VietNamNet Bridge – Disguised as fishing and foreign boats, the no-number fleet transported thousands of tons of weapons to quickly assist the southern battlefield during the Vietnam War, opening the legendary Ho Chi Minh trail on the sea.

The no-number fleet, or the naval transport brigade 125--is a marine transport fleet that transported weapons, military goods and officials to assist the revolutionary forces in southern Vietnam during the Vietnam War.

The fleet’s solders were selected very carefully. Before entering the ships, they were commemorated and considered as sacrificed soldiers.

The fleet performed hundreds of trips in hard conditions to transport thousands of tons of weapons and goods to army units of the Vietnam People’s Army and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam. The fleet also participated in disarming torpedoes in the northeastern sea and liberating many islands and transported prisons from Con Dao back to the mainland.

Over 200 pictures and documents featuring the no-number fleet are now on display at an exhibition entitled “Sea, Islands and Naval Soldiers – Tradition of the Ho Chi Minh Trail on the Sea” in HCM City to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the trail.


50 years ago, five wood boats of the provinces of Ben Tre, Ca Mau, Tra Vinh, Ba Ria-Vung
Tau successfully made a survey to the north, which was the premise for the Ho Chi Minh
trail on the sea. In the photo: six sailors left Loc An wharf in Ba Ria province in a
fishing boat to seek the way to the north in February 1962.





After this successful trip, the Politburo and the Central Military Commission decided to set up
 the no-number fleet and open the Ho Chi Minh trail on the sea to transport weapons for
the southern battlefield. In this picture is the Phuong Dong 2 ship (built by a shipyard in Hai Phong
 city). The ship was leaving Do Son wharf to carry 14 tons of weapons to Ca Mau in October 1962.






A no-number boat disguised as a fishing boat to transport weapons to the
southern battlefield in April 1966.






Vessels of the naval transport brigade 125 also disguised as foreign ships.






Loc An wharf in Xuyen Moc district, Ba Ria-Vung Ta province. At this wharf, three ships of the
naval transport brigade 125 successfully landed, with 109 tons of weapons, contributing
 to the triumph of Binh Gia, Dong Xoai, Dau Tieng and Bau Bang campaigns in 1965.






Receiving weapons from no-number ships at Rach Moc wharf in Ca Mau province in 1963.






Phan Vinh Island (in Truong Sa or Spratly Archipelago) is named after hero Nguyen Phan
Vinh, the captain of a no-number vessel.





Sailors or the naval transport brigade 125 received a flower basket from President Ton
 Duc Thang in 1970.






Sailors of vessel 621, a member of the naval transport brigade 125, took photo at Song Tu
 Tay Island in 1972, during a survey trip.





Veterans of the no-number fleet, take pictures at Loc An wharf in Ba Ria-Vung Tau.





The steering wheel of C41 vessel, which conducted 14 successful trips to the south.






Flashlight, binocular and telephone P600 are popular appliances on no-number ships.

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