- 04/05/2020
Last Wednesday, after the social distancing ease came into practice in Ho Chi Minh City, sixteen visitors were amongst the first to visit numerous underground Saigon Special Force bases. Among the bases, two are stockpiled with two tons of guns for enemy attacks.
Saigon Special Force is the name of the Southern Liberation Task Force that specialized in operations against the Saigon government and U.S. military forces in Saigon during the 1955-1975 Vietnam War.
The tour series "Following the Saigon Special Force Footprint" was planned and launched on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the Reunification Day (April 30, 1975-April 30, 2020) by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and the Traditional Club of Saigon-Gia Dinh Resistance Forces.
A department representative said HCMC has contributed a great deal to Vietnam's heroic growth, with the underground network Saigon Special Force at the heart of the city's history.
During the tour, visitors can travel by car or motorbike to the 113A Dang Dung Road, District 1 interchange once used by soldiers to enjoy Dai Han broken rice and Do Phu coffee, then explore the base that used to house a hidden mailbox, money, gold and other resources.
The underground base was situated opposite the Korean military residence and next to the house of the then Republic of Vietnam military chief, Ngo Quang Truong.
The house on District 1 113A Dang Dung Road, which used to be a military base during the Vietnam War. Picture by Nguyen Nam / VnExpress.
Tran Van Lai purchased the house on 287/2 Vo Van Tan Lane, District 3, using personal funds under superiors direction. He and his wife dug a tunnel secretly, reinforcing it to create three wide basements which contained about two tons of weapons.
The house used to be a mattress, couch, and curtain manufacturer for the Independence Palace, according to Tran Vu Binh, son of the late Saigon Special Force leader, People's Armed Forces hero Tran Van Lai, to remain undercover. During the Vietnam War the palace was the President of South Vietnam's home and workplace.
"I hope the 'special force network' tour will provide tourists with an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of these courageous and knowledgeable soldiers," Binh said.
A house model on 287/2 Vo Van Tan Lane, the preceding days in District 3. Picture by Nguyen Nam / VnExpress.
Le Khang of Binh Thanh District said: "I only heard about the Special Force in Saigon through mass media. Now, after the tour, I understand the brave skills of the soldiers in a better light."
Actually, due to the limited space of the venues the tour can hold only eight to 10 people.
Along with implementing and rebooting tourism programs, HCMC will support the "Ho Chi Minh City Now" campaign to raise awareness of the city's culture, history and lifestyle.
The entire money raised from this tour will be donated to the Saigon-Gia Dinh Resistance Force Traditional Club. Saigontourist and Vietravel now sell the tour, and later other travel companies.
Source : Vnexpress International