7 days of happiness and half a century of worshiping a martyr husband

A time of "birth, death"

The winter has come to the countryside. In a small house at the beginning of Hamlet 2, Hung Dao Commune (Hung Nguyen), Mrs. Ton Thi Phuoc Vien (born in 1945) sits quietly, her eyes fixed on the village fields in the fallow period. There, storks stand along the edge of the fields, their necks retracted, their legs curled up in the cold wind.

Further away is the main road, the road associated with her childhood and almost her entire life, it is as dear as flesh and blood. Because that is where the village girl and the village boy used to date, walk together; it is also where sheYouth Volunteers(TNXP) years ago sent her newlywed husband back to the battlefield. Everything has drifted to a faraway land but still always appears in the lonely woman's mind, especially on cold afternoons.

Ms. Vien said that in 1969, the war against the US entered a fierce phase. While working as the Secretary of the Youth Union, she registered to join the Youth Volunteer Force. The girl from Hung Dao village was assigned to Unit C-202 (N241) and was ordered to march into the mountainous areas of western Quang Binh and Quang Tri. The unit's mission was to fill bomb craters for vehicles to pass through, load ammunition into the battlefield, and transport wounded soldiers to the rear for treatment.

The job was extremely difficult and dangerous, because they always had to operate under enemy bombs and bullets, life and death were sometimes just a step away, or even the blink of an eye. Deputy Company Commander Ton Thi Phuoc Vien had to witness many times her comrades falling down because of bomb fragments, artillery shells or being buried by rocks and soil, their bodies no longer intact.

Even though more than 50 years have passed, she still cannot forget the bombing that took place in early September 1969. That day, after the series of bombings had just ended, from the shelter, the unit received orders to level the road so that the convoy of weapons could be transported to support the battlefield. Suddenly, another group of planes arrived and dropped bombs, the ground shook, smoke and dust filled the sky, the space seemed to be dyed black. The smoke began to clear, trying to rise from the buried soil, Ms. Vien saw many of her comrades seriously injured, 6 people had sacrificed.

Immediately, the female Deputy Company Commander mobilized the remaining brothers and sisters to quickly provide first aid and transfer the wounded soldiers to the medical station area for timely treatment. Most of the wounded were bleeding profusely, with no other way, female Youth Volunteer Ton Thi Phuoc Vien took off her shirt, tore it into pieces to bandage the wounds.teammate.With her determination to save her comrades in the bombing that day, a few days later, Ms. Vien was specially admitted to the Party, this event became an honor and pride for the whole unit.

Short-lived happiness

In mid-1971, after more than 2 years of staying in the Truong Son mountains, Ton Thi Phuoc Vien received a letter from the journalist informing her that her lover, Phan Van Phuoc, was about to be granted leave and wanted to hold a wedding ceremony on this occasion. Her fiancé was 1 year older than Ms. Vien, lived in the same village, and participated in the youth movement.

The two people were fond of each other, and love came without them knowing. Both families and friends helped to build the couple, hoping for their happiness to be fulfilled. The war was fierce, and young men from both villages joined the army. In 1967, Phan Van Phuoc's brother also signed up for the army and followed his unit to the battlefield in the South. Two years later, the village girl joined the Youth Volunteers to go to the battlefield, first out of duty to the Fatherland, and secondly, hoping to meet her lover. But the battlefield was too vast, and that wish was difficult to come true.

The wedding was held at the end of that summer, with only green tea and some candy, simple but extremely warm and happy. The female Youth Volunteer stood shyly next to the soldier in his new uniform. Signs of fierce battles and malaria still lingered on her skin and hair. Above all, there was still sincere love, happiness clearly shown on the faces and eyes of each person.

They were together for exactly 7 days, the soldier continued to go to the South to fight. After seeing her husband off to the battlefield, the next day, TNXP Ton Thi Phuoc Vien also packed her bags and went to Quang Tri, continuing the days of facing fire, smoke, bullets and bombs. A week - such a short period of time, the couple had not yet had time to taste the full joy of happiness, their love had not yet blossomed and borne fruit before they had to hastily part, making a promise to return victoriously...

At the end of 1972, more than a year after the wedding, Mrs. Vien was discharged from the army, returned to her hometown and was elected as the Secretary of the Commune Youth Union. One freezing winter day, the female youth union officer received news that her husband, martyr Phan Van Phuoc, had passed away.sacrificeOn the Long An battlefield, my heart was broken... Hopes, waiting and desire for happiness suddenly disappeared, leaving only endless pain and despair.

As the days passed, her heart almost turned to stone, no longer feeling love, no longer longing for or thinking about happiness, even though she was 27 years old at that time. For the rest of her life, that woman found joy in social work, from a Youth Union officer, Ms. Vien became the President of the Commune Women's Union, then the Secretary of the Commune Party Committee and retired.

For a long time, Mrs. Vien lived alone in the small house, going in and out alone. Recently, her niece and her husband came to live with her, so her loneliness was somewhat reduced. In that house, she reserved the most solemn place to place the portrait of her husband - martyr Phan Van Phuoc. "Whenever sadness arises, I light incense before the altar, praying for him to give me more strength to overcome the ups and downs of life...", Mrs. Vien confided.

Mr. Le Huy Khoa - Chairman of Hung Dao Commune People's Committee said: "Ms. Ton Thi Phuoc Vien is a former youth volunteer, discharged from the army and returned to her hometown to participate in local leadership work. She is always exemplary, enthusiastically participates in movements and is loved and respected by everyone."