April 17, 1975: General Vo Nguyen Giap sent a telegram to the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Command, clearly stating the mission of attacking enemy airports.

On April 17, 1975, General, Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap sent telegram number 58B/DK to the Ho Chi Minh Campaign Command, clearly stating the mission of attacking enemy airports.

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The telegram stated: "It is necessary to check the plan to attack Bien Hoa airport, quickly prepare to deploy firepower to attack Tan Son Nhat airport. For Can Tho airport... study to increase firepower... because this airport is becoming increasingly important to the defense plan of Saigon as well as the evacuation plan of the US-puppet."

In Can Tho, on the night of April 17, our artillery from Binh Minh fired at Tra Noc airport. Our base in the city reported the results so that the artillery could adjust their firing elements to be more accurate. At the same time, the Signal Corps organized training for hundreds of command and technical officers on the policy of the newly liberated areas, issues that needed to be known about the enemy's information system, and at the same time, organized takeover teams to rush to the battlefields.

On April 17, 1975, the enemy in Binh Thuan Sub-region used all their forces to resist the attacks of Regiment 812, Military Region 6. Many fierce battles took place here. On the direction of Highway 8, on the night of April 17, Battalion 200C developed an attack to destroy all enemy troops occupying the Ta Don high point, the last stronghold in the northeast of Phan Thiet.

At 5:00 p.m. on April 17, the vanguard of the 2nd Corps led by the 18th Regiment (325th Division) began marching to attack the enemy to liberate Phan Thiet town. The fighting along the march was quite fierce, both among the vanguard and the following units.

On the morning of April 30, 1975, Division 10, Corps 3 captured Tan Son Nhat Airport. Photo: Archive

On the night of April 17, the enemy used ships to land several commando companies in Tuy Phong district (north of Phan Thiet) to contact the remnants of the 3rd Airborne Brigade on Gio Mountain and local enemy forces to block and attack our troops. The 325th Division sent a part of infantry and reconnaissance to search and capture all enemy troops.

On April 16 and 17, the 3rd Corps Forward Command in Trang Bom organized a counterattack with the 3rd Armored Brigade with 200 tanks and armored vehicles, supported by artillery and fighter planes. The fighting was fierce at Hung Nghia and Hill 122. The 6th Division and the 95th Regiment completely destroyed a battalion, captured more than 100 enemies, and pushed the enemy back to Bau Ca.

 

[Source: Historical events and figures, People's Army Publishing House, Hanoi, 2015; Historical decisions, People's Army Publishing House, Hanoi, 2015; Ministry of National Defense - Vietnam Military History Institute: Vietnam Military History, volume 11, National Political Publishing House Truth, Hanoi, 2019; General Van Tien Dung: Great Spring Victory, People's Army Publishing House, Hanoi, 2024].

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/nhan-vat-su-kien/ngay-1741975-ai-tuong-vo-nguyen-giap-dien-cho-bo-chi-huy-chien-dich-ho-chi-minh-neu-ro-ve-nhiem-vu-danh-pha-cac-san-bay-cua-dich-20250417063729411.htm