Nguyen Ba Ton - A devoted, loyal, and honest communist
From 1985 to 1990, I was assigned by the leaders of Yen Thanh district to collect and compile the history of Yen Thanh district. During nearly 5 years of diligently collecting documents and meeting historical witnesses, I had the opportunity to meet many district and provincial leaders from different periods, sometimes at conferences, sometimes at their private homes, each with their own personality, they left me with their own impressions.
(Baonghean) -From 1985 to 1990, I was assigned by the leaders of Yen Thanh district to collect and compile the history of Yen Thanh district. During nearly 5 years of diligently collecting documents and meeting historical witnesses, I had the opportunity to meet many district and provincial leaders from different periods, sometimes at conferences, sometimes at their private homes, each with their own personality, they left me with their own impressions.
In which, Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton left me with good, deep and quite comprehensive impressions, both in terms of his contribution to the process of building and developing the Yen Thanh District Party Committee, his deep voice, and his sincere and witty way of speaking, exuding the intelligence and sensitivity of a personality, a dedicated, loyal and honest cadre.
Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton.
Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton was born on February 21, 1927 in Lien Tri village, Van Tu commune, now Lien Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, Nghe An province, in a poor farming family, belonging to the Nguyen Ba clan - a poor clan but rich in patriotism, with many successful people. At the age of 12, his mother died early, the family was in difficult circumstances, Nguyen Ba Ton had to work with his father to earn a living, those circumstances soon created in him the virtues of diligence, hard work, independence and compassion. Before 1945, he participated in patriotic activities of local youth, was assigned by the organization to be the Secretary of the Youth Union for National Salvation in Lien Tri village, Van Tu commune and directly participated in seizing power in the August Revolution of 1945 in Lien Tri village.
From 1946 to August 1948, he was a member of the Van Tu Commune Team, in charge of the commune's military intelligence. On August 21, 1949, he was honored to be admitted to the Party at the Lien Tri Village Party Cell, Van Tu Commune. From February 1950, he joined the local army company of Yen Thanh district named Phan Dang Luu Company and was assigned as the head of the military intelligence team. From September 1950, he was transferred to the main force of the 312th Division. He participated in the Nghia Lo and Hoa Binh campaigns in 1951 - 1952, fought directly and bravely, was an emulation soldier of the 141st Regiment, 312th Division, and was commended by the Political Commissar. In a fierce battle with the French army at the Hoa Binh Front, he was seriously injured and transferred to the A17 War Invalids Camp in Tuyen Quang for treatment. At the end of 1953, with a 2/4 disability, he was discharged and returned home.
From December 1953, he joined the Executive Committee of the Van Tu Commune Farmers' Association, then was assigned to be in charge of the Yen Thanh District Trading Cooperative, and then Chairman of the District Trading Cooperative. He then became a member of the District Party Committee, Head of the District Rural Committee, then joined the Standing Committee of the District Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Yen Thanh District Administrative Committee. From June 1967 to December 1978, he was Deputy Secretary, Chairman of the Yen Thanh District Administrative Committee, and for many years a delegate to the People's Council of Nghe An Province.
Taking on the responsibility of being the chairman of a key food district of the province, during the period when the Yen Thanh District Party Committee was both producing and fighting against the destructive war of the American invaders, he and the Yen Thanh District Party Committee - People's Committee led the people of the district to build the locality into a strategic rear area providing manpower and resources for the frontline. During 18 years of participating in the Party Committee, Vice Chairman and then Chairman of the district, he was always present in the fierce areas and key points, leading the people of Yen Thanh to establish many miracles with many continuous, vibrant, widespread movements in many fields, becoming typical of the North, contributing to building Yen Thanh into a heroic unit of the People's Armed Forces.
The cadres and people of Yen Thanh still remember the image of a district chairman, when he was present at major irrigation projects such as building Quan Hai dam, digging Bien Hoa canal, when he led a group of Yen Thanh cadres cycling from Nghe An to Thai Binh to learn about new varieties, intensive farming to increase productivity, when he was on the battlefield of the Cao - Cong Thanh bridge combat units, when he led the people to fill bomb craters along National Highway 7, Provincial Road 38. He was also the one who brought the Yen Thanh district's shock art troupe to attend the Victory Congress of Military Region 4... Wherever he went, he won the respect and trust of cadres, party members and people.
At the end of 1978, due to health and disability, he was retired by the State. Returning to his hometown, despite his old age, Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton still participated in building the Party and social work such as building a cultural village, building historical relics of the communal house, Lien Tri village..., setting an example in educating his children and grandchildren to become model citizens and honest officials.
From a young farmer to a communist party member, a soldier of Uncle Ho, and then a district chairman, Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton has spent nearly 90 years of life, 65 years of Party membership, a staunch party member, a devoted, loyal, courageous, creative cadre, always putting the interests of the Party and the people first and foremost. From the time he joined the revolution to his retirement, until his death (*), he left in the hearts of his comrades, friends, brothers, and descendants the deep affection of a man, a noble personality.
With his contributions to the revolutionary cause of the country and his homeland, Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton was awarded by the Party and the State: Second-class Labor Medal, First-class Resistance Medal, First-class Anti-American National Salvation Medal, 60-year Party membership badge and many other noble awards.
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(*) Mr. Nguyen Ba Ton passed away at 4:16 p.m. on April 21, 2013.
Ngo Duc Tien
