Let your smile shine forever behind the door

Early morning of October 18, 2020serious landslidehappened in Huong Phung commune, Huong Hoa district, Quang Tri province, where Economic - Defense Group 337, Military Region 4 is stationed.

22 officers and soldiers were buried by rocks and soil. Among the 22 dead, there were 4 officers, 10 professional soldiers and 8 soldiers, of which 8 officers and soldiers were from Nghe An.

Previously, on October 13,landslide at Ranger Station 67in Phong Xuan commune, Phong Dien district, Thua Thien - Hue province also caused 13 officers, cadres and soldiers to sacrifice, including Major General Nguyen Van Man - Deputy Commander of Military Region 4. And here, 4 officers and soldiers from Nghe An also sacrificed.

After 2 incidents, Nghe An province had 12 officers and soldiers sacrificed. In peacetime, their blood merged with Mother Earth so that the Central region would forever be a strong border between the two ends of the country.

Funeral procession, bringing martyrs of Economic - Defense Group 337 back to their hometown for burial. Photo: Trong Kien

A MOTHER'S HEART

We arrived at Tran Thi Duyen's family home 9 days after Sergeant Nguyen Anh Duy died. On an autumn morning, after the storm of mid-October, the sky cleared and the sun was warmer in the small house located in the middle of Nam Ke Gai hamlet, Hung Tay commune, Hung Nguyen district.

Since Anh Duy passed away, every day, Ms. Duyen's family has continuously welcomed groups of visitors from all over to burn incense and commemorate the soldier - martyr who was just twenty years old.

Nguyen Anh Duy gives flowers to his mother on her birthday; Anh Duy with his mother (middle) and relatives before joining the army. Photo: GĐCC

On the portrait, behind the incense smoke,young man Nguyen Anh Duystill kept a youthful smile, eyes still shining with the usual belief of a soldier. But Anh Duy's mother was still floating as if walking on a tightrope, until now she still could not believe that her son had gone forever: "On Friday, 2 days before the landslide happened, he called to ask: - Mom, is it okay if it rains at home? Then he reassured: - My unit on the hill is fine, don't worry, don't worry. But...".

The mother put her hand on her chest to try to calm the sobbing that was about to rise: “Anh Duy lost his father in 2016. After my husband passed away, my son said: - From now on, Anh Duy will not let Mom suffer. Anh Duy will take care of Mom for the rest of her life. And since then, he has never asked Mom for a penny. Before joining the army, he made a birthday party for Mom. On March 8, he quietly bought a rose, gave it to Mom, and even hugged and kissed her. Also since Dad passed away, every holiday, he bought flowers for Mom. In that pure, sensitive soul, he understood the terrible loss I experienced and he wanted to do everything to replace Dad to make it up to Mom...

Do you remember in 2019 when her son was called for military service examination, Ms. Tran Thi Duyen suggested to Anh Duy: "Mom is often sick, why don't you ask your brothers and uncles to exempt you? Duy replied: "If everyone asks like that, who will join the army anymore, Mom? Don't worry, 2 years of military service is just like a sleep. Suddenly Anh Duy will come back to you." My husband passed away, I still kept his clothes, when I miss him too much, I bury my face in the old shirt to find warmth. Now that my son has sacrificed, I have kept all his clothes. Every night, I hug the green army shirts to my chest, pillow them on my head to ease my longing, so that my son's smile will shine forever behind the door"...

“Of the three children, he is the youngest and very emotional. When he was at home, he never let his mother wash the dishes. He also helped his mother with the pigs and chickens. Last June, he was given leave from his unit. When he returned home, he called someone to come thresh the rice and paid for it himself. Before returning to the unit, he gave me 1 million VND and said: “I only need the transportation fee to the unit. I don’t drink alcohol or smoke, the money is just “da” (da) leaves”...

Ms. Duyen still keeps her son's military uniform to ease her longing. Photo: Dao Tuan

A WORD CANNOT SAY IT ALL

Among the 22 martyrs of the 337th Economic-Defense Group, Sergeant Nguyen Anh Duy was one of the three youngest. He was born on January 4, 2000. And more specifically, Anh Duy was a Catholic.

Since Ms. Duyen’s family received the bad news, everything has been dependent on the care and arrangements of relatives. They are the brother-in-law, paternal uncle of martyr Nguyen Anh Duy, Mr. Nguyen Van Thao and Ms. Duyen’s younger sister.Mr. Thao said that the pain, although no one expected it, suddenly came. The biggest consolation for the family is that Anh Duy sacrificed for his homeland, for his country, for the mission of saving the flood victims in the Central region.

“The sacrifice of the child compared to many others is just a small grain of sand, but what makes our family extremely proud and grateful is the care of the Party, the State, the Army, the agencies, departments, branches, organizations, and the People for the child” - Mr. Nguyen Van Thao expressed. He also said that since receiving the news of martyr Nguyen Anh Duy's sacrifice, the family hasreceive attentionwith great care and dedication from the Ministry of National Defense, Military Region 4 Command, Military Commands of Nghe An and Quang Tri provinces,...

The funeral of 22 martyrs was held solemnly and sacredly with the presence of condolences and encouragement from Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh. The delegation of Nghe An province, including Mr. Hoang Nghia Hieu - Member of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, came to offer flowers, pay tribute and welcome the martyrs of their homeland back to their motherland.

“A word cannot express the gratitude of the family. Like Hung Nguyen district and Hung Tay commune, when the family was still in Quang Tri waiting for the martyr, at home, the District and Commune Military Commands came to the house to arrange and organize everything to take care of the funeral for their nephew. They also rehearsed the rituals to make the funeral as solemn and sacred as possible” - Mr. Nguyen Van Thao confided and said that when the body of martyr Nguyen Anh Duy was brought back, the family received the sharing and encouragement of the leaders of the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council, People's Committee, Fatherland Front Committee and political and social organizations of Nghe An province. It was also the sharing of departments, branches and sectors across the province; of Party committees, authorities and people of many localities. In particular, there were delegations from far away such as: Ky Son, Tuong Duong, Tan Ky... also came here very early to see off the martyr.

Since hearing the news of martyr Nguyen Anh Duy's sacrifice, many organizations and individuals have come to encourage and share with his family. Photo: Dao Tuan

“Our family is Catholic, and as soon as Nguyen Anh Duy died, the community everywhere prayed for and guided him spiritually. Priests, fathers and groups from Hue Major Seminary, Vinh Thanh Major Seminary, Vinh Diocese, parishes, parishioners, relatives, people near and far… came to him and his family out of love and admiration,” said Mr. Nguyen Van Thao.

Mr. Phan Van Anh - Standing Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Hung Tay commune said that because of that gratitude, when the commune leaders came to visit martyr Nguyen Anh Duy with 10 million VND, the amount of money donated by commune officials and civil servants, Ms. Duyen refused to accept it and gave it to families in more difficult circumstances than hers. And what I witnessed was that when the Provincial Red Cross and a business came to visit the martyr and gave the money to the family, Ms. Duyen said that the family wanted to give the money to someone else as a token of gratitude...

When organizations came to support the family, Ms. Tran Thi Duyen repeatedly offered to give up her family to other more difficult cases as a form of gratitude. Photo: Dao Tuan

List of 8 soldiers from Nghe An who died in the landslide at Economic-Defense Group 337:

1. Lieutenant ColonelPhung Thanh Tung(born in 1979)
- Hometown: Nghi Huong Ward, Cua Lo Town.
2. Lieutenant Colonel QNCNBui Dinh Toan, born on October 20, 1970
- Hometown: Quynh Thien Commune, Hoang Mai Town.
3. Major of the National Defense ForcesNguyen Canh Trung, born on December 9, 1978
- Hometown: Thuong Son Commune, Do Luong District.
4. Lieutenant Colonel QNCNTran Van Toan, born on May 2, 1983
- Hometown: Xuan Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District.
5. Senior Lieutenant QNCNNguyen Van Thu,born on February 2, 1984
- Hometown: Tang Thanh Commune, Yen Thanh District.
6. Lieutenant Colonel QNCNLe Cao Cuong, born on May 10, 1983
- Hometown: Hung Dao Commune, Hung Nguyen District.
7. SergeantNguyen Anh Duy, born on January 4, 2000
- Hometown: Hung Tay Commune, Hung Nguyen District.
8. SergeantNguyen Quang Son, born on April 25, 2001
- Hometown: Thai Son Commune, Do Luong District.