Little-known story about a veteran from Nghe An who rode his motorbike over 1,000km to watch the April 30th parade.
In recent days, the story of veteran Tran Van Thanh (75 years old, residing in Vinh City) who rode his motorbike for over 1,000km on a nearly 1,400km journey to Ho Chi Minh City to watch the parade on the Day of Liberation of the South and National Reunification has attracted much attention and admiration. Few people know that behind that journey lie many touching everyday stories…
"I only found out my dad rides a motorbike when I saw him online."
enterHo Chi Minh City
On the morning of April 23rd, at alley 126, Phan Chu Trinh Street (Vinh City), the house of veteran Tran Van Thanh (born in 1950) was bustling with people coming and going. Neighbors were chatting animatedly about Mr. Thanh driving his motorbike to Ho Chi Minh City to watch the parade. “Around 9 am on April 17th, I was sweeping the yard when I saw Mr. Thanh packing his things and putting a flag on his motorbike, so I ran out and asked: 'Mr. Thanh, where are you going?' He replied: 'I'm going to watch the parade in Ho Chi Minh City.' At that time, I thought he was going with the Veterans Association, but I didn't expect him to be going by motorbike alone,” a neighbor living next to Mr. Thanh's house shared.
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Continuing the story, Ms. Tran Thi Ngoc Bich, head of Neighborhood Group 7 where Mr. Thanh lives, said that Mr. Thanh is an exemplary veteran and has held many important roles in the locality such as: Deputy Head of Block 2 (Doi Cung Ward before the merger), Deputy Head of the Veterans Association of the block, Head of the Elderly Association, and Head of the neighborhood group for many years. Only in 2022, when his wife's health deteriorated, did he temporarily retire to spend time caring for her. He is gentle and quiet, so when we heard about his bold decision to drive himself thousands of kilometers, we were extremely surprised.
Not only were the neighbors surprised, but even family members like us were astonished. When we learned that Dad wanted to go to Ho Chi Minh City, we all thought he was going by bus. It wasn't until we checked our phones and saw pictures of Dad all over the internet that the family realized the truth.
Concerned about my father's health, my family and I advised him to leave his motorbike by the roadside and continue his journey by bus. However, he confided that he had met many helpful people along the way. His heartfelt wish was to see the country again after peace was restored, to revisit the old battlefields and the places where his comrades had fallen. Hearing this, we didn't try to dissuade him anymore, only encouraging him to be careful and take care of his health.
Ms. Tran Thi Thuy Huyen (born in 1981), daughter of former soldier Tran Van Thanh.
This morning (April 23), when contacted directly, Mr. Thanh said he had arrived in Nha Trang city, and he expects to complete the remaining nearly 400km in the next 3 days.
A journey named after the Fatherland
On his motorbike, with the national flag fluttering in the wind, the 75-year-old veteran's greatest asset is not the supplies and equipment needed for his long journey. Rather, it is his love for his country, his national pride, and the strength of his gratitude and appreciation for his comrades who perished on the battlefield for the independence and freedom of the nation.
More than anyone else, Mr. Thanh understands the value of peace, as he himself is a veteran who fought on the B5 front (Highway 9 - Northern Quang Tri) during the resistance war against the US.
This morning, while speaking with reporters, Mr. Thanh said that he undertook this trip not only to witness the parade commemorating the liberation of Southern Vietnam but also to light incense at the Quang Tri battlefield, paying tribute to his comrades who never returned. This cross-Vietnam journey is also a great aspiration for him to see his country more clearly after half a century of peace.
Reportedly, he travels around 150km each day. The long journey, coupled with his advanced age, inevitably leads to fatigue for Mr. Thanh. Routes like the Ngang Pass (Ha Tinh - Quang Binh) and the Hai Van Pass (Hue - Da Nang) are particularly challenging. He once fell off his motorbike and suffered minor scrapes in Phu Yen, but thanks to the timely help of locals, he was able to continue his journey. He shared that he plans to begin completing the remaining nearly 400km this afternoon.
Concluding the conversation with veteran Tran Van Thanh, Mr. Pham Quoc Huong - Head of Block 2, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Block 2, Quang Trung Ward, shared that just a few days ago, when the Veterans Association of Block 2 summarized its activities for the first quarter of 2025, everyone knew about Mr. Thanh's wish. However, we didn't think our comrade could travel such a long distance by motorbike on his own. Following Mr. Thanh's journey, we were deeply moved and proud that he has maintained the spirit and will of a soldier of Uncle Ho even in his old age.
