The story of hero Phan Đăng Cát in the memories of his relatives.

The older brother in the family's memories.

In Hung Tan 1 village, Hung Nguyen Nam commune (formerly Hung Tan commune, Hung Nguyen district), the house built as a token of gratitude by the Air Defense - Air Force Command has become the Memorial House for Hero and Martyr Phan Dang Cat (1940 - 1964). More than 60 years have passed, but every time they mention their eldest brother, the younger siblings of martyr Phan Dang Cat still cannot hide their emotion.

In the memory of Mr. Phan Thai Duong – the closest younger brother to Mr. Cat – the image of his gentle, fair-skinned older brother remains vivid. The two brothers were close in age, and from a young age, Mr. Duong was carried and cared for by his brother. During those difficult years, the brother always shared the meager cakes, potatoes, and bowls of rice with his younger brother.

The family of Mr. Phan Cúc, father of the heroic martyr Phan Đăng Cát, was like many other farming families in the Hưng Tân countryside, spending their lives working in the fields. Besides farming, the father also worked as a carpenter to support his six children. As the eldest son, Phan Đăng Cát learned to help his parents early on. After school, he would go to the fields to herd cattle, harvest rice, and weed. During those times herding cattle along the fields, the young man would often bring home a few fish to improve the family's meals.

Gentle, hardworking, and educated, after completing his secondary education, Phan Đăng Cát was sent by his local authorities to study nursing and then returned to serve the people. But when the country needed him, in 1961, he volunteered to join the army, becoming a soldier in the 138th Artillery Company, 280th Air Defense Regiment, tasked with protecting the airspace of Vinh town.

Mr. Phan Thai Duong shared: “In the letters he sent home, Cat always talked about training, his comrades, and his unit. Once, he happily announced that he had been entrusted with the position of Squad Leader by his superiors. Each line in the letter reassured the family and filled them with pride in their son who was guarding the skies of their homeland day and night.”

Although his home was only a dozen kilometers away, it was almost two years after he enlisted that he was granted leave. It was during that return that he and his old schoolmate, Ho Thi Sam, got married.

The wartime wedding was simple, with a few plates of peanut candy and a pot of green tea, but filled with laughter. Just seven days later, the young soldier bid farewell to his family to return to his unit. His new wife silently saw him off to the middle of the field, little knowing that it would be the last time she would see him.

Shortly after, the family received a letter announcing that he would be returning on leave at the beginning of August. The whole family eagerly prepared. The father caught perch and put them in a puddle near the well to save for his son's favorite dish. The mother took out a can of fragrant sticky rice that had been carefully stored away for a long time and dried it again, planning to make a delicious pot of sticky rice. The young wife counted down the days until their reunion.

The bond of friendship will last forever.

But then, that reunion never came. Because, at noon on August 5, 1964, looking from their house towards Vinh town, the whole family heard the sound of bombs raining down incessantly. Smoke and fire billowed up from the anti-aircraft position. Mr. Phan Cuc was speechless: "American planes are bombing Cat's unit..."

By afternoon, the bombing intensified. Anxiety enveloped the house. Dinner remained almost untouched. The mother stayed awake all night. The young wife paced silently back and forth, trying to suppress her worry.

The next morning, the bad news arrived. Phan Dang Cat had been killed. His comrades recounted that he had completed his leave procedures that morning. He only needed to finish his lunch before heading home. But when American planes suddenly attacked, the squad leader decided to stay and fight alongside his comrades.

Twice hit by rocket shrapnel, he still bravely raised the command flag. On the third hit, he fell right in the trench. The soldier's blood mingled with the red of the national flag. His final leave ended forever on the battlefield.

The tragedy nearly devastated the entire family. His younger brother, Phan Thai Duong, immediately volunteered to join the army to avenge his brother, but his request was denied due to family circumstances. He was encouraged to study medicine and later became a doctor, serving as the Director of Hung Nguyen Hospital. His other siblings, Phan Dang Mao, Phan Dang Son, and Phan Dang Thuy, followed in his footsteps, fighting on various battlefields.

For the young wife, Ho Thi Sam, the pain is immeasurable. Just seven days as his wife, two years of longing for their reunion, only to receive the news that her husband had been killed in action on the very day he was preparing to return home on leave.

Later, following the advice of her parents-in-law, Ms. Sam remarried. But throughout her life, she and her new family always considered the family of martyr Phan Dang Cat as their own flesh and blood. They were present at anniversaries, holidays, and in times of joy and sorrow. When she and her second husband passed away one after another, their children continued to cherish that deep bond, still considering themselves descendants of the martyr's family.

There are relationships that are not bound by blood, but are nurtured by affection, sacrifice, and gratitude.

In the month of July, incense still rises from the altar dedicated to the hero and martyr Phan Đăng Cát. Relatives, comrades, and neighbors remember the soldier who fell in the first battle against the American air force in the skies of North Vietnam. He didn't make it back in time for his leave that year. But his sacrifice contributed to the reunion of countless other families in peace today.