Flame hill in the midst of bomb and bullet coordinates
Hill C4 battlefield is located on Dragon Mountain, about 500m from Ham Rong bridge. During the war years, this area was not as green as it is now, becoming a favorable location to deploy anti-aircraft artillery positions, ready to counter air raids by the US Air Force.
Hill C4 is also known by many other names such as Heroic Hill C4, Pine Tree Hill Ba... From 1965 to 1973, this place was a fierce battlefield of Company 4, Regiment 228, with the task of destroying US aircraft bombing Ham Rong Bridge.
The battlefield has an area of more than 12ha, located on the hilltop with a system including: 1 command bunker, 2 artillery platoons (B1, B2), 6 batteries, 1 club bunker and 2 ammunition bunkers. In the command bunker, there are deputy company commander, deputy political commissar and equipment officers. The radar observation area is in charge of the company commander and political commissar, when a target is detected, orders will be transmitted to the command bunker to organize firing. Receiving signals from the radar station, the command bunker orders artillery platoons B1, B2 to deploy combat, and operate batteries to attack aerial targets.
With a club basement area of about 30m2, which is a place for soldiers to rest and live, it is neatly and tidily arranged. Six batteries are located in strategic positions, directly participating in combat with enemy aircraft.
According to historical records, in the battle on July 28, 1965 at Platoon 4, after being hit by a rocket, Platoon Leader Nguyen Van Dien was seriously injured with 11 bullet wounds on his body. However, he still used the command flag to tie his stomach, continuing to command the unit to fight.
With the slogan "Rather collapse on the cannon than let the bridge collapse", the soldiers persistently stayed, contributing to the successful protection of Ham Rong bridge - a vital traffic route connecting the South and North. On Hill C4, there are still many bomb craters deep in meters, traces of fierce battles, including the battle on July 14, 1966 that killed soldier Do Huu Toai.
After many years of fighting, Company 4 participated in more than 400 battles, contributing to shooting down 117 aircraft, including 2 B52 aircraft and 1 drone. Today, Hill C4 has become a tourist and traditional education destination for the young generation, especially on April every year. From here, visitors can connect to visit other historical and cultural relics such as Ham Rong bridge, Dong Son ancient village, and the memorial area for teachers and students who sacrificed when building the Ma River dike.
Unforgettable memories of the bombing
During the anti-American resistance war, Thanh Hoa was identified as the direct rear of the Binh - Tri - Thien battlefield. The US considered Ham Rong bridge a key target, if it collapsed, it would paralyze the North-South traffic route. Therefore, from 1965 to 1973, the US Air Force continuously organized air strikes targeting this area. However, with a resilient spirit and flexible fighting methods, the army and people of Thanh Hoa successfully protected the bridge.
One of the most fierce battles occurred in the summer of 1972. When the Ma River water rose, Thanh Hoa province mobilized thousands of people, mainly teachers, students, and students, to participate in building a key dike section more than 1km long from Nam Ngan village to Ham Rong bridge. On June 14, 1972, while the construction site was urgently underway, US planes suddenly bombed, killing 64 people, injuring nearly 300 people and leaving 8 missing.
More than half a century has passed, but the memory of that bombing is still deeply imprinted in the mind of Ms. Le Thi Mien (born 1952, residing in Thuong Xuan commune, Thanh Hoa province). According to her, after the bombing, hundreds of injured people were taken to the hospital. Many bodies could not be identified due to mud and soil clinging to them, and had to be washed clean to identify their identities.
Ms. Tran Thi Thai (born 1950, residing in Hac Thanh ward, Thanh Hoa province) recalled that at about 9:15 am on June 14, 1972, when thousands of people were working, US planes suddenly rushed from the sea, continuously bombing the Ham Rong bridge area.
“The bomb fell too quickly, many people were thrown away, people in the trenches were buried. The scene was tragic, many people died and were injured. The survivors immediately spread out to rescue people, search for missing people. Even if I was injured, I would only rest for a moment and then continue to rescue friends with everyone” - Ms. Thai recounted.
According to witnesses, although time has passed, the memory of that bombing battle still cannot fade. That was a great sacrifice to protect the vital traffic route, ensuring support for the Southern battlefield.
Currently, in the area where the bombing occurred, Thanh Hoa province has built a memorial area for teachers and students who sacrificed. Every year, in April and June, this place becomes an emotional stop, where people who participated in the construction site in the past return to offer incense and remember their comrades and friends. For them, war is not just history, but a vivid memory of a time of fire and flowers, contributing to the spring victory of 1975, reunifying the country.
