1972 US bombing victims commemorated
A commemorative ceremony for the victims of US bombings in December 1972 during the war was solemnly held on December 26 at Kham Thien Memorial Site in Hanoi’s inner Dong Da district.
The ceremony, organised by the Municipal Party Committee, People’s Council and People’s Committee of Hanoi, was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Standing Committee Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, and Secretary of the Hanoi Municipal Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi, among others.
On the night of December 26, 1972, Hanoi’s densely-populated residential areas, including Kham Thien street, the workers’ living quarter in An Duong and even Bach Mai hospital, were relentlessly attacked by a large number of US B52 aircraft.
As many as 278 people, including 91 women, 40 elderly and 55 children were killed and 178 children became orphans during the air raid.
A memorial was erected where it used to be House 51 in Kham Thien street. In the December 26 bombing, the building collapsed and none of seven people living there survived.
Addressing the ceremony, Secretary Pham Quang Nghi said the historical victory of the “ Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu battle in the air” stands out as an immortal heroic epic in Vietnam ’s history of national construction and defence.
He affirmed that generations of Hanoians today are determined to do their best to build and develop the capital city into a wealthier, more beautiful, civilised and modern one.