For many years, Huu Tiep Lake has also been a “red address,” a place where local residents – especially young people – can come to learn about the history of Hanoi and the country, experience the cultural space imbued with the character of the Northern countryside, and deepen their love for the Capital.
Huu Tiep Lake is located in the middle of Ngoc Ha Street, Hanoi Capital. Mentioning the name Huu Tiep is to recall the historic victory of the “Dien Bien Phu in the Air” achieved by the army and people of Hanoi.
According to history, from December 18 to December 29, 1972, the United States launched a strategic air campaign of unprecedented scale in military history. Over 12 days and nights, the army and people of Hanoi shot down 25 B-52 aircraft, most of which fell on the spot. In particular, on the night of December 27, 1972, when a B-52G aircraft was shot down, it shattered into many large and small pieces, scattered across a wide area of Ngoc Ha Ward, with the main concentration at Huu Tiep Lake. This was the midsection of the fuselage still attached to two pairs of rudders. At present, the wreckage of the B-52 aircraft of the United States Air Force shot down at Huu Tiep Lake remains there, serving as a testament marking the outstanding feat of the Capital’s army and people.
The victory of Dien Bien Phu in the Air contributed to forcing the United States to sit down at the Paris negotiating table, end the bombing of the North, and commit to withdrawing its troops from South Vietnam.
Since 1972, the locality of Ngoc Ha and Huu Tiep Lake has become widely known far and near. International friends and people from across the country have come here to admire the vivid relic, marking the feat of the Hanoi army and people as the so-called “invincible” B-52 of the American enemy was struck down and sank into a village lake. It is also a symbol of extraordinary combat capability and the indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese nation in the face of enemies many times more powerful. Therefore, Huu Tiep Lake is also called by many people the B-52 Lake.
The cluster of B-52 wreckage lies submerged in the water, with the portion rising above the surface measuring approximately 4 meters in length, 2 meters in width, and 1 meter in height. On it remains the white star insignia within a black circle of the United States Air Force.
To protect this valuable historical relic, in 1992 the Ministry of Culture and Information issued a Decision recognizing Huu Tiep Lake and the B-52 aircraft wreckage as a National Historical Site.
Huu Tiep Lake preserves the wreckage of a U.S. B-52 aircraft
Today, visitors to Huu Tiep Lake come not only to admire a historical site, but also to enjoy the poetic and peaceful scenery in the heart of the Capital, sitting to savor a cup of coffee or iced tea at small lakeside cafés in the early morning or at dusk. Amid this beautiful setting, visitors can take photos from unique angles: with the tranquil lake surface, the aircraft wreckage, the traditional Ngoc Ha flower village space; around the lake are schools and high-rise buildings reflected in the water.
In particular, for many years Huu Tiep Lake has continued to be a “red address” where local residents – especially young people – can come to learn about the history of Hanoi and the country, experience the cultural space imbued with the character of the Northern countryside, thereby deepening their love for the Capital and taking pride in Hanoi of a thousand years of civilization – a heroic city.
Thanh Anh