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The victory gained by the Vietnamese nation against foreign invaders was a victory of conscience and justice, President Nguyen Minh Triet told visiting veterans of Regiment 803 in Ha Noi on June 30.
The regiment marks its 60th anniversary this year. Established in the central province of Binh Dinh, it was one of two core regiments in the wars against French colonialists and US imperialists in Inter-Region 5 and has four infantry battalions – 365, 121, 39 and 49.
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The State President Nguyen Minh Triet and veterans of Regiment 803 |
The regiment engaged in countless battles and won resounding victories at Hai Van Pass and in the Dong Xuan-An Khe campaign.
On the occasion of their 60th founding anniversary on June 20, Triet awarded Battalions 365 and 39 the noble title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.
Triet expressed the nation's gratitude to the soldiers of the battalions for their sacrifices during the war of national salvation to bring independence and freedom to the Vietnamese nation.
Inter-Region 5 was one of the most fiercest battle fronts in southern Viet Nam, Triet recalled.
"Regiment 803 was always triumphant whenever they launched an attack against the enemy," said Triet. "The contributions and sacrifices made by this generation, including the veterans of Regiment 803, were great, and it is the duty of present and future generations to follow their predecessors in building our homeland into a prosperous nation."
Triet also took the occasion to ask the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant agencies to complete procedures necessary to confer the Friendship Medal on Kostas Sarantidis (also known under the Vietnamese name of Nguyen Van Lap), a former French legionnaire who changed sides during the war and became a soldier of Regiment 803.
Triet also presented Sarantidis with a decision granting him Vietnamese citizenship, an acknowledgement of Sarantidis' contributions and deep feelings toward the Vietnamese people.
· Source: VNS
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