A meaningful reunion
Every year, when the whole country is jubilantly preparing to celebrate President Ho Chi Minh's birthday, it is also the time when the Liaison Committee of War Veterans of Regiment 27 in Nghe An organizes a traditional meeting and exchange. The difference this year is that Regiment 27 (E27) has just turned 45 years old (1968-2013), so the scale of the meeting with E27 comrades nationwide is organized in the homeland, where the Regiment was born, with meaningful and deeply humane activities.
(Baonghean.vn) -Every year, when the whole country is jubilantly preparing to celebrate President Ho Chi Minh's birthday, it is also the time when the Liaison Committee of War Veterans of Regiment 27 in Nghe An organizes a traditional meeting and exchange. The difference this year is that Regiment 27 (E27) has just turned 45 years old (1968-2013), so the scale of the meeting with E27 comrades nationwide is organized in the homeland, where the Regiment was born, with meaningful and deeply humane activities.
From May 11, 2013, at the T50 guest house of Military Region 4 (Vinh City), groups of “liberation soldiers” from Hanoi, Lang Son, Hai Duong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa... in military uniforms gathered to prepare for the meeting day. Hugs, tight handshakes and even emotional tears were shed. The murmur of inquiries: “Where are Thu, Quynh? Where are Binh, Bang, Tu…? Last year when we met, there were still many things left unsaid, now I really miss them…”.
Also attending the meeting were Lieutenant General Hoang Ky - Former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, representatives of E27 leaders through the periods, representatives of National Assembly leaders, Provincial Mass Mobilization Committee and over 400 war veterans, relatives of martyrs' families of E27 across the country.
While rejoicing at the reunion, the laughter suddenly subsided. Mr. Nguyen Canh Tam - Head of the Veterans Liaison Committee in Nghe An choked up: "Thu, Quynh, Binh, Bang, Tu have passed away... comrades. But, in the loss there is still consolation, those comrades before the moment of leaving this world said they were satisfied because after decades of leaving the army, they were connected and organized by their comrades to have pilgrimages to Quang Tri to burn incense, visit their comrades gathered in the cemetery and revisit the places and battlefields where the footsteps of soldiers from the war had passed through".
Someone's voice echoed: "Every meeting from now on will certainly lack comrades' faces because of old age, increasing illnesses, and the traces of fierce battles still left on their bodies..., saying this to confirm the rule, don't let that make your comrades sadder, comrades"...
Delegation of War Veterans of Regiment 27 reported to Uncle Ho at Ho Chi Minh Square
At exactly 4:00 p.m., the delegations gathered at Vinh City Cemetery to hold a ceremony to ask the souls of the martyrs to place two jars of earth and water that had been requested at the sites of the old battlefields in a solemn place in the Cemetery. With the idea that the relatives of the martyrs' families and comrades who came to burn incense would feel closer to the souls of the soldiers who had remained on the battlefield...
Previously, on the journey from Ho Chi Minh City to Nghe An, the delegation of war veterans from the South Central and Central Highlands led by war veteran Le Ba Duong went to the Independence Palace to ask for sacred land behind the Palace - the place marking the last battle before April 30, 1975, ending the war to completely liberate the South, ending the shedding of blood of liberation soldiers. During the journey, the delegation went to Quang Tri to invite the souls of martyrs to attend a meeting in Nghe An, to Quang Tri Citadel, Gio An commune (Vinh Linh district - Quang Tri) - a fierce battlefield that marked the heroic and courageous achievements of the E27 battles. Here, the war veterans asked for sacred land and water from the Citadel and Dia well (Gio An) into 24 Bat Trang ceramic jars (ceramic jars designed and offered by E27 war veterans who are Bat Trang artisans (Hanoi). 24 earthenware and water jars will be brought back by 12 delegations from 12 provinces and cities to be placed solemnly at the martyrs' cemetery in their homeland. In addition, there are 2 precious color-changing wooden jars that were given by the South Central and Central Highlands Veterans' Delegation to Vo Van Thiem - a veteran of E27 in Ly Thanh commune - Yen Thanh - Nghe An to worship his comrades at home.
The request for land and water at the battlefield sites is in response to the wishes of the families of martyrs and comrades. For various reasons, it is difficult to return to Quang Tri to burn incense and visit relatives and comrades who have remained on the old battlefield, so the E27 Veterans Liaison Committee has made this humane gesture.
Releasing flowers in memory of comrades on the Thach Han River
On May 12, the affectionate meeting at the T50 Guest House Hall of Military Region 4 (Vinh City) organized by the E27 Veterans Liaison Committee in Nghe An took place in a warm and touching atmosphere. In the solemn position reserved for the delegates, we saw the heroic Vietnamese mother Le Thi Xan (in Vinh City), who is 96 years old but still very clear-minded. She had 3 sons who sacrificed their lives in the resistance war against the US, including martyr Dang Tho Trung of the 20th Medical Company of E27 who sacrificed his life in 1968 while treating wounded soldiers. The mother emotionally shared: “Today is a special day for me, meeting my son’s comrades from many hometowns, especially the act of inviting the land and water of the battlefield to be placed at Vinh City Cemetery. I am no longer strong enough to go to the battlefield to visit my son, but from now on, every full moon and first day of the lunar month, I can light a stick of incense for my son and his comrades right in the city.”
Mr. Long Nam - Head of E27 Liaison Committee in Lang Son province said: "Lang Son has 98 members, every year they take turns making a pilgrimage to visit their comrades and the old battlefield, today's meeting in Nghe An made the whole group (15 people) very emotional. The earthen jar and water from the old battlefield will be placed at the city's martyrs' cemetery, certainly the martyrs' families and comrades will support this work of the Organizing Committee".
Due to health reasons, mother Phan Thi Xuan - mother of martyr Nguyen Van Thuan in Tang Thanh commune - Yen Thanh sent her two sons to attend the meeting with a message of thanks for the work of the E27 Veterans Liaison Committee in Nghe An, who regularly visited, shared encouragement and recently gave her a savings book. The mother was proud because her sons' blood and blood sacrifices were useful in the war for national liberation.
Tran Tu Long - nephew of martyr Tran Tu Mach also returned from China in time to attend the meeting (Long is defending his PhD thesis in China). With tears in his eyes, he said he was very proud to join E27 in participating in many programs such as the pilgrimage "Warm Forest Comrades"; "Bringing the land and water of the homeland to comrades"... The actions of the E27 veterans have eased the loss and pain of the martyrs' families.
Mr. Nguyen Canh Tam said: “Originating from the hearts of comrades, CCB E27 has organized many visits to the old battlefield, expressing gratitude to heroic martyrs and their relatives with practical actions... Today's meeting of E27 is on the occasion of the traditional anniversary of the Regiment, established and departed from Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan, the predecessor of the Nghe Tinh Soviet Regiment, to review a time of war, and at the same time remind comrades not to forget the gratitude to those who fell for freedom and independence today.”
Request for land on the Western Quang Tri battlefield
Asking for water at the Ancient Pond well - Gio An (Quang Tri)
Sharing his feelings, Lieutenant General Hoang Ky praised the achievements of the E27 Regiment, worthy of the title of Heroic Soviet Regiment in the fight against the invaders; At the same time, he encouraged the spirit of solidarity of the war veterans in peacetime who have organized pilgrimages to the Quang Tri battlefield for many years with meaningful activities, easing the pain of the families of martyrs, leaving good feelings in the hearts of the people of each locality about the image of heroic and brave soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army in combat, with deep affection in peacetime.
Article and photos: Dam Phuong
