shakes hands with Hoàng Thị Chẩm during his 1973 visit to Quảng Trị Province. Photo cand.com.vn

On the morning of September 15, dressed in a newly bought outfit, Chẩm joined other outstanding cadres and soldiers at the base, still unaware of the true purpose.

Only about 15 minutes before Castro’s arrival from Đông Hà did they learn they would be welcoming the Cuban leader himself.

“The moment we heard the news, we were overwhelmed with emotion and pride. It took great effort to compose ourselves and carry out the duty,” she said.

She remembers the Cuban leader striding into the base, inspecting the scene of destruction left by the Americans with wrecked tanks, coils of barbed wire and unexploded ordnance.

He then went on to speak personally with each cadre and soldier present. Despite being a head of state, Castro came across as approachable and sincere.

When he stopped to shake Chẩm’s hand, he studied her face with admiration, impressed that a young woman barely in her twenties had achieved such feats at a fortress once considered impregnable by the US.

“Even now, I can still picture him, hear his voice and recall his encouraging words. His presence, though brief, was an enormous source of inspiration not only for us in Quảng Trị Province but for all fighters on the southern front,” she said.

That same morning, before visiting the base, Castro had inspected Tân Lâm Base (C-241) in Cam Lộ Commune, where US-wrecked tanks and artillery pieces still lay.

Addressing a meeting there, he spoke for over half an hour, praising the courage and victories of Vietnamese soldiers and civilians and affirming the enduring solidarity between Cuba and Việt Nam.

In an unforgettable gesture, Castro was presented with the 'Ever-Victorious' flag of the Khe Sanh Brigade, adorned with decorations of the Trị Thiên-Huế Liberation Army.

Holding it aloft, he called out to the assembled fighters: “Comrades, carry this Ever-Victorious flag to plant it in Sài Gòn. We shall meet again in Sài Gòn after the complete liberation of the South.”

Today, the area around Tân Lâm Base is a fertile landscape of rubber and pepper plantations but traces of the base remain.

In 2012, a monument was built there to commemorate the struggle, now a popular destination for veterans and visitors.

Nguyễn Hữu Trung, a resident of Ái Tử Commune, said he had seen many photographs of Castro’s visit but “the most moving was of Castro raising high the flag given by Vietnamese fighters.”

“The monument reminds everyone of the Cuban leader’s courage in visiting despite the risks and of the exceptional solidarity between our nations,” he said.

A corner of Fidel Park in the central province of Quảng Trị.— VNA/VNS Photo Tường Vi

Lasting gratitude

Fidel Castro was the first and only foreign head of state to visit Quảng Trị Province’s liberated zone after the Paris Peace Accords of January 1973.

His visit took place when parts of the province still bore the scars of battle and when enemy artillery remained trained from the southern bank of the Thạch Hãn River.

Half a century later, the authorities and people of Quảng Trị Province continue to honour and express gratitude to Castro and the Cuban people.

Monuments, parks and infrastructure built and preserved in the province remain powerful symbols of that bond.

Upon arriving in the province in September 1973, Castro had walked along Trần Hưng Đạo Street from Đông Hà Bridge, inspecting the town.

Today, one of his stopping points has become Fidel Park, a 16-ha site completed in 2018.

At its centre stands a statue of Castro, with his famous words inscribed at the base: “For Việt Nam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood.”

Behind the statue rise nine royal palm trees, representing the Cuban symbol of integrity and resilience and marking his 90 years of life.

The park has since become a key venue for Vietnamese–Cuban friendship activities.

Following Castro’s visit, Cuba provided vital assistance to Việt Nam and to the province in particular.

Among the projects was the Bến Tắt Suspension Bridge, built in 1974 with Cuban support.

Spanning 100 metres over the upper Bến Hải River, it played a critical role in reinforcing supplies from North to South during the final years of the war.

Classified in 2013 as part of the Hồ Chí Minh Trail Special National Relic, the bridge continues to serve local communities today.

Nearby, in Đakrông Commune, a commemorative stele stands on the 'Việt Nam–Cuba Friendship Route,' acknowledging Cuban aid in constructing the Hồ Chí Minh Trail after Castro’s 1973 visit.

Cuba also supported the construction of the Việt Nam–Cuba Friendship Hospital in Đồng Hới, begun in 1974 and inaugurated in 1981, which remains a living symbol of bilateral solidarity.

Enduring friendship

For Quảng Trị Province, the gratitude is not only historic but ongoing.

In recent months, the province launched a campaign marking '65 Years of Việt Nam–Cuba Solidarity,' raising more than VNĐ9.1 billion (US$345,000), one of the highest contributions nationwide to support the Cuban people during difficult times.

Journalist Lâm Quang Huy, Chief Representative of Nhân Dân (The People) newspaper in the province, who has written extensively about the visit of Castro, said "the affection of local people for the Cuban supremo goes beyond admiration for a heroic revolutionary; it is a profound bond of kinship, heartfelt and sincere".

Across the province, especially at Fidel Park, one often hears the resonant slogans that encapsulate this enduring friendship: “Viva Cuba! Viva Việt Nam! Viva Hồ Chí Minh! Viva Fidel! Long live Cuba, long live Việt Nam, long live Hồ Chí Minh, long live Fidel.” — VNS