Ho Chi Minh City - On the morning of April 8, people and tourists gathered at Bach Dang wharf to watch the cannon firing practice to celebrate the 50th anniversary of national reunification.
At around 8am, soldiers from the 96th Brigade of the Artillery Corps practiced firing cannons at Bach Dang Wharf. The troops were divided into groups and practiced firing 21 salutes in turn. The live-fire firing took place quickly, lasting about a minute, while the rest was practice. Preparations for the 50th anniversary of national reunification.
The day before, 15 105mm ceremonial cannons, each weighing about 4 tons, were pulled from Long Thanh District, Dong Nai, and assembled at the site at Bach Dang Wharf. This location had been carefully surveyed and chosen by all parties due to its open view, solemnity, and suitability for people and tourists to visit.
The ceremonial artillery team consisted of 233 officers and soldiers of Brigade 96. The artillery site was divided into five platoons, each team consisting of three guns, each gun had three people on duty. The ammunition used in the ceremony used ball propellant, which burned quickly, burned cleanly, and produced little white smoke instead of black smoke when fired.
The drill took place solemnly for about an hour. A part of Bach Dang wharf to the Saigon riverbank was fenced off. People could watch from the outer ring, about 4 meters away.
When the artillery practice ended, many locals and tourists enjoyed visiting the artillery site. The cool morning weather was favorable for practice and observation.
The artillery positions were arranged in straight lines and placed on flat surfaces to create a uniform explosion sound. Outside was a fence with 250 posts and carpets about 90 meters long. The artillery positions were always guarded by soldiers, and civilians were not allowed to enter.
Ms. Tran Thi Diem and her husband traveled more than 20 km from District 12 to visit the artillery array celebrating the 50th anniversary of unification. "This is the first time I have seen the cannons firing together, the atmosphere is very solemn," said the 53-year-old female visitor.
The family of Ms. Tran Quynh Trang, 43 years old, Binh Thanh District, wore Ao Dai to watch soldiers practice firing ceremonial artillery. "My father is a special forces soldier, so I feel very proud to admire the artillery site and watch soldiers practice for the upcoming great ceremony," Ms. Trang said.
Le Hoang My Anh, 21, from District 10, said she was impressed by the sight of the artillery array on the banks of the Saigon River. The female student was excited to witness the shooting practice and the solemn training of the soldiers for the first time. "Hearing the loud sound of the artillery was an exciting experience mixed with a sense of pride," My Anh said.
Ms. Bao Thi Thuy Linh from Binh Duong passed by and saw the artillery site so she stopped by to visit and check in with the artillery team.
Some guests brought flags, wore shirts printed with the national flag, or brought souvenirs decorated with the red flag with a yellow star to check in with the cannons.
Many foreign tourists also enjoy visiting and taking photos with soldiers and cannons while strolling on Bach Dang wharf.