A collection of memorabilia from a special forces soldier from Nghe An province.

Each memento represents a part of a soldier's life.

The relatives of veteran Nguyen Cong Anh (born in 1954) in Phuc Son commune (Anh Son district) still vividly remember the day he returned home after his discharge from the army, carrying a heavy backpack on his back. When the backpack was opened, everyone was surprised to find a canvas hammock, mosquito net, lunchbox, canteen, and snorkel – all items associated with the daily life of a naval commando soldier.

He carefully preserved these items for decades, turning them into precious mementos, cherished and treasured by their owner, becoming a "museum of memories" about his life as a soldier who had experienced battle. He dedicated a cabinet specifically to storing them.battlefield mementosIt is only opened when comrades come to visit, when children and grandchildren gather, or when reminiscing about the years in the military.

Mr. Nguyen Cong Anh enlisted in early 1974, serving in the 305th Division (Special Forces Command). He was trained in deep penetration tactics, infiltrating key enemy targets such as ports, ships, and military outposts. Upon entering the battlefield, he was assigned to the 316th Brigade, operating in the Southeast region, especially in the area bordering Saigon.

Nguyen Cong Anh's special forces unit was deployed to the battlefield with the goal of gaining combat experience to gradually advance towards the decisive battle in Saigon - Gia Dinh. After the liberation of South Vietnam (April 30, 1975), his unit continued its march into Cambodia to fight against the Khmer Rouge forces, helping the people escape the genocide perpetrated by Pol Pot.

For Mr. Nguyen Cong Anh, each memento is connected to a part of his life as a soldier, a memory that lasts a lifetime. The backpack, inseparable from the marches and battles, was almost an inseparable item for a soldier on the battlefield.

Hammocks and mosquito nets were associated with marches through the forests and restless sleep disrupted by distant gunfire. Lunchboxes and canteens were linked to daily meals, both in the barracks and in the smoke-filled trenches.

In particular, the plastic snorkel is an essential tool for naval commandos, used whenever they dive into rivers to secretly approach enemy ships, boats, ports, or warehouses.

“To this day, I still consider those mementos as close friends and indispensable parts of my daily life. A few months ago, someone came to ask to buy some of them to display in their home, but I refused, because they are sacred mementos,” Mr. Anh said.

Veteran Nguyen Cong Anh's collection of battlefield memorabilia also includes a parachute fabric, a compass, and an album—trophies he acquired while fighting alongside his unit to liberate Saigon and take over Tan Son Nhat airport on that day.The Great Victory of Spring 1975During the Spring Offensive of 1975, Nguyen Cong Anh was part of the Northwest flank of the army that advanced to liberate Saigon.

At that time, the enemy surrendered, fled in disarray, and left behind many things. He picked up the parachute fabric, the compass, and the photo album as mementos of that glorious moment, a moment not easily attained by everyone. From then on, those mementos accompanied the soldier on his marches and in life-or-death battles.

Letters from the battlefield

Along with the soldiers' belongings and spoils of war captured during the takeover of Tan Son Nhat airport, Mr. Nguyen Cong Anh also kept letters written during the march between battles.

In a letter he wrote in Kampong Thom on October 22, 1979, he wrote: “Parents! Today is another difficult day on the Cambodian battlefield. My unit is continuing its mission to hunt down the remnants of Pol Pot's forces; the situation is tense. However, someone from my unit has returned home for work, so I'm taking the opportunity to write a few lines to inquire about your health and that of my siblings, lest you be waiting anxiously.”

The soldier expressed his feelings, a blend of patriotism and family love: "Thinking of my family, my parents and siblings, I couldn't sleep many nights, tossing and turning in my hammock, missing and loving them more and more. But because of the revolutionary duty, I had to temporarily set aside my personal family feelings for work."

In a letter written in 1980 to his sister, after his unit had moved to Ha Nam Ninh province, he wrote: “Sister! I came home for a few days, but unexpectedly I didn’t get to see Mom again. I thought she was still sick like the previous times I came home, and the more I think about it, the more I miss her. Growing up, I haven’t been able to help the family much, especially Mom during her illness, not taking care of her for a single day. Even when she passed away, I didn’t get to see her one last time. I sincerely hope you will forgive and understand me. During that time, I couldn’t send letters home, so the family didn’t know the mailbox to write to me…”

Veteran Nguyen Cong Anh's belongings upon his return also included photographs from his time in the army with his comrades, preserved in a war trophy album, and various documents that were still kept intact.

"Over 13 years in the military, participating in 2war"Having faced death countless times while defending the country and witnessed comrades fall in the trenches, I always cherish everything about a soldier's life. Because only soldiers who directly wield weapons truly understand the ferocity of each war and the value of peaceful life...", Mr. Anh confided.

In his home, he reserved the most prominent place to display the "Glorious Family Plaque" of his family, whose members served in the army fighting against the Americans. The former soldier also cherishes and carefully preserves his military uniforms, medals, and decorations, wearing them only on formal occasions.

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"The war is long over, and the soldiers of yesteryear have grown old, so I keep these mementos from my time in the army so that my descendants can better understand the hardships, sacrifices, courage, and glorious achievements of their ancestors in the cause of defending the homeland."

Mr. Nguyen Cong Anh