The "elder brother" of the Regiment in the land of the Pagodas.

(Baonghean) - He is Tran Dinh Than, from Van Hoa commune, Tuyen Hoa district, Quang Binh province. He enlisted in 1973, and when he became a regimental commander, he was not yet 40 years old. He was an exemplary commander, full of compassion and responsibility, respected and loved by everyone.

In 1978, our 2nd Regiment, 324th Division, was ordered to be ready to defend the southwestern border of our country and to carry out international duties assisting our Cambodian allies. Under his command, the unit urgently trained in tactics and techniques. He meticulously and thoughtfully directed each company. He repeatedly reminded us: Officers must love their soldiers like family, and loving the soldiers means resolutely training them to be excellent. As a result, in four months of training, the entire Regiment achieved excellent results. Upon receiving orders to go to the battlefield, the Regiment quickly marched to its combat position safely, ahead of schedule. Less than a week after arriving, the Regiment had to directly engage in combat. Due to a lack of understanding of the enemy and the battlefield, and because the officers from the Regiment commander downwards were young and inexperienced in combat, the Regiment suffered heavy losses in its first battle; the Deputy Regiment Commander was killed.

After that first battle, Regimental Commander Tran Dinh Than discovered that the main reason was the weak tactical skills of the regiment's small units, which were not suitable for the enemy and not aligned with the battlefield. He immediately went down to the companies, working closely with each soldier, fighting and learning from experience simultaneously, thus building confidence within the regiment.

From then on, the Regiment consistently achieved outstanding results. The Regiment Commander was like an older brother, deeply caring for his soldiers. Many times, upon visiting the unit and seeing soldiers lacking clothing, he would take off his own clothes and give them to the soldiers to wear, returning home with only his shorts on. He meticulously cared for the soldiers' meals and sleep. He resolved all unit problems with reason and compassion, proving highly persuasive. He was also always exemplary in his words and actions. He himself directly commanded and fought, eliminating dozens of enemy soldiers. Under his compassionate and responsible leadership, the entire Regiment matured in many aspects, becoming a strong and comprehensive unit. On February 17, 1979, the unit had the honor of receiving a wreath from the President of Vietnam.

On August 24, 1981, the all-army conference was held at the unit. Regiment 2 was commended as one of the units that had excellently completed its mission, earning the trust and affection of the friendly people and striking fear into the enemy; upholding and developing the traditional qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers. That success was due in no small part to the contributions of the Regiment Commander.

In late 1983, Tran Dinh Than was promoted to Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the 339th Division. He died heroically while inspecting a unit in 1984. There's a story that moves everyone who hears it: he had been married for over a decade without children. His wife, Luong Thi Hau, misses him terribly and remains devoted to him to this day. Previously, due to his difficult circumstances, he had been advised to stay behind, but he resolutely volunteered to serve as a soldier. Tran Dinh Than sacrificed himself like a hero on the land of Chua Thap.

Nguyen Van Tai (108 - Hermann - Hung Phuc - Vinh City)