The man carrying explosives attacked the bunker on hill C2.

(Baonghean) - 60 years have passed with many historical ups and downs, but the heroic memories of the Dien Bien Phu Victory are still intact in the mind of veteran Nguyen Van Thach in Lien Son hamlet, Hung Tien commune, Nam Dan district.

TIn December 1953, at the age of 17, young man Nguyen Van Thach from Lien Son hamlet, Hung Tien commune volunteered to join the army and was assigned to Battalion 215, Regiment 98, Division 316, one of the main units of our army in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. In the battle to destroy the Dien Bien Phu stronghold, young soldier Nguyen Van Thach was honored to join his comrades in this final battle as a soldier carrying explosives, directly attacking the C2 hill bunker. With the spirit of "Determination to die for the Fatherland", he and his comrades fought bravely to destroy an enemy company, breaking the eastern defense line of General De Castries's Command Headquarters, contributing to the Dien Bien Phu Victory "Resounding throughout the five continents, shaking the earth". Now old,His hair has turned grey, but the memories of the historic Dien Bien Phu Victory and the fierce battle on Hill C2 are still imprinted in Colonel Nguyen Van Thach's mind.

He confided: “On April 25, 1954, we were the last batch of new recruits to join the 316th Division of Dien Bien Phu. I was assigned to the 215th Battalion, 98th Regiment, 316th Division. We saw that the unit was preparing to attack and destroy an enemy company at Hill C2, east of De Castries bunker. We practiced on a sand table and on the evening of May 6, we opened fire to attack the C2 peak. Our explosives team had 3 people, attacking the first bunker, we lost 2 people, I completed the mission and the unit destroyed Hill C2. The next day, the enemy counterattacked and we defeated them, and on the afternoon of May 7, the enemy raised the white flag of surrender and announced to the entire staff that General De Castries had been captured”.

Retiring in 1990, after 37 years of military service with many glorious victories in two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism, he continued to participate in local movements. For many years, he held the position of Chairman of the Association of War Veterans in Hung Tien commune and is currently the Head of the Tri Thien Liaison Committee in Nam Dan, a reporter for the Association of War Veterans in the district. With his new position, he has the opportunity to promote the heroic past of the nation, especially the historic Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Through traditional talks at schools, he brings historical spirit to the souls of children to educate the tradition of patriotism, national pride, and prepares them to strive to study so as not to be ashamed of the dedication and sacrifice of their ancestors. Talking about veteran Nguyen Van Thach, Mr. Tran Thanh Loc - Vice Chairman of the Association of Veterans in Hung Tien Commune, Nam Dan said: "Uncle Thach was the first chairman of the Association of Veterans in Hung Tien Commune. Now he is old and weak, but he still actively participates in movements of the Association of Veterans as well as of the locality. He always propagates to the younger generation about the heroic and steadfast tradition of our army for the younger generation to learn and follow."

The war has long gone, the soldiers who directly fought and served in combat on the Dien Bien battlefield in particular and in the two long resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism in general, now some are dead, some are still alive and soldiers returning to civilian life like Mr. Nguyen Van Thach are living witnesses of history for the immortal heroic epic of the nation to last forever, so that the generations of descendants today and tomorrow continue the tradition of their ancestors, build and firmly protect the beloved Vietnamese Fatherland.

Kim Dung