Seaport with the sentiment of "Army, people, fish and water"
On the morning of January 11, the Trade Union of Saigon Port Joint Stock Company (Saigon Port) coordinated with Battalion 14, Division 5 to organize the 35th Anniversary Ceremony of the twinning between the two units.
Delegates of the two units offered incense to Uncle Ho at the Ho Chi Minh Museum - Ho Chi Minh City Branch (Nha Rong Wharf)
Attending the Anniversary Ceremony, on the side of Saigon Port, there were Mr. Nguyen Le Chon Tam - General Director, Ms. Nguyen Thi Trinh Nguyen - Standing Member of the Party Committee, Chairwoman of the Trade Union, along with leaders of the Government, organizations and former leaders of the 35 years of twinning. Representing the leadership of Division 5 was Lieutenant Colonel Le Quoc Huy - Deputy Chief of Political Affairs of the Division; representing the leadership of Battalion 14 were Major Tran Van Bon - Battalion Commander and Major Truong Hoang Quan - Political Commissar along with former leaders of Battalion 14 from 1989 to present. In particular, the Anniversary Ceremony was honored to welcome Hero of the People's Armed Forces Lieutenant General Trieu Xuan Hoa - Former Commander of Military Region 7, former Division Commander of Division 5 and Hero of the People's Armed Forces Lieutenant General Le Thai Be - Former Deputy Political Division Commander of Division 5 to attend. The ceremony was also honored to receive congratulatory flowers from Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Trong Nghia - Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Head of the Central Propaganda Department; former Political Commissar, Secretary of the Party Committee of Division 5.
From left to right: Mr. Le Van Son - Former Deputy Secretary of the CSG Party Committee; Mr. Thai Ba Hai - Former Secretary of the D13 Party Committee; Mr. Nguyen Uyen Minh - Deputy General Director of the CSG; Mr. Nguyen Le Chon Tam - General Director of the CSG; Hero of the People's Armed Forces Lieutenant General Trieu Xuan Hoa; Ms. Nguyen Thi Trinh Nguyen - President of the CSG Trade Union; Hero of the People's Armed Forces Lieutenant General Le Thai Be; Mr. Nguyen Kim Tien - Vice President of the CSG Trade Union.
Welcome home victorious hero
The 5th Infantry Division under Military Region 7 is one of the two main divisions first established on the battlefield of the Southeast region. During the 50-year journey of building, fighting and growing, generations of officers and soldiers of the Division have overcome countless difficulties and hardships, achieved outstanding achievements, contributing to the common victory of the cause of national liberation, national reunification and defense of the Fatherland. The Division was honored to be awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces twice by the Party and State and many other noble awards, concluding the tradition of "Unity, courage, mobility, self-reliance, defeating all enemies".
Division 5 received the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces for the second time at Sisophon, conscious Banteay Meanchay, Cambodia.
Remembering those days, in September 1989, after more than 10 years of successfully completing the international mission in Cambodia, our 5th Division returned to the Fatherland to carry out the mission of combat readiness training, combat readiness as required by the superiors. Immediately after that, on October 1, 1989, at the intimate meeting organized by the Division in the hall, comrade Hoang Thi Khanh - President of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation - the sister unit of the Division made a meaningful speech, clearly stating the responsibility of the working class and laborers of the City towards having specific twinning of each Battalion with the production units of the City to partly solve the difficulties in the new life and activities of the unit as well as jobs for the retired officers and soldiers. That day, the leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation also immediately presented four radio cassette players worth 500 thousand VND to the four subordinate regiments of the Division. If converted according to the rice price at that time of 350 VND/kg, it would be 1.5 tons, enough to feed 100 officers and soldiers for a month.
Ms. Hoang Thi Khanh – Former Vice President of GeneralVietnam General Confederation of Labor, President of Ho Chi Minh City Confederation of Labor express opinion on the Draft Law on Trade Unions (October 8, 2024)
Also at the end of 1989, on the occasion of the 45th Anniversary of the Founding of the Vietnam People's Army, from the connection of the Ho Chi Minh City Labor Federation and the consensus of the Board of Directors of Division 5, the Saigon Port Labor Union and Battalion 13 of Regiment 28 (now Battalion 14) became twin units from December 19, 1989, until today, it has been 35 years. Preparing to welcome the Canh Ngo Spring in 1990, the Board of Directors of Saigon Port launched a campaign to contribute "Spring Trees" from more than 4,000 officers and employees to organize visits, exchanges and give gifts worth more than 4 million VND to officers and soldiers of Battalion 13 to celebrate Tet.
View of Nha Rong Wharf of Saigon Port in the 80s
After 53 years of building, fighting and growing up. The Battalion has gradually grown in both quantity and quality, always promoting the tradition of "Brass feet, iron shoulders, good fighting, accurate shooting" of the heroic Artillery Corps. After winning many decisive battles on the battlefield with the Southern army and people, contributing to the historic victory in the spring of 1975, the unit continued to fight tirelessly for its international duty to help Cambodia. Having completed its noble mission, the Battalion returned to receive a new mission of organizing combat readiness training and building a regular force to meet the requirements of the assigned tasks. With the tradition of the unit being twice awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, in recent years the Battalion has always been the leading flag in the emulation movement to win the bloc of Battalions under the Division, was awarded the title of Win by the Military Region and was awarded many certificates of merit by the Division for collectives and officers and soldiers.
Lieutenant Colonel Le Quoc Huy (right cover) with Major Tran Van Bon (third left cover); Major Truong Hoang Quan (third right cover) presenting gifts to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the twinning relationship
Loyalty and loyalty between army, people and water
Over the past 35 years, from Battalion 13 of Artillery Regiment 28 to Battalion 14 of Division 5; Saigon Port Trade Union and the Battalion have worked together in solidarity, following Uncle Ho's teachings: "The army and the people are like fish and water, united in one heart, learning and helping each other."
Implementing the direction of the Saigon Port Management Board and the Division Command on the contents of the agreement, the leaders of the two units have thoroughly informed the officers, soldiers, workers and employees, so that everyone has a good understanding of the purpose and meaning of the twinning exchange activities, which is to further strengthen the solidarity between the army and the people, support and help each other in performing tasks; build a joyful and healthy working environment and cultural environment. The two units have also regularly updated the twinning documents to suit the new conditions, circumstances and situations of the two units.
Every year, the two units coordinate to build an action program, divide time, specific content for each period, build regulations, and action plans to deploy to each implementing organization. Since then, officers and soldiers of Battalion 14 and officers and members of the Saigon Port Trade Union have effectively implemented the proposed contents, established a sense of solidarity, and encouraged each other to compete to successfully complete the assigned tasks.
Combat readiness training
Over the past 35 years, on the occasion of holidays and New Year's, the two units have organized more than 30 propaganda sessions on the traditions of the Army, the unit and Saigon Port for more than 3,500 people in many diverse forms such as: Traditional meetings, competitions to learn about the traditions of the two units, organizing forums, talks, picking democratic flowers, cultural and artistic exchanges. Through propaganda activities, cadres and soldiers of Battalion 14 have grasped the traditions of the Port. The difficulties and challenges that Saigon Port has experienced as well as the achievements in production and business. From there, we can see the strength of the Vietnamese working class in general and Saigon Port workers in particular in the cause of building and defending the Fatherland. The cadres and workers of the Port understand the traditions of the Army, of Division 5, of Battalion 14. See the hardships and characteristics of the soldiers. See the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers". From there, we have more faith and trust in the strength of the Army, striving to compete in good production and labor to successfully complete assigned tasks.
Although the two units are located far apart, have to carry out different tasks, and have limited time, with great efforts and sense of responsibility, the two units have organized many cultural, artistic, physical education and sports exchange activities. These are very exciting activities, attracting a large number of officers, soldiers, workers and employees to participate and have left many good impressions on both units. With 35 years of twinning, the two units have organized more than 30 cultural and artistic exchange sessions with many diverse activities such as: art festivals; forums, campfires on holidays, the founding day of the Union on March 26, etc. with more than 5,000 participants. The two units also organized many sports exchanges with many subjects such as football, volleyball, chess, badminton, attracting more than 5,000 participants and cheering, creating an exciting atmosphere and strengthening solidarity between officers and workers of Saigon Port, and officers and soldiers of Battalion 14.
Wrapping Chung cakes together to celebrate Tet
Blossom, bear fruit, grow together
It can be said that the cultural, artistic, physical education and sports exchanges are truly festivals, spiritual food, contributing to improving the rich and healthy cultural life, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere in the two units. This is also a lever, a key to building and launching movements in each unit. In particular, there is a common happy story of the two units that was initiated from the exchange on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the Vietnam People's Army. At that time, the Saigon Port Trade Union organized a visit to Battalion 28 and the two units were assigned the role of "Mr. To, Mrs. Nguyet" to bring together the couple Lieutenant Do Van Vinh - Platoon Leader of the Command Platoon and the lady Lu Thi Thanh Chau - an employee of the Saigon Port Trade Union Office. The happy party was held on June 20, 1997, and up to now, this "military - civilian" family has had two children, both boys and girls. In December 2024, the eldest daughter Do Thi Ngoc Anh was awarded a Bachelor of Journalism degree with honors. Ngoc Anh is also one of ten outstanding students selected by Military Region 7 to attend the 4th Conference (2012-2016) organized by the Ministry of National Defense in Hanoi.
Comrade Do Van Vinh and his daughter Do Thi Ngoc Anh attended the Conference to honor outstanding students of the whole army (2012-2016) in Hanoi.
Through the above activities, the officers and soldiers of Battalion 14 and the Saigon Port Union members have further strengthened their solidarity, friendship and mutual understanding, creating an exciting spirit of shock in training, combat readiness and building a "Comprehensively strong" unit, achieving high efficiency in production and labor. For the Saigon Port Union today, this is an indispensable spiritual food for officers and workers, a relaxing break after a hard day's work, each team has a playground, a place for workers to play and have fun.
Military rear area charity works
Over the past 35 years, the Port Union has advised and proposed to the Port leadership to help the Battalion both materially and spiritually. From the early days of withdrawing troops back to the country. The Battalion still lived in thatched houses, living and studying conditions were still difficult and arduous. Saigon Port brought the sentiments of the working class to the unit's officers and soldiers and materials to support production and labor, and materials to serve cultural, artistic, physical education and sports activities. During holidays, the Port Union leaders came to encourage and help the unit both materially and spiritually, supporting the soldiers' food standards, bringing the flavor of Tet with the warm affection of soldiers. In addition, the leaders of the two units always pay attention to the major activities taking place in the two units, gratitude activities, supporting visits to the families of officers, soldiers and workers in difficult circumstances with hundreds of millions of VND.
Together against the epidemic
In particular, the Battalion received support from the Division Command and the Saigon Port Management Board, which organized the upgrading and repair of the Ho Chi Minh room and the construction of a landscape area, and the construction of a canopy in front of the Battalion's dining hall with a total cost of more than 350 million VND. This is a place for studying, meeting and entertainment after hours after hard training days. Through participating in the Ho Chi Minh Room's activities organized by the Military Region, the Battalion's Ho Chi Minh Room won an excellent prize and was awarded a certificate of merit by the Political Department of the Military Region. Thereby, every time officers and soldiers enter the Ho Chi Minh Room to study and work, they feel the warmth of Uncle Ho's affection, the warmth of brotherhood with the Port Trade Union, and their responsibility in building a "Comprehensively strong" unit and a "Clean and strong" Party organization. Study and follow Uncle Ho's moral example, ready to receive and complete all assigned tasks.
Sustainable development companion
These exchange activities help the officers and soldiers of the Battalion to train and improve their health to successfully carry out all assigned tasks. Therefore, in recent times, the movement of cultural, artistic, physical education, sports and health training activities of the Battalion has become regular, contributing to improving the spiritual life of soldiers, training them to be resilient and resilient, meeting the requirements of combat readiness training and winning battles in all situations. In particular, the Battalion is currently working with units in the Division to continue to effectively implement Directive 41 of the Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army on building a "Comprehensively Strong" unit, striving to actively contribute to building the 3rd heroic Division in the period of renovation.
Battalion 14 joins the Division to help people fight the Covid-19 epidemic
It is known that in 2024, Division 5 continued to be the leading flag in the Emulation Movement to Win the Armed Forces of Military Region 7, and was honored to be proposed by the Standing Party Committee and the Military Region Command to the Central Military Commission and the Ministry of National Defense to consider awarding the Government Emulation Flag.
Division 5 – “Comprehensively Strong” Unit
At the same time, 2024 also marked many achievements of Saigon Port in production and business activities as well as in its political and social tasks. The number of ships entering the port was 1,272, reaching 105% compared to 2023; Throughput was 9.3 million tons, reaching 103% of the plan; Revenue was 1,012 billion VND, reaching 104% of the plan; profit was 254 billion VND, reaching 107% of the plan; average salary of employees reached 20 million VND per month. The International Tourist Wharf Project in Nha Rong - Khanh Hoi area is being submitted to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. The Can Gio International Transit Port Project was issued by the Prime Minister in Official Dispatch No. 746/TTg-CN dated October 2, 2024, agreeing with the proposal in the appraisal report of the Project of the Ministry of Transport and on December 6, 2024, the Ministry of Planning and Investment submitted an appraisal report to the Prime Minister for approval of the investment policy of the Project.
Delegates take a photo to commemorate 35 years of friendship
The 35-year tradition of Twinning between Saigon Port Trade Union and Battalion 14 as well as 15 years of Twinning between Saigon Port and Division 5 has been effectively promoted, contributing positively to the sustainable development of each unit, together with the entire army, the entire people, and the entire country entering the "New Era of Development - The Era of the Vietnamese people's rise".
Saigon Port General Department
