Ta Con airbase. Photo: Hoai An
Huong Hoa is a mountainous border district located on Highway 9 connecting Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Central Vietnam through Lao Bao International Border Gate. It owns many famous revolutionary historical relics such as Lao Bao Prison, Highway 9 - Khe Sanh, Lang Vay base and Ta Con Airbase historical relic. With a cool climate all year round and many attractive tourist destinations, it has created favorable conditions for Huong Hoa to become an attractive tourist destination in the West of Quang Tri province. Located on the Ho Chi Minh Highway West branch, Ta Con Airbase historical relic is a destination for tourists to revisit the old battlefield on the DMZ tourist route in Khe Sanh - Huong Hoa.
Ta Con airbase is located in Tan Hop commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province, about 20km from Lao Bao international border gate and about 65km from Dong Ha city. Ta Con airbase is the name given to a strategic military base cluster of the US army in the years 1966-1968, identified as the center so the US built the most solid and defensive group in the southernmost region of Vietnam including bases: Lang Vay - Huong Hoa military zone - Ta Con airbase defense base cluster. The base cluster at Ta Con airport is considered the core, the central area, so it was built on a large scale, 2km long, 1km wide, including many small bases with many solid, dense fortifications and a large airport for takeoff and landing of heavy military transport aircraft such as C130 - C123, troop transport helicopters and armed helicopters. This is a familiar stop for domestic and foreign tourists, especially those who want to revisit the old battlefield (DMZ Tour ). The entire Ta Con airbase is like a basin surrounded by mountains, ideal firepower system locations, less than 3km from the main road 9. Ta Con Airbase was used by the US military as a springboard for air operations, reconnaissance aircraft to inspect, search for and destroy the main force of the Vietnam People's Army, and to provide guidance for many activities to attack, block and cut off the Ho Chi Minh Trail. However, before the power of the 4 attacks to liberate Khe Sanh by the Vietnam People's Army from February to June 1968, this place became an electric chair for the enemy's coalition. On July 9, 1968, the Vietnamese army's victory flag flew over the Ta Con airbase, ending the resounding victory of the Route 9 - Khe Sanh campaign.
The remaining tanks at Ta Con airbase. Photo: Hoai An
Today, inside the Ta Con airbase relic site, there is a museum about Route 9 - Khe Sanh displaying images and weapons of American soldiers, soldiers of the old regime army and the liberation army. A stone stele engraved with historical achievements was erected after dozens of types of bombs that the US army dropped on western Quang Tri in the years 1965 - 1972. The war has long since ended, today the Ta Con airbase relic site is covered in the green of peace and prosperity and has become a famous tourist destination of Quang Tri.
Khe Sanh Road 9 Victory Museum - Photo: Hoai An
If you have the opportunity, take a trip to Quang Tri to set foot on the land of the famous revolutionary bases here. This is an opportunity for you to listen to memories of war through historical relics that are still imprinted on Khe Sanh land. In addition to learning about history, you can also experience the beautiful roads on the Ho Chi Minh Trail West branch with Sa Mu Pass, Rao Quan Lake and Huong Hoa Wind Power Plant, etc will not disappoint you when coming to this historic land.
IPA
