Story of a Catholic People's Armed Forces Hero

Hero of the People's Armed Forces Nguyen Quang Hanh, born in 1941 in Hai Duong commune, Hai Hau district (Nam Dinh province) in a Catholic family, with the Christian name of Peter Nguyen Quang Hanh. With his love for his homeland and the enthusiasm and dynamism of youth, before joining the army, he was assigned by his neighbors and superiors to hold the positions of hamlet chief and production team leader of Vu De Agricultural Cooperative (Hai Duong commune, Hai Hau district).

In May 1965, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hanh was called up for military service. That was his joy and wish. “The day I joined the army, my first son was only 3 months old, his health was weak, I felt so sorry for him. On the march, the image of my wife holding the baby always made me feel uneasy,” Mr. Hanh recalled.

People's Armed Forces Hero Nguyen Quang Hanh shares memories on Truong Son Road with officers of Hai Hau District Military Command.

Putting aside personal concerns, with the determination to fight to protect the Fatherland, in the first 3 months of training, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hanh achieved excellent results, ranking first in the AK submachine gun shooting test. Mr. Hanh's fate with the driving profession also began after that when Mr. Nguyen Quang Hanh proposed and was sent to a 6-month driving course. He graduated 3rd in the course and was assigned to the driving team of Division 312. In July 1967, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hanh returned to Group 559, to Station 35, on the strategic road of the South Silver River junction, lower Laos.

As soon as he entered the battlefield, Mr. Hanh was assigned to drive a cargo truck up the Po Phien slope, one of the most dangerous slopes on the road. With his courage, calmness, and bravery, he handled the situations quickly and accurately, successfully leading the field vehicle up the Po Phien slope. Mr. Hanh confided: “A frontline driver not only needs to be calm and steady in the cockpit, but also needs to be resourceful and flexible in handling situations on the field, sometimes also needs to know how to "advise" and propose to superior commanders plans to clear traffic jams, must know how to coordinate operations with engineers and air defense troops, must clearly understand the tricks and rules of operation of the enemy in the sky and on the ground to deliver goods to the destination”.

Transport convoy on the legendary Truong Son road. Photo: Archive

The Truong Son route played a decisive role in our victory in the southern battlefield. According to Mr. Hanh, the US army concentrated modern weapons, with many types of reconnaissance and surveillance equipment, and bombs with devastating damage levels to attack the route non-stop day and night, not only destroying roads and vehicles but also threatening the spirit and breaking the fighting spirit of our army and people. “At that time, bombs and bullets were very destructive, every night there were vehicles being burned. The hills were burned, the soil and rocks were crushed into powder. Once, I was hit by a bomb, both myself and my vehicle were thrown into the cliff, and a tree fell and crushed the cockpit,” Mr. Hanh confided.

He remembered most the sacrifice of comrade Nguyen Minh Chau, Deputy Political Commissar of Battalion 59. After an enemy bombing, Mr. Hanh and comrade Chau went to inspect the scene. Comrade Chau was walking ahead, caught in a cluster bomb, and died standing, leaning against a tree. Although they did not hold guns and fight the enemy directly, the Truong Son soldiers always faced danger, life and death were only a hair's breadth apart.

While on duty at the front line, in 1969, Mr. Hanh received the news that his first son had passed away. In 1970, his mother also passed away. Facing the war and the loss of his homeland, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hanh was still determined to fight with his comrades, promptly providing weapons, equipment, and necessities to the southern battlefield.

Transport convoys crossed Truong Son, supplying people and resources to the southern battlefield. Photo: Archive

Summarizing his outstanding achievements, the book Portrait of a Hero of the Ho Chi Minh Era compiled by the Central Emulation and Reward Council and the Central Ideology and Culture Committee, published in 2000, wrote: “Nguyen Quang Hanh was in charge of transporting on the route south of the Silver River from 1967 to 1972. In 1968 and 1970, he exceeded the quota by 25% or more. On November 2, 1967, on the transport route, an artillery tractor was shot down by an enemy plane. Nguyen Quang Hanh quickly rushed in to put out the fire and carried two wounded soldiers to safety. In the dry season of 1968-1969, on the 120km long transport route, he was the first person to achieve the highest record of the 35th Regiment. In the following dry season, during the 60 days and nights of the general offensive of the transport campaign, he drove continuously, without resting for a single night. On On March 17, 1969, the unit's convoy was running when the leading vehicle was hit by a bomb, the driver was injured. Nguyen Quang Hanh volunteered to drive that vehicle to clear the road. While the vehicle was running, 6 bombs exploded around it, but he still held the wheel firmly, and the entire convoy of 19 vehicles passed the bomb site safely. On November 25, 1972, a gasoline truck caught fire. Nguyen Quang Hanh, regardless of the danger, drove this vehicle forward, entered the bypass, attracted enemy fire, then ran back on foot to command the convoy of vehicles carrying people to pass the key point.

With outstanding achievements in performing his duties, on December 31, 1973, Mr. Nguyen Quang Hanh was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State.

Article and photos: PHAM QUYET

Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/50-nam-dai-thang-mua-xuan-1975/chuyen-ve-mot-anh-hung-llvt-nhan-dan-nguoi-cong-giao-824727