Mothers and aunts offer incense at Ma Da Martyrs’ Cemetery.

Back to the memory

The delegation including retired officials, cadres of women unions across 7 districts and townships and city along with youths and unionists of the provincial Women Union arrived at Ma Da base-D war zone. This is a war zone of the Southeastern region where set out instructions to mass bodies, fronts and armed forces during the war resistances.

According to mothers and aunts who were used to join in war resistances in the war zone, D war zone was chosen as a base for reserving food and weapon and developing all revolutionary activities during the two war resistances against French colonialism and US imperialism.

Now, part of D war zone is under Vinh Cuu natural preserve and relic. The preserve area includes relics: the Southern Central Bureau Base, the Southeastern Base and Linh Spring tunnel.

Aunt Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan said in tears “My comrades, our young age was in here”. According to her, in late 1968, she worked at this war zone when she was 20 years old. During the violent war resistance, her comrades fell down. Now, after nearly 45 years, she returned this place to offer incense to martyrs.

Unnamed tombs

From memorial stele of the Southern Central Bureau Base, the delegation arrived at Ma Da Martyrs’ Cemetery. This was Military Medical Institute K72 of yore.

The guide said that this place is called cemetery where embraces remains of thousands of soldiers but all tombs herein are unnamed.

Aunt Nguyen Thi Thanh Xuan reminded “At that time, there were many sacrificed comrades. Amid the violent struggles, we only covered nylon sheets and small stones on their bodies. Several days later, returning this place, we did not see their bodies, their bodies mixed with ground and tree”.

Aunt Nguyen Thi Nhung reminisced “At that time, medical equipments and treatment conditions in the Military Medical Institute K72 were very poor, so wounded soldiers had to hide under tunnels and lay on simple hammocks. Consequently, many wounded soldiers passed away and buried at this place”.

At Ma Da base, many cadres and soldiers sacrificed. Their sacrifice has made up revolutionary songs for a more prosperous country. Today’s young generations forever remember their dedication to the country’s liberation cause.

Reported by T.Thao – Translated by A.C