In 1972, the war to destroy North Vietnam by the American imperialists became increasingly fierce. American planes flied around the clock, dropping bombs on villages and fields, especially at key intersections and transport lines. That’s why the work of Bank for Construction staff in the fire line was also very special and arduous...

Nam - Hung - Nghi Regional branch of Bank for Construction, one of the three regional branches of Nghe An Bank for Construction at that time (now Commercial Joint Stock Bank for Investment and Development - Nghe An branch) with 15 employees (8 male, 7 female) led by Mr. Nguyen Trong Binh as branch manager, was assigned the task of managing and allocating budget funds for transport projects to serve the war. The management area was Vinh City, Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen and Nghi Loc districts. The branch was located in Nghi Long commune, Nghi Loc district, a coastal commune less than 1km away from National Highway 1A, with a large bridge crossing the Cam River, named Cam bridge, 18km away from Vinh city to the North. This place was the focus of fierce raiding by American aircraft in order to prevent the reinforcement of human and materials from the large Northern backyard to the Southern battlefield.

From May 1965 to June 1972, the American poured down over 25,000 tons of bombs and bullets, dropped tens of thousands of mines from the sea, and fired over 30,000 cannons to this place. The three-span Cam Bridge was completely demolished. Implementing the slogan “Not moving even an inch” we still sticked to the place to ensure traffic for vehicles and soldiers marching quickly to the battlefield.

There was an unforgettable day in the heart of every officer and employee of Nam - Hung - Nghi branch. That was the night of 17 June 1972, the American sent many F105-F11 and B52 planes to bombard the area of Cam Bridge. The whole 1A highway was more than 10km long from My Ly, Dien Chau to Quan Hanh, Nghi Loc. Road No. 1 was blocked by plowing bombs. The deep bomb craters had caused hundreds of trucks loaded with food and ammunition into the battlefield to stop. Management directed to resolutely level the bomb craters at all costs, paving the way for vehicles to pass through on this fierce night. All officers and employees of Nam - Hung - Nghi Branch were standing under the traffic moat running around the working area. Suddenly, the phone rang from the working basement of branch manager Nguyen Trong Binh: “Hello, is that Bank for Construction?” “Yes! Who's that?” “I'm Hoat, head of L19 Unit”, said the man.

“What's the matter, brother?”, Binh asked urgently. “We request that the branch send two allocating officers to accompany us to the scene where the US plane has just dropped bombs to check and determine the volume so that we can level it up tonight in time to clear traffic before 2 am.”

It was almost 10 o'clock at night, the work was urgent and there might be lives sacrificed. L19 Unit was one of 17 enterprises under the Department of Construction 1, Ministry of Transport at that time. The main task of this unit was to ensure the traffic artery of zone 4 from Thanh Hoa to Vinh Linh. Branch manager Binh discussed briefly with Party Secretary Nguyen Ngoc Giao. We looked at each other nervously, no one said a word. During such fierce bombardment, who to send? Taking a glance at all the officers surrounding the branch manager, an order was made: “On behalf of the branch, I assign Comrade Nguyen Khac Chinh and Comrade Nguyen Ba Ngoan for the mission”. Binh’s voice choked as he turned to us. All eyes were fixed on the two of us, worriedly and sympathetically because the mission could not be refused.

Chinh and I were very young at that time, no one had ever been married, Chinh was 28 years old, and I was 25. I was a transfered soldier who participated in the Southern battlefield from 1966-1969, especially I participated in the Mau Than 1968 campaign, so I was somewhat more seasoned and tougher than Chinh.

At 10h15 at night, the two of us and L19 Unit left in the dim moonlight, walked nearly 4km to the scene where the bombs and bullets the American had just dropped were still burning. The weapon was a notebook with a Truong Son pen and a ruler to measure volume. In the flickering light of the flashlight illuminating the path, we met groups of young men and women volunteering from the villages, alleys, carrying hoes and shovels preparing to dig mountains to fill the bomb craters “to pave the way to victory”. Seeing them working enthusiastically, we had more will and determination to complete the mission quickly and efficiently.

Chinh and I accompanied the officers of L19 Unit walking through the night, measuring each bomb crater after another. A total of 320 large and small bomb craters along 1A National Highway were determined and measured, to quickly clear traffic during the night. At this time, it was 2 am, the American aircraft had flown far away. Hundreds of trucks slowly moved southward. The two of us returned to the office after 3 am. Everyone ran out to hug us, smiles mixed with tears of joy.

Yet 50 years have passed! The country changes every day, life is full and peaceful. The Cam Bridge is now firmly rebuilt, big and beautiful, standing proudly between heaven and earth. 1A National Highway, which was once criss-crossed with bomb craters, is now covered with asphalt, flat and wide.