91-year-old Dien Bien Phu veteran still writes poetry and repairs electrical appliances

Emulation fighter

These days, when the whole country is joyfully celebrating the 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory, Mr. Nguyen Quang Cu is also excited and proud when officials from district and commune levels come to visit, congratulate, give gifts, and attend meetings with veterans...

Mr. Cu said he was the third child in a family of 6 siblings. After finishing high school in Nghi Loc, he joined the army when the resistance war against the French was entering its fiercest phase. He remembered that year's military recruitment, in the village there were 2 young men participating, but he was the only one who passed. On the day he joined the army, his parents gave him a brown oak suit.

After several months as a rookie in Dien Chau and Yen Thanh, he was transferred to Thanh Hoa and then to the Northwest. His unit was C63, D533, part of the 12.7mm anti-aircraft artillery force protecting the Ta Khoa ferry terminal (Son La).

This ferry terminal connects the two banks of the Da River by ferries and is considered a key point on the route from Yen Bai to Son La and Dien Bien. This is an important route for transporting food and weapons for our army and people to support the Dien Bien Phu campaign. In 1952-1953, the French often used reconnaissance planes and bombs to attack the ferry terminal area to block our army's supply route.

Mr. Cu celebrated his first Tet away from home at Ta Khoa ferry. From this ferry, his unit moved to Tuan Giao to coordinate with anti-aircraft units day and night, staying in the sky, destroying enemy planes. In the unit's combat formation, he was a gunner who loaded ammunition.

The memories he remembers most are the two times he was sent on business trips, bringing cadres to the lowlands and going to Phu Tho to receive civilian laborers to serve the campaign.

Mr. Cu said that the Dien Bien Phu Campaign was completely victorious, his unit was ordered to move to Thanh Hoa, and after 3 days marched back to the North to pursue the enemy.

After the Dien Bien Phu victory, he was assigned to Company 18, Battalion 5, Regiment 250, Division 367. Here, he was sent to study electricity and machinery at Truong Lang, then worked as a teacher to teach cultural remedial courses to officers and soldiers in the unit. "At that time, I was the head of the teaching team, very active and enthusiastic" - Mr. Cu said.

Thanks to his many outstanding achievements at work, he was voted as a regimental Emulation Soldier for three consecutive years and was on the list of honored soldiers to welcome foreign delegations, such as the Soviet Union, India, Poland, etc., visiting Vietnam.

He still keeps many souvenirs associated with his military life such as badges, notebooks, gun straps, certificates of orders, medals, photos, etc. Holding the faded soldier's notebook, inside which are neatly written pages and music sheets, he shared: This notebook is an inseparable souvenir, he has kept it for more than 60 years. Whenever he misses his unit, his military life, he takes it out, flips through each page, and recalls old memories.

Live a good life and practice good religion

After being discharged from the army and returning to his hometown (1959), he worked as the leader of the agricultural production team, a member of the cooperative's mechanical repair workshop, and actively participated in many local public service activities...

To revive the family economy in difficult times, he was a pioneer in the locality to open a rice mill, a flour mill, a rice threshing machine, etc. When the people's demand was saturated, he changed to a new job. As he said: in business, you have to be one step ahead to attract customers and have income.

He admits that he is a studious, multi-talented person, “letting go of the right hand and catching the left hand”. When he was old, he still maintained the profession of repairing motorbikes and bicycles. Now at the age of over 90, he still works as an electrical repairman. In front of his house, there is still a sign that says: “Electrical repairs here”.

In the small house next to the church of My Thinh parish of the old man, besides personal belongings, there are many tools and machines that he uses for his work. Whenever the rice cooker, kettle, etc. are broken, the local people bring them to him for repair. The old man said that he has remade many electrical appliances in the house, such as electric fans, electric bicycles, etc.

I met him at home while he was busy writing and drawing on a wooden table. I asked and found out that he was redesigning the roof of the damaged church. He said: "The church has been in disrepair for a long time but has not been rebuilt yet, so it needs to be repaired temporarily. I want the church to repair and restore the church with the most reasonable plan, costing the least amount of money."

The My Thinh parish where he lives has a spirit of solidarity between Catholics and non-Catholics that has been fostered for many generations. Catholics and non-Catholics live together in the neighborhood and are always in harmony, caring for each other, and happy. Mr. Nguyen Quang Cu - the oldest parishioner in the parish - is the embodiment of that spirit of solidarity. Despite his old age, he is still enthusiastic about taking care of worldly and religious affairs.

He was a member of the Secretary Committee, Head of the Executive Committee, Vice Chairman, Chairman of the Pastoral Council of Thanh Tan parish, member of the Fatherland Front Committee of Hien Son commune, member of the Fatherland Front Committee of Do Luong district, Deputy of the Catholic Solidarity Committee of Do Luong district...

He was awarded many Orders, Medals, Badges, Commemorative Medals, Certificates of Merit, and Certificates of Merit by the State and the army, including Certificates of Merit from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and the People's Committee of Nghe An province... for his contribution to national unity and his outstanding achievements in the patriotic emulation movement, building and defending the Fatherland.

Over the years, he has had many concerns, especially with the ancient banyan tree of My Thinh village, which is over 500 years old. He is the one who has compiled and written the most complete history of this banyan tree with the hope that the banyan tree will be recognized as a heritage tree, a historical relic of his homeland.

He has many talents, such as playing the guitar, playing the flute, playing the erhu, writing poetry, reading poetry..., and was in charge of the parish choir. Mentioning Cu Cu is mentioning a famous "poet" in the area. Currently, he has nearly 400 poems reflecting many aspects of life.

His poems are filled with inspiration for his homeland, country, and deep gratitude for the sacrifices of his comrades... "That backpack is full of vows/Although faded, it is still fragrant/Today, spring, I continue on my journey/Father, I give back the love in it" (That Backpack).

On the occasion of the country's great holiday, he promptly composed poems to read to veterans at meetings commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory and printed a collection of poems commemorating this event, including his good poems such as "That backpack", "The Dien Bien soldier of the past, the veteran of today", "How glorious is the veteran", "You and I"... to give to everyone.

Suffering from bladder cancer and having been to the hospital for chemotherapy many times, at 91 years old, he is still lucid, reads books without glasses, drives a motorbike to Vinh, repairs electrical appliances, types on the computer, uses a printer, surfs the web, writes poetry… making many people surprised and impressed.

Mr. Dang Van Hoang - Chairman of the Veterans Association of Hien Son commune shared: "Although Cu is old, he still works hard and is energetic and enthusiastic with the Association's movement. He is an exemplary member, a shining example for his comrades and everyone to follow."