Intact memories | Lao Cai Electronic Newspaper

We visited veteran Dinh Truong Son (70 years old) at his home in residential group 9, Pom Han ward (Lao Cai city). When talking about the fight to liberate the South and unify the country, he enthusiastically recounted each battle he participated in.

In December 1971, Dinh Truong Son, a young man from Nho Quan, Ninh Binh, who was only 17 years old at the time, enthusiastically wrote a volunteer application and volunteered to go to the South to fight. For him, being in the ranks of the People's Army and fighting to protect the Fatherland was a dream since he was a child. He enthusiastically trained, then went to the South, participating in the Red Summer Campaign in 1972, fighting in the Plain of Jars, Xieng Khouang, Laos. Then he returned to Vietnam, as an infantryman of the 98th Regiment, 316th Division, 3rd Corps, participating in the Central Highlands Campaign to liberate Buon Ma Thuot, then joined forces with other corps to participate in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

In Mr. Son's memory, the most memorable was the march to participate in the Ho Chi Minh Campaign in April 1975. His unit's attack was in the Northwest direction, with the mission of blocking the 25th Division of the Republic of Vietnam in Trang Bang (Tay Ninh). The battle in Trang Bang was fierce. The platoon leader sacrificed himself, and Mr. Son was trusted from the squad leader to the position of platoon leader to replace him. Taking on the heavy responsibility but this was also an honor, Mr. Son revived the team spirit with the highest spirit and determination.

Mr. Son confided: The most difficult thing was attacking the enemy command post when they set up a dense artillery position. There was a bunker right in front of the enemy base to protect it. A comrade volunteered to shoot it down but heroically sacrificed himself...

Speaking of this, Mr. Son was moved to tears. The fierce battlefield left no time for sadness. He held back his emotions, quickly observed the terrain, and suddenly discovered a favorable firing position. He and a comrade held a B40 gun to support the destruction of the bunker. He was lucky to reach the target, but his comrade was seriously wounded. He carried the B40 gun and aimed accurately at the target, destroying the bunker.

Having broken through the important checkpoint, the squads took advantage of the victory to advance, joined forces with other troops, gradually gained the advantage and liberated the entire Trang Bang, seized all the weapons of the artillery positions and captured hundreds of enemies. From the important victory at Trang Bang, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam was divided, not allowing the units in the Northwest of Saigon to retreat to Dong Du and Cu Chi.

Mentioning the 10th Infantry Division (also known as Dak To Division) of the 3rd Corps of our army is the glorious feats of arms, extinguishing the enemy's solid defense line at Nui Lua - Duc Lap, breaking the enemy's defense line west of Buon Ma Thuot town, creating momentum for the complete victory of the Central Highlands Campaign.

Mr. Cu Seo Phan (Mong ethnic group, born in 1952) in Nang Cang residential group, Si Ma Cai town (Si Ma Cai district) is one of the few ethnic minority soldiers in Lao Cai who was honored to stand in the ranks of the heroic 10th Division. Participating in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign, his unit's battle front was assigned to the Hoc Mon direction to attack the puppet General Staff in the center of Saigon.

Although he is 72 years old, the memory of the attack on the headquarters of the puppet army has never faded in Mr. Phan's mind. He enthusiastically recounted the battle. It was on the night of April 29, receiving the order to march, the 10th Division quickly set out, taking advantage of the enemy's many gaps at night to attack. Mr. Phan described: The march was like King Quang Trung marching to the North to fight against the invading Qing army.

At dawn on April 30, the unit passed through many strongholds and fortifications and approached the enemy command base.

The battle was fierce and fierce, the whole space shook with the sound of machine guns and artillery from the attacking spearheads. Mr. Phan's unit gradually penetrated deep into the puppet General Staff, at the enemy's last stronghold, their infantry and tanks stubbornly resisted. Our infantry battalions and armored tanks continuously attacked, causing the enemy to panic. "Faced with our total offensive power, the enemy troops resisted weakly and then fled. The soldiers immediately attacked the building where the puppet army's command center was located. They raised the white flag of surrender, some of the remaining troops ran away in disarray," Mr. Phan recounted.

At exactly 11:30 a.m. on April 30, upon receiving the news that the liberation flag of our army had flown over the roof of the Independence Palace and that the puppet President Duong Van Minh had surrendered unconditionally, Mr. Phan and his comrades cheered and were extremely excited. His entire battalion had 60 soldiers when they went, but when they witnessed the historic moment, only half remained. Mr. Phan was overjoyed and shouted to the sky: The country is liberated! We are alive!

Mr. Dinh Truong Son, at the historic moment of liberation, was still busy chasing down the enemy remnants as they fled to Tan Son Nhat airport. Although he did not witness the liberation flag flying, seeing the people cheering and excited, Mr. Son and his teammates were excited, chasing the enemy and smiling brightly. Closing the historic victory, Mr. Son and Mr. Phan returned to their hometown, starting a new journey.

Mr. Son continued to participate in the fight to protect the northern border in 1979, taking over Hoang Lien Son at that time and Lao Cai later. The borderland kept the loyal and brave soldier, who was awarded the First Class Military Exploit Medal by the State. He got married, devoted himself to the army for a while, transferred to work at Apatit Vietnam One Member Co., Ltd., participated in many terms as Chairman of the Veterans Association of the unit. After that, he held the position of Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Business Bloc Party Committee, from 2010 to 2015 until his retirement. Later, he played a very important role in establishing the Lao Cai Provincial Veterans Business Association and held the position of Chairman of the first term.

As for Mr. Cu Seo Phan, he returned to his hometown and then worked at the Commune Veterans Association from 1983 to 2012 before retiring. Mr. Phan had a close friend from his buffalo herding and grass cutting days, veteran Lu Co Leng from Na Cang residential group, who also fought in the Southern battlefield. Mr. Leng worked at the Commune Police Department for 12 years and as Chairman of the People's Committee of Si Ma Cai Commune for 10 years. Possessing the qualities of "Uncle Ho's soldiers", Mr. Leng and Mr. Phan contributed to building their hometown to develop more and more, actively propagating and mobilizing people to restore production, reclaim land, overcoming many difficulties and hardships, gradually building Si Ma Cai commune to become the center of Si Ma Cai district and the premise for the town in the future...

The memories have gradually faded away but the wounds remain, every time the weather changes, the headache comes back, it seems like time will never end, which Mr. Son has had to endure for more than half a century, when the bullet fragments are still left in his head from a mortar attack by the enemy on the Buon Ma Thuot battlefield. But for Mr. Son, he does not care about that, he confided: Because I can still live in peace, while so many comrades have fallen, no longer having the chance to enjoy this peaceful moment.

Mr. Son, Mr. Phan, Mr. Leng are living witnesses, people who have gone through arduous struggles, endured sacrifices and lived in historical moments. The memories are still there, while still healthy and able to walk, they spend time participating in social activities, helping people understand more about history, inspiring their children to love their country more and cherish every moment of peace and independence that they are enjoying.

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