From the beach area 2, Do Son (Hai Phong), cross the slope to Van Hoa mountain, turn to the right to see a few concrete piles protruding from the sea surface, which is the vestige of the wharf codenamed K15, ‘kilometer 0’ ‘ of the Ho Chi Minh Road at sea.
Veterans on unnumbered trains return to visit old battlefields The road across the East Sea K15 wharf is located in the southwest, at the foot of Van Hoa mountain, the 9th mountain in the Nine Dragon mountain range. Surrounded on three sides by mountains and dense green pine forests, this place is calm, an ideal anchoring point for boats. K15 is a codename during the war, everyday people in Hai Phong call it with a simple name: Ben Tieng. In 1950, the French colonialists built a military dock here to gather and transport war vehicles such as guns, tanks, amphibious vehicles from ships with their mouths open at sea to assemble, that’s why they built a gentle pier from the shore to the water’s edge to facilitate transportation and people used to call it Ben Tieng. In the memory of Hoang Van Dao (86 years old), a veteran fisherman in Do Son, the place of Ben Nghieng is also the image of the last soldiers of the French colonialists who lost the battle at Dien Bien Phu wearing their backpacks. , crooked, leaning on the ship to return home On the way, they were scared and lost, meeting everyone bowing before disembarking. On October 23, 1961, in the face of the situation of the US imperialists promoting the strategy of “special war”, the Ministry of Defense issued Decision No. 97/QD, establishing 759 Brigade (the predecessor of the 125th Navy Brigade) to transporting weapons and equipment to the southern battlefield by sea. Since then, the legends of the numberless train continued, marking the birth of the strategic transport route across the East Sea. After a period of active preparation, at 10 pm on October 11, 1962, the first wooden ship carrying 30 tons of secret weapons departed from Do Son. The departing ship consisted of 13 sailors, all of whom were soldiers from the South gathered by soldier Le Van Mot as captain, soldier Bong Van Dia as a politician. On October 16, 1962, the ship Phuong Dong 1 successfully entered Vam Lung wharf (Ca Mau). Next, the Orient ships 2, 3, 4, respectively. Pointing to the remaining piers on Ben Tieng, Lieutenant Colonel Luu Dinh Lung, a son of Hai Phong, who once participated in transporting 10 unnumbered trains recounted: “In this area, on the decision decided to establish a unit with codename K15 on the level of a battalion. The chief and political officer is Captain Do Tieu. I don’t understand why K15 wharf has exactly 15 stakes installed by the Government, which is very coincidental.” Veteran’s memory Recalling the early days of the operation of the “Numbered Pier”, Lieutenant Colonel Luu Dinh Lung recalled: “During the war, secret work was a vital element, our ships carried the transport mission, not not fighting, so the element of ingenuity and top secret is put on top. Once, General Vo Nguyen Giap came to visit, but was stopped by his comrades at the guard post and refused to let him approach because they did not know the General’s face. The general was not angry but also welcomed the vigilance and secrecy of the soldiers.” “So far, success or not is also due to the work of keeping secrets. If you go out into the street, if you meet family or friends, you are not allowed to enter the wharf gate but have to go another way. After people have passed through, you can enter… When you go to the inner wharf (Southern front) as well. That’s it, don’t say that this guy is on this ship, that guy is on that ship, which ship’s officers and soldiers know are on that ship.” “Just like myself, I am here, the house is in this area, my family knows, if I want to go home, I have to go by car to Hai Phong. Then at the Opera House, walk down to Quan Ngua, from there by car, go home. At 9:00 pm, I went back to the unit and lied that the unit’s car picked me up, I would like to go home. Parents don’t know but actually walk from there to here 6km. Come out here, before entering, take off the army clothes, put on shorts and underwear to go in, the job of keeping secrets is extremely important “- Colonel Lung said. Colonel Luu Dinh Lung is nearly 80 years old this year. A few years ago he had a stroke, so his health somewhat declined, but the memories of the train without number were still imprinted in his mind. The most memorable was on November 5, 1965, after he returned to Do Son on train 642 to Vung Ro, ship 642 was awarded the Third Class Military Merit Medal by the State and was given a pack of cigarettes by Uncle Ho for each sailor. . On April 15, 1963, the first stake was driven down. But the more they close, the more they refuse because they encounter sandy and rocky terrain. Having to change machinery and equipment many times, workers continuously work 3 shifts, excluding day and night. On May 15, 1963, wharf K15 was completed and began to do its historic duty… Continuing the recollections of the train without number, chat with lieutenant Hoang Gia Hieu, who used to participate in transporting many weapons on the legendary ship number 641, twice honored with the title of hero. Currently, that ship is located in the museum of the Navy, which is a national historic site. Lieutenant Hoang Gia Hieu enlisted in the army in February 1964, and in April 1964 was assigned to a convoy to support the southern battlefield by sea. In August 1964, rookie Hoang Gia Hieu took the first trip aboard ship number 641 (also known as C41, now renamed HQ671) of Captain Ho Dac Thanh to Ca Mau. After that, he went on many more trips, including 3 successful trips to bring weapons to Vung Ro (Phu Yen). The story that he remembers most is the decision to blow up the ship 641 after many years of attachment and the image of his comrades sacrificing themselves to ensure the secret of the vital sea route. “Around 11 o’clock at night on November 27, 1966, our ship arrived at the pier. Running back and forth, from the gate of My A to Pho An (Quang Ngai), still no one came to greet him. Time was short, we decided to drop the goods, and at the same time send people ashore to make contact. At four o’clock in the morning, two-thirds of the cargo was released, then two enemy destroyers were discovered to hide and block the exit.” During 10 years (1962-1972) from K15 Do Son wharf, there were hundreds of unnumbered trains, successfully transporting 18,741 officers and soldiers and 44,000 tons of weapons, goods and timely aid to the army. Our people in the South, Zone 6, Zone 5… during the resistance war, greatly contributed to the glorious victory of the nation in the Southern front, reunifying the country. In the face of the situation of “thousands of pounds hanging by a hair”, the Sub-Committee urgently consulted and came up with a plan to blow up the ship to keep the location of the cargo a secret and not to let the ship fall into the hands of the enemy. “After the crew members had disembarked, Captain Thanh and chief engineer Phan Nhan destroyed the documents, timed the fuse for thirty minutes, and then swam to shore… Waited and waited and waited, but did not see the ship explode. From the shore, first mate Duong Van Loc and captain Tran Nhu, the two brothers worried that the ship would not explode and would fall into enemy hands, so they swam to the fire point. A while later, on the ship 641, a fire broke out, and Mr. Loc and Mr. Nhon died.
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