On the early morning of March 27, the Hanoi-based Noi Bai International Airport was filled with joys as Hanoi war veterans reunited after years apart. Warm handshakes and bright smiles marked the beginning of a meaningful journey, organized by the Departments of Home Affairs of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to commemorate the 50th anniversary of South Liberation and National Reunification Day.
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The delegation of war veterans, who once fought in the Southern battlefield during the resistance war against the U.S. |
Vietnam Airlines arranged priority check-in counters and dedicated services to honor the veterans. During the flight, chief flight attendant Tran Huy Hoang expressed deep gratitude to these former soldiers who sacrificed their youth for the national independence and freedom.
For Major General Vu Viet Cam, former Deputy Chief of the General Department II, this was a journey of special significance. As the Deputy Commander of Regiment 174, Division 5 during the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, he and his unit successfully blocked the enemy’s Divisions 7 and 9, contributing to the final victory on April 30, 1975.
Meanwhile, Senior Colonel Phung Ba Dam, former Head of the Political Officer Training Division at the Military Political Academy, recalled the historic moment when his Regiment 66, Division 304 stormed the Independence Palace, witnessing the surrender of President Duong Van Minh and his cabinet. That unforgettable moment remains vividly etched in his memory even after half a century.
Looking out of the airplane window as it landed on the runway of Tan Son Nhat International Airport, Senior Colonel Do Minh Son, former Head of Political Theory Department at the Academy of Cryptography, remembered the morning of April 30, 1975. He and his unit had been among the forces that liberated the airport and pushed toward the enemy’s General Staff headquarters. “Many of my comrades laid down their lives for the final victory that brought about national reunification,” he said.
For these veterans, this journey was more than just a visit, it was a chance to relive a heroic past, knowing that their sacrifices had paved the way for a prosperous and peaceful Vietnam.
Translated by Minh Anh