As we celebrate Vietnam’s 70th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day, let’s visit Lung Co airport to relive the country’s heroic history. Vietnamese aviation history recognizes Lung Co as the first international airport in Vietnam. Located in Tuyen Quang Province, the airport was used from June to August 1945.
Dr. Nguyen Manh Ha, Director of Institute of Party History said: "In May 1945, Ho Chi Minh moved from Cao Bang to Tuyen Quang. Our American allies started providing more aid, and they asked us to prepare a makeshift airport. We mobilized our troops and even the local people. It was planned to be built in a week, but it was done in 2 days. It has a single 20 meter-wide, 400 meter-long runway. The airport then welcomed 13 American aircrafts, bringing weapons, telecommunication devices, medicine, even troops to us.”
At the end of the runway, Vietnamese troops and US allies also created a tunnel between the hills to hide their aircrafts and protect them from bombings.
After Lung Co airport fulfilled its mission and was no longer of use, people here returned it to rice fields as before. Now, Lung Co airport has been rebuilt as part of the Public Security’s historical relic site, welcoming visitors to witness a part of Vietnam’s history.
The historical site housing Lung Co airport and a preserved aircraft helps visitors here understand more about Vietnam’s history, as well as the country’s cooperation with allies to fight against colonial forces before the August Revolution in 1945.
