The first victory of the Navy and the Air Defence-Air Forces of the
Vietnam People’s Army against US forces 50 years ago was the main focus
of a scientific seminar held in the northern port city of Hai Phong on
July 30.
In early August, 1964, the US staged the
so-called Gulf of Tonkin incident, using it as an excuse to send planes
and ships to attack northern Vietnam.
Fighting
back, Vietnamese armed forces shot down eight aircraft and arrested the
first US pilot Everett Alvarez in northern Vietnam. They also drove the
US destroyer Maddox out of the northern waters.
Speeches by military officers, witnesses and scientists at the seminar
highlighted the significance of the victory, hailing the sound
leadership of the Party and late President Ho Chi Minh.
They also drew lessons from the victory in terms of strategic guidance
and ways to bring into play the united strength of the nation in
safeguarding the country’s sovereignty.
On July 29,
construction began on a memorial to the navy’s first victory in Hoang
Truong commune, Hoang Hoa district, central Thanh Hoa province, which
used to be an important base of the force during the fight against the
US’s destructive war. On August 5, 1964, a US military plane was shot
down in the area.-VNA