Tourists enjoy cannon firing rehearsal in Ho Chi Minh City ahead of April 30 celebration

A cannon fire rehearsal on Monday to prepare for the celebration of 50 years of Vietnam’s reunification on April 30 drew many locals and tourists alike.

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Soldiers from the 96th Brigade under the Artillery Corps practiced firing cannons at Bach Dang Wharf at 8 a.m. Monday. The troops were divided into groups and practiced firing 21 salutes in turn.

15 105-mm ceremonial cannons, each weighing about 4 tons, were brought to the area from Dong Nai Province the day before.

The ceremonial artillery team consists of 233 officers and soldiers of Brigade 96.

The artillery site was divided into five platoons with each team consisting of three guns and each gun guarded by three people.

The ammunition used in the performance contains ball propellant, which burns quickly and cleanly and produces minimal white smoke instead of black smoke when fired.

The area from Bach Dang Wharf to the Saigon River bank was fenced off, with locals and tourists observing from behind the barrier, approximately 4 meters away.

When the practice ended, many people posed for photos with the cannons.

The cannons were arranged in straight lines and set on flat surfaces to produce a uniform sound when fired.

Outside was a fence with 250 posts and carpets stretching about 90 meters long.

The cannon salute is part of a larger program that includes aerial displays and a grand parade to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification on April 30.

A parade to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vietnam’s reunification will begin in downtown Ho Chi Minh City on the morning of April 30.

The procession starting at the intersection of Le Duan and Nguyen Binh Khiem streets would go past the Independence Palace and continue through various District 1 streets, Vo Ho Hoang Vu, chief of office of the city Department of Culture and Sports, said.

The main grandstand will be set up in front of the Independence Palace, with the festivities starting at 6:30 a.m.

The 13,000 personnel, from the military, militia, police, and mass organizations, will march past the grandstand and then split into four separate routes to reach their designated assembly points.

The first will go along Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Le Loi and Nguyen Thi Nghia streets and past the Phu Dong Thien Vuong roundabout, and end at Tao Dan Park.

The second route will take them along Le Duan, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Le Thanh Ton, and Nguyen Hue streets, passing the Me Linh roundabout and ending at Bach Dang Wharf.

The third will march along Le Duan, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia, Nguyen Dinh Chieu, and Dinh Tien Hoang streets and gather at the Hoa Lu Stadium.

The final route will be Le Duan, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Hai Ba Trung streets, and finish at Le Van Tam Park.

The multiple routes are meant to allow more people to watch the parade and prevent congestion on roads. For those unable to watch in person, the parade will be broadcast live on television and social media.

Besides, 20 giant screens will be put up on streets such as Le Duan, Nam Ky Khoi Nghia and Nguyen Hue to enable wide public access.

The parade will begin with a 21-gun salute to the Vietnamese national anthem.

The Air Defense – Air Force Service will fly Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters, Yak-130 fighter aircraft and Su-30MK2 jets in an aerial display.

The Ministry of National Defense is set to soon send official invitations to leaders of its Chinese, Lao and Cambodian counterparts to attend a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the national reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025) and to send their military personnel to join commemorative military and civilian parade.

Deputy Minister of National Defense Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien unveiled the information while receiving defense attachés of the three countries in Hanoi on Tuesday morning.

He told the officers that Vietnam is ramping up preparations for this important political event. The country always remembers support for its revolutionary cause from international friends, particularly China, Laos, and Cambodia, Chien affirmed.

The Deputy Minister noted that the Vietnamese defense ministry is looking forward to the participation of the three counterparts, which would contribute to the celebration’s overall success and demonstrate solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and its three neighboring countries.

In recent years, Vietnam has increasingly promoted defense cooperation with the three nations across fields, notably in delegation exchanges, military training and collaboration, and border defense friendship exchange.

The defense attaches said that they will promptly report to their respective authorities and provide relevant recommendations to advance the initiatives outlined by the deputy minister.

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Source: VNExpress

Photo: Collected