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HQ-671 is a 64-year-old military transport vessel and the oldest ship in Vietnam, recognized as a national treasure. The ship is currently preserved and displayed at the Navy Museum on the banks of the Lạch Tray River in Hai Phong.
HQ-671 is a 50-ton Quảng Châu-class military transport ship built in 1962 in China and delivered to the Vietnamese Navy in 1964. It was assigned to Division 125 (formerly Division 759), a key sea transport unit responsible for transporting materiel by sea to support the southern battlefield.
In early 1967, the vessel bore the designation C-41. In July 1971, the ship carried the number 641, and by 1980 it was designated HQ-671. After its operational service, the ship was preserved and displayed at the Navy Museum in 2011.
From 1964 to 1967, the ship was kept in reserve, ready to reinforce the naval transport force at sea. In early 1967, it operated under the designation C-41 with personnel of the Tàu 41 Heroic Unit, a unit that achieved many feats on the Ho Chi Minh route by sea.
Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Ho Đắc Thạnh, the ship repeatedly transported weapons successfully to war zones in the South, including Vũng Rô, Cà Mau, and Đức Phổ.
During 1968–1969, HQ-671 participated in the VT5 transport campaign, transporting thousands of tons of weapons from Hai Phong to Quảng Bình to support the southern front.
In 1970, after a voyage was interrupted by an enemy blockade, the ship continued to operate under the disguise RS-05, transporting 58 tons of weapons to Cà Mau. The transport contributed to helping Military Region 9 defeat several U.S.–South Vietnamese sweeps.
In July 1971, the ship’s designation changed to 641. From late 1971 to 1974, it carried out missions transporting weapons, goods, and troops to the southern front via Đồng Hới and Cửa Việt ports.
In spring 1975, HQ-671 participated in the Huế–Đà Nẵng liberation campaign. Together with Ship 673, it carried Navy commandos to liberate the Spratly Islands.
After 1975, the ship continued to perform transport and logistics support for the Spratly Islands. In 1980, it took the designation HQ-671 and continued service in the Navy.
In 2011, the ship was brought to display at the Navy Museum. In 2017, the Prime Minister recognized HQ-671 as a National Treasure.
According to the Navy Museum director, Lieutenant Colonel Hoàng Phi Hà, HQ-671 is the last remaining ship of the “ship without numbers” unit and is the oldest ship in Vietnam.
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