Hero Phan Đăng Cát in the memories of those who remain.

Memories of those who remain

In the middle of Hamlet 2, Hung Tan Commune (Hung Nguyen District), stands a house of gratitude built by the Air Defense - Air Force Command, now a memorial to martyr Phan Dang Cat (1940-1964). This is where the hero was born, took his first steps, and bid farewell to his parents and siblings before joining the army. It is also where his loved ones waited for him to return home on leave for a reunion meal, but the reunion was never possible when he fell in the bombing raid on August 5, 1964.

In that house, the siblings of martyr Phan Đăng Cát could not hide their emotions, their eyes welling up with tears as they spoke about their brother. Cát had two older sisters, Phan Thị Liên (born 1935) and Phan Thị Lan (born 1938). He had four younger brothers: Phan Thái Dương (born 1947), Phan Đăng Mạo (born 1951), Phan Đăng Sơn (born 1957), and Phan Đăng Thủy (born 1963).

The house of gratitude was built by the Air Defense - Air Force Command and donated to the family of martyr Phan Đăng Cát. Photo: Công Kiên

Both of his sisters left home early, leaving Phan Thai Duong as the closest to him. Because they were born close together, Duong was carried and pampered by his older brother when he was a child. Duong's memories always retain the image of his fair-skinned, kind brother, who always shared everything with him, from cakes and potatoes to bowls of rice during floods.

Like many other families in Hung Tan, Mr. and Mrs. Phan Cuc (the parents of martyr Phan Dang Cat) relied on farming to raise their young children. Mr. Cuc also had a carpentry trade; during the off-season, he would go to the villages and hamlets to make beds, tables, chairs, and other household items for the villagers.

As the eldest son, after school, Phan Dang Cat helped his parents herd cattle, weed, and harvest. Whenever he went to the fields to herd cattle, Cat would always bring home a few tilapia or snakehead fish, providing a fresh meal for the whole family. Naturally gentle and friendly, after finishing school, Cat was sent by the local authorities to study nursing, and after some time, he returned to serve the people in his village and commune.

Martyr Phan Đăng Cát. Photo courtesy of the family.

In 1961, Phan Đăng Cát enlisted in the army, becoming a soldier in the 138th Artillery Company, 280th Air Defense Regiment. The unit was stationed in Nghi Xuân (Hà Tĩnh province), tasked with protecting the airspace and key infrastructure of Vinh city. In letters home, Cát recounted his training, studies, and daily life at the unit, and once shared the good news that he had been assigned to be a squad leader.

Although only 14km from home, it was about two years later that Phan Dang Cat took leave to visit his family and get married. His wife was Ho Thi Sam, a few years younger than him, from the same village. The two were former classmates and members of the youth union, and they secretly fell in love without anyone knowing.

The wedding was simple but very joyful and warm, with both families and friends gathering together, enjoying plates of peanut candy and a pot of green tea. A week later, Mr. Cat bid farewell to his family to return to his unit. That day, Mrs. Sam saw her husband off for a long distance, all the way to the middle of the field…

Mr. Phan Thai Duong (younger brother of martyr Phan Dang Cat) emotionally recounted memories of his deceased brother. Photo: Cong Kien

Around mid-1964, the family received another letter from Cat, informing them that he would be home on leave in early August. The letter brought joy and excitement to all family members. In the last days of July, the old man went to the fields to catch some tilapia and snakehead fish, which he released into a puddle next to the well, waiting for Cat's return so he could cook them with vinegar, a dish Cat really liked.

Meanwhile, the old woman took out the fragrant sticky rice she had saved for a long time to dry again, planning to treat the whole family to a sticky rice meal on this occasion. Sister Sam and her siblings were eagerly awaiting Brother Cat's return so they could enjoy a reunion meal.

Deep and lasting friendship

On August 5, 1964, after lunch, a series of explosions suddenly rang out. Looking towards the source of the explosions and the towering columns of smoke, Mr. Phan Cúc exclaimed, "American planes are attacking Cát's unit!" Later that afternoon, explosions rang out again in the same direction. This time, the explosions lasted longer, and the columns of smoke spread wider.

Looking in that direction, Mrs. Phan Cúc couldn't hide her worry: "They're attacking Cát's unit again!" No one felt like eating dinner; the rice pot was almost untouched. That night, the old woman couldn't sleep. Meanwhile, Mrs. Sâm paced back and forth, trying to suppress her anxious sighs.

Martyr Phan Đăng Cát was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces in 2014. Photo: Công Kiên

The next day, someone came by and reported that Phan Dang Cat had been killed in action during the previous day's battle against American planes. He was hit twice by rocket shrapnel, yet he continued to wave his flag and command. On the third occasion, he fell in the trench, his blood staining the flag red.

That morning, after completing his leave procedures and having lunch, he was about to leave when enemy planes arrived. He decided to stay and fight alongside his comrades, and he was killed in action… Upon hearing the news, the whole family was devastated; the family reunion during his leave was never possible.

When Phan Đăng Cát fell, the hatred surged to its peak, and the pain was irreplaceable. His younger brother, Phan Thái Dương, who was a youth union official, enlisted in the army to avenge his brother. However, after considering his circumstances, local leaders did not approve, arranging for him to study medicine instead. From then on, he pursued the profession of healing and saving lives, and before retiring, he became the Director of Hưng Nguyên Hospital.

Mr. Phan Cúc (father of martyr Phan Đăng Cát) poses for a commemorative photo with General Võ Nguyên Giáp. Photo courtesy of the General's Office.

Meanwhile, Duong's younger brothers all enlisted and fought on various battlefields. Mr. and Mrs. Phan Cuc became pensive, suppressing their grief and burying it deep within their hearts.

Each person carries their own burden of sorrow. Ms. Ho Thi Sam seems to have reached the depths of despair. Just seven days after becoming a wife, barely getting used to each other's company and before they could have children, her husband left for home. Two long years of waiting for reunion, only for him to suddenly die on his leave. She remains silent like a shadow, her pillow soaked with tears every night.

She was hired as a trade officer in Vinh, commuting to and from work on her old bicycle. Mr. and Mrs. Phan Cúc loved their daughter-in-law dearly, advising her that she was still young and had a long life ahead of her, so she should remarry. She hesitated for a long time, finally agreeing to marry seven years later. Her husband was from Đô Lương, and they moved to Hưng Tân to live. The couple and their children frequently visited Mr. and Mrs. Phan Cúc's house, treating them like family, sharing in their joys and sorrows.

The pride of the family and comrades on the day the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces was posthumously awarded to martyr Phan Đăng Cát (2014). Photo by Family and Comrades.

Both Mrs. Sam and her husband passed away due to terminal illnesses. Following in their parents' footsteps, their children still maintain contact with the family of martyr Phan Dang Cat, still considering themselves as family members. This means that the bond of affection remains deep and strong, even as time passes by…

In these early days of August, relatives, friends, and comrades are once again filled with sorrow as they remember Phan Đăng Cát – the courageous hero who fell in the first battle against the Americans in the North. He fell so that his homeland and country could be reunited forever.