The story of the pioneer.

(Baonghean) - He dedicated his entire life to the country. While in the military, he and his comrades created the legendary oil pipeline across the Truong Son Mountains. Upon returning to his hometown, he was a pioneer, using his own funds to build concrete roads and bring electricity to his villages. I dare to call him "the road-builder - Pham Duc Ly".

Veteran Pham Duc Ly (second from the right) introduces a book about the unit's traditions to other veterans.

Memories of Truong Son

“It’s been a long time since we talked about the battlefield, and now that you’ve brought it up, I feel so nostalgic and emotional!” – Veteran Pham Duc Ly began his heroic and tragic story with genuine emotion. He looked out at the simple courtyard with its lush, fruit-laden trees, his eyes distant as he recalled the fiery battlefields of yesteryear that were intertwined with his glorious youth. Born on September 2, 1950, in Thanh Long commune, Thanh Chuong district, into the renowned Pham Duc family, he volunteered to join the army in 1968, answering the sacred call of the Fatherland. He was assigned to Battalion 668, the first pipeline battalion established on August 17, 1968.

During the pipeline construction period, the fighting was extremely arduous and fierce. During those days, he was wounded many times, most seriously in Laos in 1972. Veteran Pham Duc Ly's memories of the battlefield are not only filled with hardship, sacrifice, and loss, but also with happy moments that still shine in the old soldier's eyes when he recalls them. One such memory is his love for a girl from Thuy Nguyen (Hai Phong), a fellow soldier in his unit, which led to their marriage. Another source of pride for him is that, thanks to his outstanding achievements, he was honored to join the Party on October 18, 1970, right on the fierce battlefield. His unit, Battalion 668, was also awarded the title of "Heroic Unit of the People's Armed Forces" in 1973.

After the country achieved peace, Mr. Duc continued his studies as a petroleum officer, serving in international missions to assist Laos until 1988. Following that, he served as Deputy Regiment Commander and Head of Logistics of Regiment 662, Petroleum Department, General Department of Logistics, and then as Deputy Regiment Commander for Technical Logistics, Regiment 654, Logistics Department, Military Region IV. He retired in 2004 after nearly 40 years in the military, receiving numerous medals and awards from the Party, the State, and Laos.

Responsibility to the community

That's what Mr. Le Van Tung, a neighbor of the family of veteran Pham Duc Ly, shared when he took me to visit the 300-meter-long, spacious concrete road connecting the beginning and end of the village, lined with sturdy concrete power poles and neatly arranged, safe insulated wires. “Before, this road through Hamlet 5 was only a little over 1 meter wide, dilapidated, and extremely difficult to travel on. Especially during the rainy season, it was covered in mud. And the electricity supply was weak and unreliable. But since Mr. Ly funded the concrete road, bought the power poles, and extended the wires all the way into the hamlet, all those inconveniences have been overcome. We are truly grateful to Mr. Ly,” Mr. Tung happily shared.

After retiring, he worked in the economy in Vinh City and Hanoi for a while before returning to his home in Thanh Long commune, Thanh Chuong district in 2013. His hometown remains a poor commune, with a poverty rate of over 14.3%. Understanding the difficulties of his hometown, veteran Pham Duc Ly voluntarily spent nearly 70 million VND to build a concrete road for the hamlet, and an additional 6 million VND to buy 3 concrete power poles to replace the bamboo and wooden poles, and to lay power lines, helping nearly 20 households living along the road escape the problem of unreliable electricity. “I just believe that I am a son of my homeland. I went through life and death on one battlefield after another, but I was luckier than many of my comrades to survive and return home. Now that I'm retired, building a road and laying power lines isn't just for the hamlet to benefit; my whole family benefits too,” Mr. Ly humbly stated.

Nhat Le