He made the comment while in Hanoi on April 15 receiving veterans and relatives of soldiers who opened the sea route for unmarked and unnumbered ships to transport weapons and medicine from the North to the southern battlefield.

The soldiers on these unmarked ships are outstanding examples of the bravery and resilience of the Vietnamese army and people, he said, adding they were also the embodiment of revolutionary heroism and the pride of generations of Vietnamese people, and left valuable lessons about building forces and comradeship.

The president asked the association of veterans of the Ho Chi Minh sea route to work closely with sectors and localities to improve living conditions for veterans who have difficult lives, especially war invalids.

Fifty years ago, Mission 759, the precursor of the unmarked ship fleet (Brigade 125 of the Vietnam People’s Navy) was established and tasked with shipping weapons, equipment and goods to the southern battlefield.

Over 14 years, the forces made almost 2,000 journeys, carrying around 80,000 people, more than 150,000 tonnes of weapons, and tens of thousands of other goods. 
These operations helped maintain and develop the revolutionary war and contributed to the nation’s ultimate victory in 1975, which liberated the South and facilitated national reunification.
The Party and State conferred the title “Hero of the People’s Armed Forces” on Brigade 125 – the unmarked ship fleet – and also presented the title to five ships and eight individuals.