“Aircraft taking off from the bomb-cratered runways of Da Phuc Airfield amid the devastation of war, heroic missions in which pilots risked their lives, and aviators willing to turn themselves into powerful missiles to destroy American B-52 flying fortresses… All these stories became part of the heroic victory that helped secure a peaceful future for Hanoi and enabled Noi Bai International Airport to rise from the ruins of war and establish its position in the region and the world.”

Historic footage and previously untold stories shared by historical witnesses and former leaders of Noi Bai International Airport created an emotional atmosphere at the talk show “The Sky and the Ground”, held at the airport's headquarters to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory.

The event attracted 500 airport employees, who eagerly listened to stories about the airport's history and the extraordinary sacrifices of earlier generations.

The talk show welcomed a special guest and historical witness, Colonel Nguyen Cong Huy, a former pilot of a night-flying squadron, former Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the 371st Air Division, and former Deputy General Director of the Northern Airports Corporation.

Colonel Huy and his fellow servicemen contributed to the historic “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the Air” victory 50 years earlier.

When asked, “How did we defeat the supposedly invincible American flying fortresses?”, the former fighter pilot enthusiastically recalled:

“At that time, the American B-52 was regarded as a ‘super flying fortress’ and was one of the United States' three major strategic weapons, alongside nuclear submarines and nuclear missiles. It was considered a powerful instrument of modern warfare.

During the 12 days and nights of late December 1972, the United States Air Force dropped tens of thousands of tons of bombs in an attempt to ‘bomb Hanoi back to the Stone Age’.

Yet, through extraordinary courage, intelligence and determination, our armed forces and people achieved the remarkable feat of shooting down B-52 bombers and defending the skies over Hanoi.”

Colonel Huy vividly recalled historical milestones, the names of his comrades, remarkable military achievements and the strategies used to overcome a technologically superior opponent.

He described how Vietnamese forces carefully studied their adversary, identified weaknesses and developed effective tactics to bring down American B-52 bombers.

His stories brought history to life, as though the audience were watching a documentary unfolding before their eyes.

When asked why Vietnam had succeeded in shooting down B-52 bombers when other countries attacked by these aircraft had not achieved the same result, Colonel Nguyen Cong Huy proudly replied:

“We defeated them through our spirit and determination — a spirit that is uniquely Vietnamese!”

Responding to a question from a representative of the Noi Bai International Airport Youth Union about his impressions of today's Noi Bai International Airport compared with the former Da Phuc Airfield, Colonel Huy reflected:

“Although they occupy the same location, today's Noi Bai International Airport is completely different from the Da Phuc Airfield of those days.

Today, we have a modern, well-equipped international airport with facilities and equipment meeting international standards.

Yet, 50 years ago, this very place suffered devastating bombardment. Its runways and aprons were covered with bomb craters and the scars of war.”

From a military airfield devastated by war, successive generations of employees devoted themselves to building the modern Noi Bai International Airport that stands today.

Among those who made significant contributions to this transformation were airport leaders who later assumed important responsibilities at Airports Corporation of Vietnam.

Mr. Le Manh Hung, former General Director of Airports Corporation of Vietnam and former General Director of the Northern Airports Corporation, also attended the talk show.

He emotionally recalled the difficult early years of developing Noi Bai International Airport:

“In the atmosphere of excitement and pride following the ‘Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the Air’ victory, we began implementing the first projects and initiatives supported by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to improve the airport's operational and management capabilities.

We started with a very small terminal located near the military area. In 1982, we built a modest single-story terminal, which has since been demolished.

In 2001, Passenger Terminal T1 entered operation, followed by the inauguration of International Terminal T2 in 2015.”

Mr. Le Manh Hung expressed his confidence in the airport's younger generation:

“The younger generation will continue developing Noi Bai International Airport to become increasingly worthy of its position as an important aviation gateway to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.”

Representing the succeeding generation of airport leaders, Mr. To Tu Ha, Director of Noi Bai International Airport, attended the talk show and expressed his heartfelt gratitude to former leaders for laying the foundations and establishing the enduring values that subsequent generations have inherited and continued to build upon.

Sharing his own experiences at Noi Bai International Airport, Mr. Ha recalled the difficult period of the COVID-19 pandemic and the airport's determined efforts to protect employees and maintain safe operations.

He highlighted the airport's efforts to ensure that 100% of its employees and personnel from organizations involved in flight handling operations were vaccinated, enabling them to serve passengers with confidence.

He also recalled that, during the most challenging periods, the airport successfully prevented cross-infection among its workforce.

Mr. To Tu Ha proudly shared with former leaders and employees the airport's achievements in 2022, a year marked by a strong recovery in air transport demand.

The airport and its service partners worked tirelessly to accommodate the rapid growth in domestic passenger traffic, which at times exceeded twice the designed capacity of the domestic terminal.

“Perhaps the spirit of overcoming hardship and refusing to surrender to difficulties and challenges, passed down from previous generations, has given us the powerful motivation to keep finding ways to move forward,” Mr. Ha said with appreciation.

The atmosphere of the talk show grew increasingly emotional and inspiring as the guests continued sharing previously untold stories.

Mr. Le Huy Viet, former Chief of Office of the Northern Airports Corporation, recalled the close cooperation and mutual support between anti-aircraft artillery units and the air force during wartime.

Mr. Nguyen Van Nguyet, former Chairman of the Soc Son District People's Committee, shared touching memories of the strong bonds between soldiers and local residents, particularly the assistance provided by communities in neighboring communes whenever the airfield came under bombardment.

The talk show “The Sky and the Ground” concluded with deep and lasting emotions.

Although the war has long since ended, the legacy of the battle to defend Hanoi, known as “Hanoi – Dien Bien Phu in the Air”, will forever remain one of the great heroic chapters of the 20th century.

It holds an enduring place in Vietnam's history of national construction and defense, symbolizing the determination, intelligence and resilience of the Vietnamese people.

At the same time, memories of Noi Bai International Airport's difficult early years will continue to inspire today's employees and future generations to build upon the achievements of their predecessors, strengthen the airport's development and further elevate the Noi Bai brand on the international stage.