Memories of a classroom with 16 students killed by American bombs

Painful memories

56 years have passed, but Mr. Nguyen Van An (80 years old, residing in Trua village, Viet Tien commune, Thach Ha district, Ha Tinh province) still cannot forget the painful memories of the series of American bombs, including one that hit class 9A of Ly Tu Trong High School, killing 16 students.

According to Mr. An's memories, in the years 1965-1968, the American invaders carried out a destructive war by heavily bombing the North of our country.

To limit casualties caused by American bombs but still maintain learning and educational development, Ha Tinh province as well as many other northern provinces and cities evacuated schools to some localities.

In mid-1968, Ly Tu Trong High School built 6 study huts, distributed evenly in Loc, Tho, An, Ninh hamlets of Thach Tien commune (now Viet Tien commune, Thach Ha district). The study huts were built by the school and local people, the main materials were bamboo and thatch, with straw ceilings to protect against cluster bombs.

Each school shed is dug more than 1 meter deep, with ramparts about 1 meter high on all four sides, and a system of trenches connecting the four corners of the shed to A-shaped tunnels for escape and shelter.

"On August 19, 1968, the school organized the first political study session of the year. At around 3:30 p.m., a group of American jet planes circled many times in the sky and then swooped down to drop 6 bombs on the Ly Tu Trong High School area, one of which hit the hut of class 9A. I ran with everyone to see the classroom had disappeared, many students were dead, their bodies were no longer intact," Mr. An sadly recounted.

At the time he witnessed the American bombs falling, Mr. An was a militiaman.

The bodies of 16 students who died from American bombs were wrapped in plastic bags by Mr. An and everyone else and brought to Bai Nen cemetery, Viet Tien commune for burial.

Evidence of war crimes

In 2009, the Ly Tu Trong High School War Crimes Relic Site was built at the old meeting hall site with an area of ​​800 square meters (now in Trua village, Viet Tien commune).

The relic site has a stele recording the event and a list of 16 students who died. This place has become a historical address, a destination for visitors to visit and offer incense.

In 2015, the Ly Tu Trong High School War Crimes Relic Site was recognized as a provincial-level Historical - Cultural Relic by the People's Committee of Ha Tinh province.

In 2022, the Memorial House of War Crimes Remnants of Ly Tu Trong High School was started and inaugurated. The project has a total capital of more than 1 billion VND from the contribution of the alumni association to preserve many historical documents and images.

Since 1985, Ly Tu Trong High School was moved to the center of Thach Ha town, Thach Ha district, now the school is called Ly Tu Trong High School.

In the school grounds there is a stele engraved with the names of 16 former students killed by American bombs for younger generations and teachers to remember and educate about historical traditions.

Every year, at the War Crimes Relics Memorial House of Ly Tu Trong High School, cadres, Party members, teachers, students and pupils often come to burn incense to commemorate and educate about patriotic traditions.