The Ministry of National Defense is seeking to recognize Youth Volunteer Team 283 Hai Hung with the "Hero of the People's Armed Forces" title for their crucial role during the anti-American resistance war. Established in 1972, the unit comprised youth selected from the former Hai Hung province. Their mission was vital: ensuring strategic supply lines to the Southern battlefield as the war intensified.

At the time, sea transport routes faced constant attacks, forcing many cargo ships to dock at Gianh and Nhat Le ports in Quang Binh. Here, supplies, including weapons, equipment, and goods, were transferred to land vehicles for onward transport. The establishment of Youth Volunteer Team 283 was a direct response to this logistical challenge.

Following a resolution by the Hai Hung Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Youth Union on 12/7/1972, the province recruited 300 youth volunteers. Within the first three days of August 1972, 282 young people had assembled, forming Youth Volunteer Team 283, and were deployed to the battlefield. On 21/8/1972, the unit arrived in Quang Binh, assigned to the north bank of the Gianh River.

Members directly handled the loading and unloading of weapons, equipment, and goods at Gianh port, Gianh ferry, Hon La island, and from transport ships offshore. This area was a frequent target for US air and naval attacks. For over a year, the unit operated for more than five months under continuous bombing and shelling. Upon alarm, members took cover in shelters, then promptly returned to their duties of loading and unloading goods. This relentless work, day and night, ensured an uninterrupted flow of supplies to the battlefield.

Delegates at the inauguration of the Youth Volunteer Team C283 memorial in Quang Binh, 2021. *Photo: VGP*

Daily, the unit handled cargo for 40-60 trucks and maintained traffic on roads linking the port to National Highway 1A. Beyond transport, members excavated tens of thousands of cubic meters of earth, constructed shelters, and assisted locals in reinforcing structures against bombing.

On 13/1/1973, US aircraft from the 7th Fleet launched a major attack on Gianh port and a field clinic in Quyet Thang hamlet, Thanh Trach commune. At the time, youth volunteers, soldiers, and workers were actively transporting goods at the port. The bombing killed 156 people, including 33 members of Youth Volunteer Team 283 Hai Hung. This represented the unit's most significant loss during its mission in Quang Binh, often referred to as the "fire line" (a term for a heavily contested or bombed area).

Despite these losses, transport operations continued. By mid-January 1973, the forces had handled approximately 80,000 tons of military cargo for the battlefield. Following the signing of the Paris Agreement and the ceasefire, the unit continued moving goods from vessels to warehouses and onto trucks for delivery to the South.

In late 2021, a memorial for Youth Volunteer Team 283 was completed in Thanh Trach commune, Quang Binh province. This memorial honors those who sacrificed their lives while serving on the strategic transport route.

Son Ha