'Bringing the homeland to comrades' - a meaningful journey

Nam Anh Commune, Nam Dan District, where Regiment 27 was established (February 8, 1968) was honored to be the first destination of this pilgrimage. Participating in the 7th pilgrimage "Bringing the homeland to comrades" were over 400 relatives of martyrs and war veterans of Regiment 27 - Trieu Hai from many different provinces and cities across the country.

The pilgrimage "Bringing the homeland to comrades" was held in Nam Anh commune (Nam Dan). Photo: Ngoc Long

The pilgrimage "Bringing the homeland to comrades" was initiated by veteran and poet Le Ba Duong in 2009 with the wish "if we cannot bring our fallen comrades back to their homeland, then bring the homeland to our comrades".

The 7th pilgrimage was held for 6 days, from July 22 to 27, in many localities of Nghe An and Quang Tri provinces with many touching programs: "Welcoming soldiers back to their villages", "Warm the forest for comrades", "Singing for my comrades", "Bringing the homeland into the heart of Thach Han"; "Releasing flowers to commemorate heroic martyrs"...

In addition to the traditional gratitude ceremonies, the 7th pilgrimage also has the program of "giving incense, sending fire" with the thought of sending gratitude to the homeland and comrades for the future.

In Nam Anh commune, the group of war veterans carried out the programs: "Welcoming soldiers back to the village", "Military-civilian meal", lighting candles and offering incense at the martyrs' memorial of the commune, offering flowers at the stele of Regiment 27, performing arts with performances imbued with the love between the army and the people, receiving Lam River water and Chung mountain land of Uncle Ho's homeland, awarding the scholarship fund "The past nourishes the future" to the children of Nam Anh commune...

The stele marking the place where Regiment 27 was established in Nam Anh commune (Nam Dan). Photo: Huy Thu

It is known that after being established in Nam Anh commune in 1968, Regiment 27 - Trieu Hai marched to the South to fight and became the main regiment of Front B5, Route 9, North Quang Tri. During the resistance war against the US, the regiment participated in many major campaigns, such as Mau Than 1968, Route 9 Southern Laos, Quang Tri liberation campaign 1972, Ho Chi Minh campaign 1975, achieving many outstanding feats.

War veteran, poet Le Ba Duong, the initiator of the pilgrimage shared: During the fierce battle, every time we wiped away our tears to bury our comrades' remains in the corner of the forest, or collected each piece of our comrades' remains and brought them to the battlefield... we soldiers still swore to ourselves: After the day the South was liberated, the country was at peace, we would return to find and bring our comrades back to their families and homeland...

War veterans of Regiment 27 offer incense at the martyrs' memorial in Nam Anh commune (Nam Dan). Photo: Ngoc Long

That was an oath to comrades, completely unwritten, uttered but more sacred when it was carved into the hearts of soldiers, so that, even though the war had passed, that oath remained with each soldier throughout his life. But even though they tried their best to search every stream and corner of the forest, they still could not and could not bring all the remains of their comrades back home... the soldiers of Regiment 27 - Trieu Hai connected themselves, joined hands and joined hands to organize the pilgrimage "Bringing the homeland to comrades".

Since 2009, there have been 7 pilgrimages "Bringing the homeland to comrades", with an average of 500 war veterans and martyrs' relatives participating in each pilgrimage. The organization's expenses are all voluntarily contributed by war veterans and martyrs' relatives. The pilgrimages have received consensus and active support from local authorities and people. The purpose of the pilgrimages is to bring war veterans and martyrs' relatives "back to their roots", visit the places where their units were established and fought; offer incense to martyrs in cemeteries; connect and search for information and remains of lost martyrs; establish a scholarship fund "The past nourishes the future" to help poor and studious students...

Warm comradeship on the reunion day of the veterans of Regiment 27. Photo: Ngoc Long

The pilgrimage "Bringing the homeland to comrades" of the 27th Regiment - Trieu Hai War Veterans is not only a return to the old battlefield of the War Veterans during the anti-American war, to pay tribute to the heroic martyrs who fell for the cause of liberating the South and unifying the country, the people, the countryside that embraced and nurtured the Regiment's officers and soldiers, but also has the meaning of awakening and reminding the younger generation of their love for the Fatherland, of the traditional values ​​built with the blood and bones of their fathers and brothers.