Memories of martyrs who died at Rao Trang Hydropower Plant

The spacious house in the alley is now missing his presence but is warm and affectionate because of the neighbors and comrades who come to support her and her children every day. As usual, every morning, the house deep in the alley is filled with the chirping voices of little O Mai and her younger sister Xi Muoi when their mother wakes them up to get ready for school. O Mai and Xi Muoi are the nicknames at home of little Bui Do Quynh Chi, in grade 6, and little Bui Do Diep Chi, in grade 3, the two daughters of Mr. Cong and Ms. Huong.

Usually, when her father was on duty at the unit, Diep Chi sometimes had to ask her mother for help, but since her father Cong "went away", Quynh Chi acted like an older sister, advising her younger sister not to make her mother sad. Quynh Chi consciously set the alarm clock, woke up early, then called Diep Chi to get up to do personal hygiene, eat breakfast so that her mother could take the two sisters to class.

Comrade Bui Phi Cong and his teammates in the 2008-2009 Military Bachelor class of the Logistics Academy.

“Every time I see my mother silently wiping away her tears, my sisters and I feel so sorry for her,” Quynh Chi told me. Diep Chi’s eyes sparkled as she whispered, “I don’t want my mother to be sadder, so since my father went on a “business trip far away,” I have been more obedient and listened to my mother. My mother said my father went far away so that my sister and I could happily go to school, so that everyone and my sisters could celebrate Tet in peace. My mother said we should be proud of my father, my sisters and I miss you, thank you so much.”

Diep Chi must be very proud of her father to have such a change in mentality, because I still remember the days when she and her mother and sister went to Doan An Nursing Home 41 Hue to bring her father Cong back to his hometown, Diep Chi probably did not fully understand what had happened to her family. When I sat down to eat with her, I had only talked and asked her about her to the second question, Diep Chi's eyes were filled with tears, then she sobbed saying she missed her father, asking for him, her grandmother and everyone else had to comfort her for a long time before she stopped.

Little Xi Muoi (Diep Chi) and her family went to Doan An Nursing Home 41 Hue to welcome her father Cong back to his hometown.

Although Mr. Cong has just started working at the Military Region Logistics Department not long ago, I have met and worked with him many times. He is sociable, cheerful, and easy to approach. After returning from a business trip to Hue, knowing that we were on our way home, he enthusiastically invited us into his house to play and have a drink. While guiding Diep Chi in her studies, he confided: "My wife is busy taking care of the housework, and my children lack affection, so we have to encourage them. Only when the home front is strong can we feel secure in our work, uncle." He excitedly showed off the spacious new house that he and his wife had saved up for many years and borrowed money to build.

The second time I returned to his house with a delegation of officers from the General Department of Logistics to visit him, I saw that the house was spacious, without his presence but warm and affectionate because of the affection of neighbors and comrades who still came to encourage the family every day. Implementing the policy of the Ministry of National Defense, Ms. Do Thi Lan Huong, his wife, was recruited by the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command to become a professional soldier working at the Provincial Military Command according to her and her family's wishes.

Comrade Bui Phi Cong congratulated the Executive Committee of the Preventive Medicine Team, Logistics Department of Military Region, term 2020-2025.

Sharing with us, Ms. Huong said that although she missed her father very much and asked him every day, thanks to the teachings of the soldiers, Quynh Chi knew how to help her mother after school hours. Diep Chi is now more self-aware and well-behaved. Since the day Cong sacrificed, she and her children have been encouraged by both her paternal and maternal families. Feeling sorry for her sister-in-law, Ms. Bui Anh Dao, Cong's older sister, gave her a sister and a younger sibling. Ms. Huong's mother, who lives in Hung Yen, also came to take care of her children and grandchildren. The affection of the neighbors helped her and her children somewhat ease their sadness. Ms. Dao shared: "When we heard that Cong sacrificed, the family agreed to hide it from my father because he was seriously ill and in poor health.

The day motherland Quang Tri held my brother in her arms, he watched TV but the old soldier was silent, it seemed like he had a premonition of something when he had not seen Cong return for a long time but the quality of a soldier did not allow him to be weak. He did not cry because he knew that his son had fallen for his ideals, for the Fatherland, for the People, something he had always taught Cong. Standing in front of my brother's portrait, my father only said: "In the other world, continue to fulfill your dreams, continue to study, contribute so that everyone will respect and love you as in this temporary world, my comrade."

Comrade Bui Phi Cong presented the decision to promote military ranks to officers of the Logistics Department in 2020.

Talking about him, officers, employees, and soldiers of the Logistics Department of Military Region 4, Quang Tri Provincial Military Command, Division 968, and the places where he worked all commented: Comrade Cong is a young, dynamic, creative officer, always dedicated to his work, close to and caring for his comrades... Although Mr. Cong has only been his boss for a short time, to Senior Lieutenant Le Tuong Hieu - Propaganda officer of Regiment 654, Logistics Department, Mr. Cong is both a talented boss and a close, friendly brother. Mr. Hieu always remembers the image when the Covid-19 epidemic broke out, Mr. Cong worked day and night, from directing and guiding in writing, participating in impromptu meetings, to going down to the grassroots units to grasp and handle the situation... Mr. Cong is also knowledgeable about journalism, caring for his comrades doing propaganda work.

Authorities clear the way to the landslide site in Rao Trang.

When he went on a business trip, the day before, he told his colleagues to be proactive in keeping their devices and batteries fully charged. Despite his careful instructions, he always woke up early the next day and called to remind them. “Mr. Cong often discussed with me how to write news and articles. He believes that, when writing a newspaper, the information must first be honest and accurate, and must not be done hastily or carelessly. Anything that is unclear must be verified. In the 4.0 era of journalism, if you do not study integrated multimedia journalism and do not have a firm grasp of technology, you will certainly fail,” Mr. Hieu recalled what Mr. Cong said to him.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Phi Tinh - Deputy Head of the Quartermaster Department, Military Region 4 confided: “Comrade Cong is a young officer with comprehensive capacity and expertise. At work, he always gives close, meticulous, and decisive instructions; in daily life, he is close and sociable with his comrades. With his sacrifice, the Army has lost a young, capable, and qualified officer; we have lost a leader and a close comrade.”

His peers from childhood to university all admired, trusted and were proud of him, not only because he was a loyal and devoted friend, but also because they had a friend who died for the country and the people. He sacrificed himself nearly 2 months ago, but his Facebook and Zalo accounts are still updated and shared regularly by his family and friends as if he had never "gone far". Scrolling through the personal page "Bui Phi Cong", I felt more of the deep affection that his friends had for him.

Account “Tran Dung” posted a status titled “My friend” with lyrics from the song “Color of red flowers” ​​by musician Thuan Yen, set to poetry by Nguyen Duc Mau:“There was a soldier, who left that poor thatched roof that Autumn…/His name was carved into the mountain stone, the clouds turned into bamboo shadows…”and the sharing “You studied together in childhood, the poverty was no different. Meals of cassava, meals of sweet potatoes, we studied well together. In the final year of high school, you told me that you would take the exam to join the Army, your family did not have the conditions so you wished to study at the Army school to ease your father and mother's hardship. At that time, you passed the University of Construction and the Logistics Academy, you chose the Army... The Central region was flooded, landslides, knowing the danger but my friend did not falter because of that. My friend was a father, a husband, an exemplary soldier. My friend died worthy of the title of hero. The stone stele is engraved with the name of the Fatherland Honors. I am always proud of you!”.

For Lieutenant Colonel Le Duc Vinh - Assistant of the Logistics Department, Mr. Cong was a classmate at the Logistics Academy, then became his boss. He is very proud of his friend and superior.

Not only with family, friends, and comrades, but also talking to those who have been in contact with Mr. Cong, we have heard many touching stories. He has passed away, but in the minds and feelings of those who remain, the image of Lieutenant Colonel, martyr Bui Phi Cong, a talented and virtuous logistics officer, remains forever. To me, that “red flower color” is forever burning in the distant forest…