There remains a deep sense of gratitude and appreciation.

With deep affection, gratitude, and appreciation from the Party Committee, government, departments, organizations, and the entire community for the sacrifices and contributions of the heroic martyrs, wounded soldiers, and disabled veterans, the lives of families of meritorious individuals in the province have been cared for both materially and spiritually.

Heroic Vietnamese Mother Cao Thi Hoi, residing in Dong Phu village (Ninh Khang commune, Hoa Lu district), is at an age rarely seen before. Although no longer as agile as she once was, she can still clearly hear the questions from her children, grandchildren, and visitors.

Mentioning her two sons, martyrs Nguyen Duy Chuy and Nguyen Duy Chuy, tears streamed down the mother's wrinkled cheeks.

In a story that was sometimes clear and sometimes unclear, and required the support of her youngest son, Mother Cao Thi Hoi recalled the last time she saw her son Chuy. It was when he had completed his training and was marching with his unit through Ninh Binh province. That day, she and a neighbor whose son had enlisted in the same unit went to the train station to see him. The meeting was fleeting; Chuy only had time to quickly give his mother a thin blanket and a pair of trousers to send back to his siblings before boarding the train with his unit to the front lines.

In 1974 and 1978, Mother Hoi and her family received death notices for two of her sons, one fighting in the Southeast battlefield and the other in the Cambodian battlefield. Grief piled upon grief as she received news of her sons' sacrifices one after another. Struggling to live on and continue raising her children, Mother Hoi received the care, encouragement, and heartfelt support of many grateful individuals and organizations from the provincial to the local level.

In 2010, my mother received support from the Party committee, government, and local organizations in renovating and building a spacious and sturdy house. On holidays, festivals, and anniversaries, she always receives affection and practical, meaningful gifts from organizations inside and outside the province.

This July, the "Red Flower" program, in coordination with Hoa Lu district and Trang An Ninh Binh One-Member Limited Company, presented the mother with a savings passbook. The Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs and the Social Policy Bank of Hoa Lu district also presented meaningful gifts to the mother. In particular, understanding the pain of losing loved ones and the fact that there is still no information about the remains of two martyrs, the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs is still making efforts to search for and connect with relevant information…

In Hamlet 2, Lac Van Commune (Nho Quan District), everyone knows about the case of the family of martyr Vu Van Thiep, who died in 1966 on the Southern front and whose grave was found after nearly 50 years of no news thanks to the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs.

Ms. Vu Thi Hoa, the second daughter who directly worships the martyr Vu Van Thiep, shared: "The pain of losing our father seemed to multiply for us sisters when, for nearly 50 years, despite our family searching everywhere, we still had no results. In 2015, the family's greatest wish—to bring our father home to rest in his hometown—came true. After years of searching, with the help of the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs and many other agencies, units, and localities, the family found and brought the remains of martyr Vu Van Thiep from the Martyrs' Cemetery in Hoai Hao Ward, Hoai Nhon Town (Binh Dinh Province) back to rest in the cemetery of our hometown."

My family has always received care, love, support, and assistance from the local government, neighbors, teachers, and friends. My four sisters and I encourage each other to study hard, work diligently, and raise our children to be successful and worthy of the contributions and sacrifices of our ancestors…

Nguyen Van Tho, the great-grandson of martyr Vu Van Thiep, has continued the family tradition and become a soldier in the Vietnam People's Army.

Every July, the small house—the shrine dedicated to martyr Vu Van Thiep—is always filled with descendants. The faces of students, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of the martyr, gather around the family to pay their respects, light incense for their great-grandfather and great-grandfather, and report on their year of study and training.

Nguyen Van Tho, a second-year student at the Military Technical Academy, shared: "Since I was little, my grandmother and mother have told me many stories about my great-grandfather and his comrades who bravely fought and sacrificed for the independence and freedom of our country, so that today's young generation can live in peace. I am always proud of my family's tradition, grateful for the sacrifices and contributions of the heroic martyrs, and always tell myself that I must strive to continue the tradition and become a soldier of the Vietnam People's Army. During my years at Nho Quan B High School, I always tried my best to train and study well, and I was honored to be admitted to the Communist Party of Vietnam in 12th grade. Being accepted into the Military Technical Academy, I have fulfilled my dream of standing in the ranks of the Vietnam People's Army like my great-grandfather..."

During the resistance war to defend the Fatherland, Ninh Binh province had more than 235,000 cadres and soldiers participating in combat and supporting combat on various fronts; more than 16,900 sons and daughters of Ninh Binh bravely sacrificed their lives and were recognized as martyrs; 1,275 mothers were awarded or posthumously awarded the title of Heroic Vietnamese Mother; 14 people were awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces; more than 13,000 wounded soldiers; over 8,000 sick soldiers; and over 8,900 people were affected by chemical toxins and had children affected.

Over the years, caring for the material and spiritual well-being of wounded soldiers, war invalids, families of martyrs, and meritorious individuals has become a regular and important task for the entire political system and society. Party committees and authorities at all levels have focused on directing efforts to effectively and promptly implement the policies and regulations of the Party and State regarding meritorious individuals; coordination among departments, agencies, and localities in carrying out work related to meritorious individuals has become increasingly timely and effective.

The "Gratitude and Remembrance" and "Remembering Our Roots" movements are increasingly spreading with many meaningful activities such as: establishing the "Gratitude and Social Welfare" Fund; mobilizing agencies and units to care for Heroic Vietnamese Mothers; effectively implementing housing support for people with meritorious service; giving savings accounts as tokens of gratitude; caring for and assisting wounded and sick soldiers and families of martyrs; organizing visits and giving gifts on holidays, Tet, and the Day of Wounded Soldiers and Martyrs (July 27); supporting job placement, loans for economic development, education, and care for people with meritorious service and their relatives…

Thanks to the attention and care of all levels and sectors, and the joint efforts of the whole society, the material and spiritual lives of policy beneficiary families and people with meritorious services have been increasingly improved. To date, 100% of policy beneficiary families in the province have a living standard equal to or higher than the average living standard of the local population; 100% of communes, wards, and towns have been recognized as communes, wards, and towns that have effectively implemented policies for war invalids, martyrs, and people with meritorious services.

Text and photos: Bui Dieu

Source: https://baoninhbinh.org.vn/con-do-long-biet-on-and-su-tri-an-sau-sac/d20240722210843830.htm