For Truong Bon to stay green forever

Stream of memories from artifacts

At the end of October, in the dry sunshine, we went up National Highway 15A to visit Truong Bon National Historical Site in My Son Commune (Do Luong). Although the weather had turned to winter, the road was still filled with the green of the endless acacia hills, the fruit gardens and especially the green of the relic site.

Panoramic view of Truong Bon National Monument. Photo: Thanh Cuong

This timeCovid-19 epidemicThe epidemic is complicated nationwide, so people should limit their travel to prevent the risk of spreading. Truong Bon Relic Site is quite deserted, the number of visitors coming to offer incense and visit has decreased significantly compared to previous years.

That quiet space helped us feel the warmth of the green trees and the sacredness through the silent incense smoke mixed with the spreading scent of flowers. Walking through the relic grounds, offering incense at the graves and shrines of Truong Bon martyrs, our hearts seemed to calm down, worries suddenly disappeared, our steps became light and serene...

Nghe An youth offer flowers and incense to commemorate heroes and martyrs on the 53rd anniversary of Truong Bon victory. Photo: Quynh Anh

Mr. Phan Trong Loc - Director of National Monument SiteTruong Bonled us to visit the Museum. Stepping through the door is a space filled with nostalgia, because this place preserves hundreds of artifacts of Truong Bon during the war. The first impression is the types of bombs and ammunition that the US Empire dropped to prevent support for the southern front. There are magnetic bombs, time-delayed bombs, anti-personnel bombs, cluster bombs, mortar shells, armor-piercing bullets, tropical trees... Some are still painted, some are rusted, all lie quietly but still evoke a scene of mourning.

Magnetic bomb on display at the Museum of Truong Bon National Historical Site. Photo: Cong Kien

TNXP tools used to fill bomb craters are on display at the Museum of Truong Bon National Historical Site. Photo: Cong Kien

Then the oil lamps of the Youth Volunteer Force were made from cluster bomb shells and grenades to guide each convoy through the dark night. The primitive tools such as hoes, shovels, rakes and stakes were used to fill bomb craters and guide the vehicles through the route. The items associated with daily life such as bowls, plates, flasks and canteens. And there were also documents, files and papers related to the Youth Volunteer Force units on duty and the martyrs who sacrificed their lives at "fire coordinates" Truong Bon…

Each artifact contains its own information and voice, but they all share the same message: the strength of the spirit and will of the Vietnamese people, the bravery and courage of the generation during the war against the US, and keeping the memory forever fresh.

The oil lamps of the Youth Volunteer Force, made from cluster bomb shells and grenades to guide each convoy through the dark, are preserved and displayed, helping viewers feel a part of life during wartime. Photo: Cong Kien

The Legend Tellers

These days, the female tour guides of Truong Bon National Historical Site focus on cleaning portraits of martyrs and worship items, rearranging flower baskets and offerings in front of graves and altars. With small and skillful hands, Pham Thanh Hao (born in 1993) - the female tour guide carefully arranges and arranges things neatly. Hao is a girlLuong land, from Da Son commune (Do Luong), bachelor of Vietnamese studies, has worked here for 6 years.

According to her, it was a chance, a luck to graduate and get a job that matched her major, her childhood dream. She was able to return to serve her homeland, where Truong Bon relic has become a legend, a spiritual destination for people from all over the country.

Truong Bon – a spiritual destination for people from all over the country. Photo: Sach Nguyen

Pham Thanh Hao and his colleagues had the task of explaining and introducing to the delegations about offering flowers, incense and visiting the relics about the fighting spirit and victory over the American invaders of the forces on duty in Truong Bon. Especially the brave fighting spirit andsacrificeThe heroism of 13 Youth Volunteers of Company 317 who fell in the early morning of October 31, 1968 wrote a tragic page in history on the homeland.

According to her, in order for tourists to have a strong impression when coming to Truong Bon, the tour guides tried to recreate the scene and convey emotions in the most realistic and touching way.

The staff of Truong Bon National Historical Site introduces the heroic sacrifices of heroes and martyrs. Photo: Cong Kien

“To do so, when performing our duties, we try to transform into female Youth Volunteers fighting against the Americans, using our voices, movements, and gestures to express the fierceness of the war and the determination to fill bomb craters to keep the vital route open, because ahead is the beloved South. How can we make tourists feel the scene of bombs falling and bullets exploding, the hardships, dangers, love for comrades, and above all, the spirit of sacrificing for the Fatherland?”

Ms. Pham Thanh Hao

Depending on the age, occupation and region of each group of visitors, Pham Thanh Hao and his colleagues have different expressions during the introduction. That is what makes the attraction and appeal through each gesture and movement and really leaves an impression, many visitors have returned to Truong Bon more than once.

At the same time, the exchange and interaction of tourists has helped the female tour guides gain more emotions and additional sources of information, so that the content becomes increasingly richer and more complete. Especially the groups of former Youth Volunteers, every time Ms. Hao finished her presentation, the ladies and gentlemen often ran to hug her and cried, saying that listening to her story and seeing her gestures made them feel like they were meeting their comrades from years ago. Then they told more situations, details and old memories, helping Ms. Hao accumulate more sources of information.

Ms. Nguyen Ha Thu introduces Truong Bon relic to a group of tourists from the South. Photo: Cong Kien

Two years younger than Pham Thanh Hao, Nguyen Ha Thu has a bachelor's degree in History Pedagogy, from Hung Trung commune (Hung Nguyen). This girl refused the opportunity to become a teacher in Vinh city to go to Truong Bon to work as an employee.explanationFor Thu, this is both a chance and a passion. Historical knowledge helps create a foundation, and pedagogical skills help form the skills of explaining to tourists.

After 3 years of working, Ha Thu has been steady in her work, loved by many tourists for her expressive, friendly and emotional voice. Thu confided: “I never regret choosing to go to Truong Bon, to the land that has become legendary with its heroic feats and immortal people. And I am also extremely proud to be the one to convey the heroic events in history to tourists near and far.”

The Truong Bon National Historical Site always exudes a sacred and solemn atmosphere. Photo: Cong Kien

Although the time was not long, Ha Thu had many memories of her work, including the memory of a former female Youth Volunteer Force that made her cry every time she remembered it. That day, a former Youth Volunteer Force who had lost a leg was taken by her son to Truong Bon to offer incense. She cried so hard that everyone could not hold back their tears. She said that she had been on duty on Highway 15A and had a piece of bomb blown across one of her legs. She lost a part of her body and suffered pain all her life, but she was still luckier than many of her comrades who had fallen here, because she was able to return home and had a family and children to rely on.

“The Truong Bon National Historical Relic Site has an area of ​​22 hectares and many construction items. We consider the task of managing, protecting and taking care of the relic a great honor. Each person has a job, all aiming for a Truong Bon that is always green in both space and the legendary memory stream.”

Mr. Phan Trong Loc - Director of Truong Bon National Monument Site