The writer of the stele in Truong Bon

The "chosen one"

In 2015, when Truong Bon was invested in rebuilding to become a national relic site worthy of its historical role, the Department of Culture - Sports of Nghe An coordinated with the Department of Transport and the Department of Construction of Nghe An to erect a stele of evidence and relics at the Truong Bon Historical Relic Site.

At that time, many people knew journalist Tran Van Hien through his vivid writings about the aspects of wartime, especially the Truong Bon place. Therefore, he was trusted by the People's Committee of Nghe An province and the Department of Transport to write these two important stele inscriptions.

Journalist Van Hien next to the historical stele at Truong Bon. Photo: Hanh Ngan

As the eldest son in a large family, with a father who was a martyr, journalist Van Hien has always been deeply concerned about the losses and pain caused by the war. Before coming to writing, young Tran Van Hien was an officer of the Nghe An Transport Department. During the years of resistance against the American imperialists in the North, he was present at key traffic points that were fiercely attacked such as: Bung Bridge, Cam Bridge, Hoang Mai Station, Ben Thuy Ferry, Route 15A in Truong Bon, etc. Having been a witness to the destructive war of the US Air Force, journalist Van Hien has collected the painful moments and brave fighting spirit of our army and people, especially the youth volunteer force during the fierce war in Nghe An to save them into pages of writing that will live forever.

In July 1968, responding to the “Two Goods” movement, he was assigned by his unit to write about typical examples of good combat and good production in the Transport sector. That was also a chance for him to meet many cadres and workers in the Transport sector, and the Youth Volunteer Force against the US to save the country in his home province.

During the years of traveling on many roads, witnessing the brutality of war, meeting people who fought heroically on the front lines, he recorded 30 notebooks, in which he recorded the signatures of the young volunteers. It can be said that this is a valuable "asset" in his writing career. Until now, when flipping through those shorthand pages, the old faces still appear. The footage of the most brutal years of history still seem to be there, appearing in the mind of journalist Van Hien.

That is why, when he received the request to write an epitaph for the Truong Bon place, it seemed that all the documents were already prepared in his memory. What needed to be done was to rearrange the data, wrapping up the most glorious pages of history of this land within the framework of 500 words. Journalist Van Hien shared that the most difficult thing was how to write a text that was not dry, containing slices of history, while recreating the painful and heroic emotions of a generation of youth volunteers as well as of the whole nation.

One of the two steles recreating the history of the place name Truong Bon has the following passage: “With the will of “Living to cling to the bridge, clinging to the road, dying bravely and steadfastly”, the officers and soldiers of Youth Volunteer Company 317, 304 of Team 65, Company 30, Engineer Battalion 27 of Military Region 4, militia and people of My Son commune, Do Luong district, Nam Hung commune, Nam Dan district faced danger, defied bullets and bombs, clung to key points to fill bomb craters, open bypasses, evacuate goods, defuse unexploded bombs, wore white suicide shirts to act as live markers to guide the way, ensuring smooth traffic for hundreds of thousands of vehicles and main force troops to cross the Truong Bon death gate to enter the large front line…”

Recreate the fierceness and heroic spirit of sacrifice

It can be said that Highway 15A is only about 20km long but is a strategic traffic route of Nghe An and the whole country. Especially since August 5, 1964, when the US imperialists escalated their attacks on the North of our country, Highway 15A became a bomb bag, a place to share the fire with many key traffic routes in Nghe An. The US Air Force and Navy tried every way to prevent and cut off the connection and support of the large rear base in the North with the battlefield in the South. And the place name Truong Bon, in My Son commune, Do Luong district became the place chosen by history.

During the period from 1965 to 1968, this place suffered hundreds of bombings by the US Air Force. There were 18,936 bombs of all kinds dropped on National Highway 15A and Truong Bon. From June to October 1968 alone, this place suffered 2,692 bombs aimed at destroying Truong Bon, destroying this particularly important route. At that time, there was not a single intact hill in Truong Bon; many villages and hundreds of houses were destroyed and damaged by bombs. But this place also witnessed the brave and heroic fighting spirit of the army and people of Nghe An. In particular, the dedication and sacrifice of the youth volunteer force on the fire route.

Truong Bon is the base of Squad 2, Company 317 - Nghe An Youth Volunteers. Every day, every night, every sunny day, every rainy day, when it is cold, when it is scorching hot, the men and women are still working hard to fill bomb craters, make live markers to guide vehicles through...

And until the fateful morning of October 31, 1968. At 4:00 a.m. that morning, 14 Youth Volunteers of Squad 2, Company 317 urgently filled bomb craters so that the military convoy could cross Truong Bon to the South before dawn. At 6:10 a.m., when the work was almost completed, suddenly American planes came to bomb. The 14 Youth Volunteers did not have time to retreat to the shelter. 13 Youth Volunteers were gone forever, when in just over 10 hours, the US Air Force would stop bombing the entire North. 11 girls and 2 boys of the "steel squad" sacrificed their lives at a very young age, taking with them their youth and many unfulfilled ambitions.

Returning to journalist Van Hien, he said that the content of the two stele inscriptions was composed by him within 1 month. That month was filled with many worries and torments. How to recreate the fierce nature of Highway 15A and Truong Bon land, fully expressing the dedication and great sacrifice of a generation of young people with ambitions and aspirations to save the country was what made Mr. Tran Van Hien constantly think. When he completed the draft of the stele, he sent it to experts and historians for appraisal. Before engraving the stele, his draft was also enlarged and placed at the temple of the youth volunteers in Truong Bon National Relic Site for 6 months to receive comments from the people. By 2017, the stele was completed and placed in a solemn position in the campus of Truong Bon Historical Relic Site.

Journalist Van Hien with his book about Truong Bon. Photo: Hanh Ngan

Now, when visiting Truong Bon, in the memorial area, there are still books written by him about Truong Bon, the land of pain that once created a legend. Books such as: "Road through the fire palace" or "Road to the legendary Truong Bon" by journalist Van Hien are still visited and read by tourists to better understand the history of the Truong Bon fire coordinates of the past.

That is the joy, happiness and also the responsibility of writers and journalists, when their writings do not only stop on paper, but also remain in the minds of readers, thereby conveying the belief in the philosophy of life "drinking water, remembering its source", contributing to educating traditions for future generations.