Relics from the fiery era

(Baonghean) - More than 40 years have passed since the reunification of the country, but for those who experienced the battlefields, it seems like yesterday. The ferocity of the war, the fragile boundary between life and death, and the camaraderie among comrades make soldiers always cherish and treasure their memories, especially battlefield mementos.

My father was a demobilized soldier, returning from the battlefields of South Vietnam and Cambodia. His possessions from over 10 years of military service were packed into a faded backpack: a blanket, a green mosquito net, and an old canteen—all weathered by time. I was too young then to understand why he cherished these seemingly ordinary items. Later, as I grew older, I gradually came to understand his words: “This blanket and mosquito net kept me warm on long marches, during those cold, rainy nights in the jungle. The canteen helped quench my thirst, especially after fierce battles…” Then, having the opportunity to meet more veterans of war, I truly appreciated the value of these mementos for soldiers.

Colonel Ho Huu Lan with a valuable collection of photographs brought back from the battlefield. Photo: Cong Kien.

I met Mr. Phung Ba Dien, residing in Block 11, Cua Nam Ward (Vinh City), a former commando from the Sac Forest, who had faced life and death on the battlefields of the Southeast region. In 1970, at the age of 19, this young man from a coastal village (he was born and raised in the Cua Lo coastal area) joined the army and was assigned to Brigade 126 - Naval Commandos. During his training in Hai Phong, he was given a plastic snorkel, used for underwater movement, especially for diving. In combat, the snorkel was used for infiltration, placing explosives on targets such as ships and boats anchored in seaports or any floating object on the water's surface. Or during marches, when facing enemy pursuit, he could jump into rivers, seas, ponds, or lakes and dive underwater... Mr. Dien's snorkel became his companion, helping him overcome many hardships and dangers and sharing the joy of victory. A prime example is the battle in which he and two comrades sank an enemy ship weighing 13,000 tons, measuring 150 meters long and 25 meters wide, anchored in Rach Dua port (Vung Tau). Later, also in Rach Dua port, he participated in sinking a transport ship carrying 10,000 tons of weapons and military supplies. Due to some mishaps, the retreat did not go as planned. As they left the target, the tide receded and dawn began to break, and Dien and his comrades were swept out to sea, facing a high risk of being spotted by enemy patrol boats. Struggling against the waves and on the verge of exhaustion, the snorkel around his neck prevented him from drowning, and he was eventually rescued by a fishing boat.

Returning from the Sac Forest, besides his military uniform, special forces soldier Phung Ba Dien also brought back his breathing apparatus. He cherished this memento, keeping it like a treasure. Whenever he faced difficulties in life, looking at this battlefield relic in his cupboard seemed to give him renewed strength. A few years ago, after being diagnosed with stomach cancer, he sometimes felt discouraged, but remembering his youth in the Sac Forest and his "companion of many years," Mr. Dien pulled himself together to continue fighting the disease.

The photo captures the moment the people of Hue city welcomed the liberation army (on [date]).25/3/1975This document is currently being kept by Colonel Ho Huu Lan. Photo: Cong Kien

These battlefield photographs were carefully preserved by Colonel Ho Huu Lan. Photo: Cong Kien

Mr. Nguyen Huu Thuong stands beside household items crafted from enemy weapons. Photo: Cong Kien.

The snorkel used by naval commandos, preserved by Mr. Phung Ba Dien, remains intact. Photo: Cong Kien

For Colonel Ho Huu Lan (born 1940) - former Commander of Regiment 3 (324th Division), former Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Region 4, his most valuable asset after nearly 50 years in the military is his collection of nearly 300 battlefield photographs. Born in the coastal village of Quynh Luong, this man was originally an engineering soldier who rose through the ranks to become a commander of an infantry regiment. His main area of ​​operation was the mountainous western regions of Thua Thien Hue and Quang Tri provinces, participating in fierce campaigns and battles that marked turning points in the war. During the Spring Offensive of 1975, Regiment 3, under his command, advanced to liberate Hue and Da Nang. At those significant moments, the regimental propaganda officer was always present and promptly captured historical moments with his camera. Colonel Ho Huu Lan carefully preserves these tiny, finger-sized black-and-white photographs. He pasted them into a notebook and clearly noted the time, the sequence of events, and each person involved. Nearly 50 years have passed, and although the photos have faded with time, they remain quite clear. The owner enlarged them and compiled them into an album, preserving them for future generations to better understand a time of war and struggle.

Colonel Ho Huu Lan's precious photo collection contains nearly 20 images capturing moments of the 3rd Regiment's offensive to liberate Hue city during the Spring 1975 campaign. These images depict the massive army advancing from the mountains and forests down to the city, setting up attack positions in the outskirts, causing the enemy to fall and abandon their tanks in a desperate retreat. The army advanced into the city center, with people waving and witnessing the liberation flag flying atop Phu Van Lau. The puppet army fled to Thuan An estuary to board ships, leaving behind weapons and equipment scattered haphazardly on the shore... This can be considered an invaluable source of documentation, both vivid and historically significant.

Mr. Lan confided: "This collection of photographs is not only meaningful to me personally, but also represents the journey of a heroic regiment in the long struggle to drive out the Americans and the puppet regime. It also embodies the spirit and will of our army and our nation, so I have a duty to preserve it; it has almost become an integral part of my life as a soldier."

Many soldiers are preserving and cherishing battlefield mementos, seemingly simple items that are intimately connected to a part of the lives of those who once followed the path of war. These include items made from American weapons and equipment (pots, kettles, tables, chairs, vases, etc.) belonging to Mr. Nguyen Huu Thuong, Hung Thong commune (Hung Nguyen district); the diaries of Mr. Dang Duy Huynh, Phuc Son commune (Anh Son district); and the small notebooks containing notes on medicinal remedies and treatments brought back from Phu Quoc prison by Mr. Nguyen Truong To, Doi Cung ward (Vinh city)...

Then, these relics will be passed down to future generations, helping them to better understand the resistance war against the US to save the country, and the heroic era of war.

Cong Kien