A reunion of affection

(Baonghean.vn) -Every year, as the whole country joyfully prepares to celebrate the birthday of President Ho Chi Minh, the Liaison Committee of Veterans of Regiment 27 in Nghe An organizes a traditional reunion. This year is different because Regiment 27 (E27) is celebrating its 45th anniversary (1968-2013), so the reunion with E27 comrades nationwide is held in the Regiment's birthplace, with activities of profound humanistic significance.

From May 11, 2013, at the T50 Military Region 4 guesthouse (Vinh City), groups of "liberation army soldiers" from Hanoi, Lang Son, Hai Duong, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Ho Chi Minh City, Khanh Hoa... gathered in their military uniforms, preparing for the reunion. Embraces, firm handshakes, and even tears of emotion were shed. A murmur of questions arose: "Where are Thu and Quynh? Where are Binh, Bang, and Tu...? Last year we met and still have so much left unsaid, I'm so looking forward to seeing you again..."

Also attending the meeting were Lieutenant General Hoang Ky - former Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army, representatives of the leadership of E27 from various periods, representatives of the National Assembly, the Provincial People's Mobilization Committee, and over 400 veterans and family members of martyrs from E27 nationwide.

The joyful reunion suddenly subsided, replaced by a somber silence. Mr. Nguyen Canh Tam, Head of the Veterans' Liaison Committee in Nghe An, choked back tears: “Thu, Quynh, Binh, Bang, and Tu are gone… comrades. But amidst the loss, there is still solace. Before their passing, they said they were content because, after decades of leaving the military, their comrades had connected with them and organized pilgrimages to Quang Tri to light incense, visit the graves of their fallen comrades in the cemetery, and revisit the historical sites and battlefields where the soldiers of war once trod.”

A voice echoed: "From now on, every reunion will inevitably be missing some of our comrades' faces due to their advanced age, increasing illnesses, and the scars left on their bodies from fierce battles... I'm saying this to confirm the pattern, but let's not let it make our comrades even sadder, my friends."

The delegation of veterans from Regiment 27 reported their achievements to President Ho Chi Minh at Ho Chi Minh Square.

At exactly 4 PM, the delegations gathered at Vinh City Cemetery to perform a ceremony requesting permission from the spirits of the fallen soldiers to place two urns containing soil and water, which had been obtained from historical battlefield locations, in a prominent place within the cemetery. The idea was to allow the families and comrades of the fallen soldiers to feel closer to the spirits of those who perished on the battlefield when they came to offer incense…

Earlier, on their journey from Ho Chi Minh City to Nghe An, the delegation of veterans from the South Central and Central Highlands regions, led by veteran Le Ba Duong, visited the Independence Palace to request sacred soil behind the Palace – the site of the final battle before April 30, 1975, marking the end of the war for the complete liberation of the South and the cessation of the bloodshed of the liberation army soldiers. During their journey, the delegation went to Quang Tri to invite the spirits of the martyrs to attend a reunion in Nghe An, and to the Quang Tri Citadel and Gio An commune (Vinh Linh district, Quang Tri province) – a fierce battlefield that witnessed the heroic and courageous achievements of the 27th Regiment. There, the veterans requested sacred soil and water from the Citadel and the Dia well (Gio An) to fill 24 Bat Trang ceramic vases (the vases were designed and donated by veterans of the 27th Regiment who are Bat Trang artisans from Hanoi). Twenty-four earthenware and water jars will be brought back by 12 delegations from 12 provinces and cities and placed solemnly at the Martyrs' Cemetery in their hometown. In addition, there are two precious color-changing wooden jars, a gift from the Veterans' Association of South Central and Central Highlands regions, specifically for Vo Van Thiem – a veteran of E27 in Ly Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province – to be used for worshipping his comrades at home.

The request for land and water at battlefield sites is in accordance with the wishes of the families of fallen soldiers and their comrades. For various reasons, it is difficult for them to travel to Quang Tri to pay respects to their loved ones and comrades who perished on the old battlefields, so the E27 Veterans' Liaison Committee has undertaken this humane gesture.

Releasing flowers to commemorate fallen comrades on the Thach Han River.

On May 12th, a heartfelt reunion at the T50 Guest House of the 4th Military Region (Vinh City), organized by the Veterans' Association of E27 in Nghe An, took place in a warm and moving atmosphere. In a place of honor reserved for delegates, we saw Heroic Vietnamese Mother Le Thi Xan (from Vinh City), 96 years old but still very sharp-minded. She has three sons who sacrificed their lives in the resistance war against the US, including martyr Dang Tho Trung from Company 20, Medical Corps, E27, who died in 1968 while treating wounded soldiers. Mother Xan emotionally shared: “Today is a special day for me, to meet my sons' comrades from many different places, especially the kind gesture of bringing soil and water from the battlefield to be placed in the Vinh City cemetery. My health is no longer strong enough to visit my sons in the battlefield, but from now on, on the 15th and 1st of each lunar month, I can light incense for my sons and their comrades right here in the city.”

Mr. Long Nam, Head of the E27 Liaison Committee in Lang Son province, said: “Lang Son has 98 members, and every year they take turns making pilgrimages to visit their comrades and the old battlefields. Today's meeting in Nghe An made the whole group (15 people) very emotional. The earth and water from the old battlefield will be placed in the city's Martyrs' Cemetery, and I'm sure the families of the martyrs and their comrades will support this initiative of the Organizing Committee.”

Due to health reasons, Mrs. Phan Thi Xuan, mother of martyr Nguyen Van Thuan from Tang Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, sent her two sons to attend the meeting with a message of gratitude for the work of the E27 Veterans' Liaison Committee in Nghe An, who regularly visited, shared, and encouraged her, and recently even gifted her a savings account. She is proud that her son's sacrifice was useful in the national liberation war.

Tran Tu Long, the nephew of martyr Tran Tu Mach, also managed to return from China to attend the meeting (Long is defending his doctoral thesis in China). With tears in his eyes, he said he was very proud to have participated with E27 in many programs such as the pilgrimage "Warming the Forest for Comrades"; "Bringing the land and water of the homeland to our comrades"... The actions of the E27 veterans have eased the loss and grief of the families of the martyrs.

Mr. Nguyen Canh Tam said: “Out of the heartfelt gratitude of our comrades, the veterans of Regiment E27 have repeatedly organized visits to the old battlefields, paying tribute to the heroic martyrs and their families through practical actions… Today's gathering of Regiment E27 commemorates the regiment's traditional day, which originated from Nam Anh commune, Nam Dan district, and was formerly the Nghe Tinh Soviet Regiment. It's a time to reminisce about the battles fought, and also to remind our comrades not to forget the sacrifices of those who fell for the freedom and independence we enjoy today.”

Request for land in the western Quang Tri battlefield.

Requesting water from the Dia Co well - Gio An (Quang Tri).

Sharing his feelings, Lieutenant General Hoang Ky praised the achievements of Regiment E27, worthy of the title of Heroic Soviet Regiment in the fight against the invading forces; at the same time, he encouraged the spirit of solidarity of the veterans in peacetime who have for many years organized pilgrimages to the Quang Tri battlefield with meaningful activities, alleviating the pain of the families of fallen soldiers, leaving a positive impression in the hearts of the people of each locality, the image of the heroic and courageous soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army in combat, and the deep affection in peacetime.

Text and photos: Dam Phuong