Troops Seize the Independence Palace
During the Ho Chi Minh Campaign, at precisely 5:30 AM on April 30, 1975, Vietnamese troops advanced simultaneously from five directions into the heart of Saigon. Among them, Tank T-54B, numbered 843, of Company 4, Battalion 1, Armored Brigade 203, Army Corps 2, led by Company Captain Bui Quang Than, spearheaded the assault. The tank crew included Gunner 1 Thai Ba Minh, Gunner 2 Nguyen Van Ky, and Driver Lu Van Hoa. Following close behind was Tank T-59, numbered 390, commanded by Political Officer Vu Dang Toan, along with Gunner 1 Ngo Si Nguyen, Deputy Company Technical Officer Le Van Phuong, and Driver Nguyen Van Tap.
After crossing the Saigon Bridge, the assault forces of Armored Brigade 203 split into two groups, moving along Thong Nhat and Hong Thap Tu Boulevards, converging on the Presidential Palace. En route, Tank 843 neutralized three enemy armored vehicles. At 11:00 AM on April 30, 1975, Tank 843 rammed through the side gate of the Presidential Palace. Soon after, Tank 390 followed, crashing through the main gate. Company Captain Bui Quang Than leaped from his tank and hoisted the National Liberation Front flag atop the Presidential Palace.
This historic moment marked the triumphant end of the resistance against the United States. The Ho Chi Minh Campaign concluded victoriously, and Saigon was fully liberated.