They call it the Sea Swallow Special District and what could sound more peaceful? But in the South China Sea and especially around South Vietnam or Malaysia, there is conflict everywhere. As a matter of fact, among all the strategic villages, only that of the Sea Swallows has had repeated, unvarying military success. These are fighting Sea Swallows led by Father Nguyen Lac Hoa, and for them, the Communist Viet Cong are not w fearsome.
Perhaps the main reason is Father Nguyen himself, a legendary figure known to the world for his many roles—commander of a Vietnamese guerrilla force, governor of the Sea Swallows Special District, superintendent of a field hospital, principal of a high school, winner of a Magsaysay award.
Born 56 years ago on the Leichow Peninsula of Kwangtung Province in China, he was Chen I-cheng before his conversion as a Catholic and naturalization as a Vietnamese. During World War II, he was major who led Christians and others against the Japanese and Communists in the Shih-Wan-Ta-Shan (Hundred Thousand Big Mountains) on the border between Kwangtung and Kwanghsi.
When the Chinese mainland fell to the Chinese Communists, he was arrested as a reactionary. After a trial of three days and three nights, he was imprisoned. Then, after a year and four days, he managed to escape. He wrote ten letters to Mao Tse-tung and mailed them through friends in Paris.
"I want to thank you, Mr. Mao," he said, "for your kindness in teaching me what freedom really means. Now I am your implacable enemy. What is more, I will turn more and more people into your deadly foes until you and your evil thoughts are no more."
To fulfill his pledge, he led a group of about 600 refugees into North Vietnam, then into Cambodia when the Geneva Conference of 1954 gave the northern half of Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh. He and his followers established a village and lived a hard life. As Cambodia drew closer to the Chinese Communists, another move became inevitable. In 1959, Father Nguyen led his group to South Vietnam.
Saigon authorities were sympathetic. Father Nguyen and his group were offered a choice of three locations for a settlement. He selected a tract of virgin land at the tip of the Kim Au Peninsula.
Bumper Harvests
Father Nguyen christened the area the Sea Swallow Special District, likening his group to swallows which live peacefully in an adopted land but never forget to return to their homes.
The land he chose was a below-sea-level swamp of some 700 square kilometers dotted with Viet Cong guerrilla bases. At dusk, huge mosquito swarms came out of the jungles like dark clouds. The land had borne nothing.
Villagers literally live and die for each other under Father Nguyen's leadership (File photo)
After escape from Cambodian oppression, Father Nguyen's flock wondered if it was jumping from the frying pan into the fire. He said: "I led you here for survival, not extinction. This is fertile land. Each of you will have three hectares for his own. With our good efforts, the resources will be inexhaustible. I name this place Ping Hsing Village, signifying that we shall level the ground and make a home here."
Father Nguyen saw to it that each family received a house—small but a beginning. Refugees of Ping Hsing Village were given citizenship by Vietnam.
After months of hard labor, there was a bumper harvest of rice. Today, each sowing produces a harvest sufficient for three years.
Good crops grown by anti-Communist refugees quickly aroused the hatred of the Viet Congo. At first, the Communists felt out the village. Messengers of supposed good wishes were dispatched to Ping Hsing. They showed not only false friendship but also carried out reconnaissance and engaged in propaganda activities. At first, the villagers had only clubs and six grenades for defense. In December of 1959, Ping Hsing Village received 12 obsolete French rifles. Father Nguyen knew they were not enough and stalled for time. In June of 1960, the Village received 90 more French-made rifles, 2 submachine guns and 12 pistols. Villagers aged 18 to 45 years old were armed and received brief but intensive training. On November 19, they were organized as the No. 1001 Group and sworn to fight the Viet Cong to the death.
Series of Attacks
In December, a Viet Cong slipped into the village and tried to replace the national flag with the Communist colors. He was discovered and shot. The Viet Cong vowed revenge.
Since then, the Viet Cong have launched a series of attacks, small and large, by day and night. Clashes average two a week. In six large encounters the Viet Cong have suffered casualties in a proportion of 8 to 1.
On one occasion, 80 villagers escorted Father Nguyen to Saigon on a business trip. As they returned, they were ambushed by 800 Viet Congs and pinned down by the concentrated fire of rifles, submachine guns, and other weapons. The villagers laid low. Viet Cong thought they had won and rushed in. At a range of 20 to 30 meters, the Sea Swallows answered the fire. The Viet Cong toll was 172 to 16 Sea Swallows.
Between battles, women fighters help construct an airstrip at Ping Hsing Village (File photo)
In dealing with the Viet Cong, the Sea Swallows do not rely on courage alone. Intelligence plays an important part. Agents disguised as traders and reformed Viet Cong mingle with the Communists. Every movement of the enemy is known to the command at Ping Hsing Village.
Villagers call Father Nguyen "old man", a term of affection as well as reverence. Even the captured Viet Cong are quickly affected by his warmth and sincerity. Prisoners are won over and become loyal Sea Swallows. There is a story about an old soldier who was assigned to guard Viet Cong prisoners. He drank too much on duty but never lost one of his charges. A prisoner carried his rifle for him.
Enemy Impressed
In the last three years, the Sea Swallows have captured more than 200 Viet Cong, including a number of cadres and agents. The VC spies and subversionists sometimes include attractive young women, but this hasn't worked, either. When the girls learn about Sea Swallow life, they themselves are subverted.
Viet Cong do not expect to be well-housed—with beds to sleep in, blankets, and mosquito nets. They are impressed by the three good meals and cigarette and petty cash allowances. Prisoners work only six hours a day with Sundays off. Villagers are friendly and often supply extra food and clothing.
Viet Cong have learned about Father Nguyen and the Sea Swallows the hard way. His success led the Saigon authorities to place the village under the Garrison Command, 4th War Zone, General Staff Headquarters, and give him full command. New weapons have been supplied. The Sea Swallow Special District now has 10 fighting groups of 138 men each. Armed with 152 mm. howitzers, mortars, and machine guns, they are stationed in and around Ping Hsing.
Combat forces wear olive drab uniforms with gold sea swallow insignia on the collar. No insignia of rank are to be seen.
Pay, work and responsibility are shared as equally as possible. Each group has three squadrons and each squadron has three squads. Fighting men call each other brother and the women are sisters. They literally live and die for each other.
A special task force is responsible for military training, which includes the use of weapons, drill, psychological warfare, intelligence evaluation, communications, and first aid.
In September of 1961, U.S. Marines dispatched a team of seven to Ping Hsing for a month's study of the tactical problems involved in its defense. Since that time three American advisers have been sent to help with the construction of an airfield and defense works and to conduct a meteorological survey.
Women Warriors
The Sea Swallows are not alone.
Taipei reporter Su Yu-chen (third from left) visits Sea Swallow 'sisters' in uniform (File photo)
Hyannisport, U.S.A., the summer home of President Kennedy, showed its respect and admiration for the Sea Swallows by declaring itself a sister village of Ping Hsing. New York gave its city key in exchange for a Ping Hsing banner. Gifts and Christmas cards have come from all over the world.
Women are wives, mothers, and frontline fighters. There are about 300 of them. When the men are away, women are fully competent to defend the village. About 70 of them can handle heavy machine guns. The Women's Association slogan is "Equality of men and women." The women have proved themselves in combat.
Military training for women includes the use of weapons, and everyone from 18 to 45 participates. The training lasts two months. Feminine Sea Swallows have been compared with the female warriors of Israel.
Ping Hsing is strongly fortified as a result of endless and back-breaking endeavor. Defenses include guard posts, barbed wire, and a no-man's land of mines to frustrate human-wave attacks. A canal links the village from east to west and connects with outpost roads.
Visit to Taiwan
The village population is about 2,000, of whom 90 per cent are Chinese. They have such amenities as electricity, a water system, stadium and hospital. A model house was designed by Father Nguyen and built under his supervision. He wanted to demonstrate that sound houses could be built in the swamp.
Because of the isolated location, supplies must come by air. The new strip will accommodate C-123 and C-46 transports.
With 300 school-age children, the village needs a school. Classes now are given in houses and there is a mobile primary school.
Cross in the middle of village canal reminds Ping Hsing people of their faith (File photo)
Problems abound. Ping Hsing is too big for easy defense and too small for the wide-ranging anti-Communist undertakings for which it serves as a base. Yet morale is higher than ever. Father Nguyen said, after a recent visit to Taiwan: "For 14 years, we have been like wandering orphans. Now I have brought back the warmth and concern of our fatherland. We are no longer alone in shouldering our rifles against the Viet Cong." Among those who gave the Sea Swallows' leader encouragement was President Chiang Kai-shek.
The quiet determination of the Sea Swallows is to be found not only in their songs. As night descends-a night that may bring either peace or Viet Cong terror-this song may be wafted across the swamps to the listening enemy:
"Rest! Warriors of freedom!
You have sowed the seeds of liberty. For the freedom-loving peoples the world over;
All alike as you
Amidst the storms will fight, Fight, fight
Until victory is in sight."
Not until then will the Sea Swallows fly home once more to a China that is free and at peace.