One day in early April, Mr. Le Tien Dung (residing in Vinh City) – a dedicated volunteer committed to connecting information about fallen soldiers – sent me a filmed file of a diary recording the training and combat journey of fallen soldier Nguyen Trong An (born in 1950), from Hoa Dong hamlet, Hoa Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district.
Mr. Dung shared: The diary was seized by the American military on August 17, 1970, along with some documents from the soldiers of Battalion 2, Regiment 9, Division 304. The scanned copies of the contents are stored in the archives on the Vietnam War on the website of Texas Tech University (USA). Engineer Lam Hong Tien – a member of the Association for Supporting Families of Vietnamese Martyrs – found the scanned copy of the diary of martyr Nguyen Trong An and sent it to Mr. Le Tien Dung to connect with his relatives.
According to information shared on Kyvatkhangchien.com, veterans of F304 also confirmed information about martyr Nguyen Trong An (Battalion 2, Regiment 9, Division 304), from Hoa Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district (Nghe An province), who died on August 16, 1970, at Hill 400.
Right on the first page of the diary of young soldier Nguyen Trong An (dated April 12, 1968), a portrait is sketched of a student in his late teens or early twenties with many dreams of happiness and a future, but who had to put his studies on hold to take up arms and go to the battlefield to fight the Americans, fulfilling his duty to the Fatherland."The trigonometry lesson wasn't finished yet… I was so sleepy, I was dozing off. Probably around midnight… The door creaked… holding the conscription order with Nguyen Cong Chan's signature, I felt a strange sensation I'd never experienced before. A night, a night I'll never forget…"
Veteran Phan Thế Nguyên (born 1948) – a fellow villager who enlisted on the same day as martyr Nguyễn Trọng Ấn, and whose name is mentioned in the diary – reminisced: “We went to the same school; Ấn was in 9th grade, I was in 10th grade, two years apart. In April 1968, we enlisted in the same unit. At that time, Hoa Thành commune had 14 people enlisting, all in their late teens and early twenties, still very innocent and naive. Ấn had a scholarly appearance, spoke softly, was a little shy, and liked to write poetry. We had similar circumstances; we were both only sons (martyr Nguyễn Trọng Ấn was the fourth child, with four sisters in his family). Saying goodbye to loved ones and elderly parents without a promise of return weighed heavily on our hearts. The two of us often confided in and encouraged each other…”
In the following diary entries, the young soldier Nguyen Trong An writes about his first days in the army, filled with bewilderment and a touch of nostalgia at having to leave his homeland:On April 15, 1968, the march began. We set off at 4 a.m. that day and marched through the night. From childhood to adulthood, I had never traveled far, nor was I accustomed to carrying heavy loads, yet today I was making friends with the long road. Crossing the fields, we left behind our small villages, the faint sound of roosters crowing in the distance....". "Day after day, the journey stretched on, through ravines and deep rivers. The army crossed countless forests and streams, traversing Nghe An province, where villages gradually disappeared and vanished. We marched deep into the forest, on and on… from low slopes to high ones, winding through dense thickets, with only a few faint, gloomy rays of sunlight. How silent those forests were. If there hadn't been war, perhaps for thousands of years there would still be no human footprints.…”.
In the prime of his youth, instead of continuing his studies, Nguyen Trong An began his first days in the military."In the morning, we studied military drills involving climbing wire fences; at noon, we gathered firewood to build a house; in the afternoon, we studied political and military science..."""Get familiar with crawling and bayonet movements..."During moments of rest throughout the march, besides homesickness, the young soldiers also expressed feelings of pride and honor as young people standing in the ranks of the army going to battle:During those days of marching through mountains and forests, we longed for the warmth of a cozy home… Then, the day of battle drew near, as history dictated. I don't remember the exact date… I only remember that it was raining incessantly… One platoon, one vehicle. It was cramped, the rain was cold, but I still felt warm inside as the vehicle passed the hospital, the villages, and the whole convoy sang… The people came out to watch, and I sang even louder. They must have loved seeing the convoy carrying soldiers from the North to the South. What young person wouldn't envy such a sight?…”.
The diary mentions many different places: Như Xuân (Thanh Hóa), Hương Khê, Cẩm Xuyên, Kỳ Anh (Hà Tĩnh), Quỳnh Trang, Quỳnh Châu (Quỳnh Lưu, Nghệ An), Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, and even areas of neighboring Laos… During the arduous march, enduring fierce battles with the thin line between life and death, Nguyễn Trọng Ấn secretly expressed his longing for his homeland and loved ones in each entry of his diary, filled with emotion. On the diary entries dated the 27th and 29th of the Lunar New Year in 1970, he wrote:It's the 27th of Tet (Lunar New Year). It's so much fun at home. Just yesterday we were going out to celebrate Tet, the sound of firecrackers and drums was so lively. I miss home so much… back home, my parents and younger sister are probably missing me. Will Mom cry tonight? I feel so sorry for my parents. I wish I could be with my family right now; I'm sure they've already prepared for Tet.…”. “…Tonight, I'll stay up to celebrate New Year's Eve. Oh, another New Year's in the army! What will my parents think of their son far away back home tonight? My mother will surely cry a lot thinking of me. Oh, how I miss them!…”.
When severely wounded in the thigh and forced to stay for treatment, the young soldier had moments to confide in others.The unit withdrew from outposts 1 and 2 to take on other assignments, but I couldn't go because of a sore leg, so I stayed at the battalion headquarters. Alone, in a cold, lonely bunker. Oh, how strangely I missed home… Old memories flickered before my eyes, and I longed for the day I could live in my homeland. With my father, mother, and sister. What are my parents doing now? I imagine my mother doing this, my father doing that. Perhaps my sister is still cooking. Then I remember every little thing in the house, the courtyard, the garden corner, the alleyway and gate....". "When the entire mountain forest is immersed in silence, that's when images of my homeland surge forth intensely… I want to reach out my small hands and hold onto everything that I yearn for so deeply…”.
Despite his deep longing for his homeland, the soldier could not return. Nguyen Trong An fell at the young age of 20 in a fierce battle on the Khe Sanh battlefield (Quang Tri). According to the death certificate sent to his hometown: Private Nguyen Trong An – a soldier of Company 7, Battalion 2, Unit 1450, died on August 16, 1970, on the Southern front of Military Region Four. He was recognized as a martyr for "fighting for the cause of resisting the US and saving the country."
On the morning of April 14, 2024, a special event took place at the Yen Thanh District People's Committee hall. It was the ceremony to present and receive the diary of martyr Nguyen Trong An – a son of Hoa Thanh commune. The ceremony was held in a warm and emotional atmosphere, with the presence of district leaders, local authorities, and numerous relatives and comrades of the martyr's family.
At the ceremony, the leaders of Yen Thanh district affirmed that the diary is a sacred relic for the family, lineage, and homeland, because martyr Nguyen Trong An was born, raised, and went to the battlefield from this very land.
Sharing his journey of connecting with and searching for information about relatives to bring the deceased's diary back to his family after more than 50 years of being lost on the other side of the globe, Mr. Le Tien Dung – a member of the Nghe An – Ha Tinh Volunteer Association for Finding Graves and Assisting in Relocating the Remains of Martyrs – emotionally expressed: “There were times when I almost gave up because the diary only mentioned his older sister named An and his younger sister, not their specific names. However, the longing and yearning for reunion with loved ones expressed by the soldier in each page of the diary moved me and gave me more motivation to search. And as if by fate, I received help from many people, including Mr. Phan Tat He, a neighbor of the martyr Nguyen Trong An's family, who helped me connect with the martyr's sister and niece who are living in Hanoi.”
Many touching stories about the diary's owner have also been recounted by relatives and comrades. Veteran Phan Thế Nguyên, a former comrade of martyr Nguyễn Trọng Ấn, shared tearfully: “Of the 14 young men from the same village who enlisted that year, only 8 returned. Ấn was among the 6 who sacrificed their lives. More than 50 years have passed, and now I've received information about the diary of my fallen comrade, in which my name is mentioned.”So, Thu is dead, and Nguyen is injured."...I'm so moved! It's just a memento, but it holds so much sacred emotion, as if a comrade from years ago has returned to us." Meanwhile, veteran Pham Duc Cu, trembling, pulled out a small photograph from his jacket pocket, showing it to everyone, of himself and his comrade Nguyen Trong An in their military uniforms. The black-and-white photo had faded with time, but it was still carefully framed. In Mr. Cu's memory, as well as that of his fellow recruits, Nguyen Trong An was a very emotional person, always caring for his comrades.
This is reflected in every page of the diary, from the first day of enlistment until the unit dispersed, each person going their separate ways:Goodbye, my friends who shared these early days of military service. Oh, I already feel so nostalgic even before we've said goodbye. I don't want to leave these people.The love and sharing among comrades and fellow soldiers during hardship is also clearly evident in the diary entry dated July 8, 1970:“The shortage began, and we had to share every grain of salt. From then on, the only food we had left was salt. I heard that the unit had to eat only 300 grams of rice a day…”"On his way to get rice from the Division's warehouse, he met some wounded soldiers. Hearing the bad news about his unit, Nguyen Trong An became restless and worried:"Comrades, brothers, whoever has sacrificed their lives, whoever has been wounded, I'm so anxious, I just want to go back to my unit...".“July 16, 1970, a day etched in this diary. Disaster struck our unit; we lay by the roadside. Our comrades carried our fallen friends and loved ones one by one, the pain was unbearable…”
Through each page of the diary, one can sense the growing strength and maturity in the thoughts and actions of the young soldier. From his first day of training on the parade ground...I thought it was unbearable.", however"The results after two months were also brilliant."As he delved deeper into the battlefield, Nguyen Trong An was often assigned to reconnaissance missions, provide cover for marching units, or deploy formations to attack the enemy.Together with platoon leader Do The Huan, we went on a reconnaissance mission to guide the attack on the Duck Hill… We set off at 8 a.m., crossing many hills and ravines. Unfamiliar with the terrain and unaware of the activities of scouts and commandos, we proceeded cautiously. At times, we circled around the enemy's positions. Perhaps they sensed our presence and fired randomly… Our mission was to lead the way to provide cover. After crossing the Lap stream to the Monkey stream junction, we smelled the fragrant scent of lemons… there must be scouts there…”In another diary entry, he describes:The fighting started, it was intense… Everyone charged forward in a single thrust, accompanied by gunfire… We followed our comrades. After a while, I don't know if it was a mortar or a hand grenade, but it was incredibly fierce. They fired relentlessly, and the enemy also fired hard. Many comrades were wounded. I held two hand grenades firmly in my hands, my AK rifle slung across my chest. The Americans were really stubborn, I must say.…”.
Perhaps only a strong desire for peace and a deep love for family and homeland could give young people like Nguyen Trong An, who grew up during the war of national defense, the extraordinary strength to overcome such unimaginably difficult and brutal times. Along the march deep into the battlefield, before the beautiful natural scenery...It's absolutely perfect... I wish our unit could stay here for just a few days and enjoy the moonlight!", but in the midst of war, he secretly made a promise to himself.""Well, let's wait until peace comes. For now, let's rest and regain our strength for tomorrow's climb."On another occasion, although "weak and tired," as he and his troops passed through villages and fields, he was delighted to hear the dogs barking and felt a sense of peace."The scent of ripening rice is strangely fragrant, the scent of my homeland during the rice ripening season…".
Near the end of the diary entry dated August 5, 1970 (before Nguyen Trong An's death), the soldier expressed:“…I don’t like fighting… I don’t want to kill people. I want to live freely, peacefully, and happily with my elderly parents, my sister, and my younger brother. I want to sit in the beloved house that has sheltered me from the sun and rain since childhood… I will definitely not die; I will return to live warmly with my family.”
The dream of reunion for the fallen soldier was realized at the handover ceremony of the diary organized by the People's Committee of Yen Thanh District. The ceremony brought together the sister, nieces, and relatives of martyr Nguyen Trong An from all three regions of Vietnam: North, Central, and South. On behalf of the family, Ms. Tran Thi Mai Huong – an official from the International Relations Department (Government Office), and niece of martyr Nguyen Trong An – tearfully expressed her remembrance and gratitude to her uncle, who had a "small stature and a gentle smile." She also stated: "My extended family has been away from our homeland for decades, but today, thanks to the care and support of the government, various departments and organizations of Yen Thanh District, the Charitable Association, veterans, and comrades who fought alongside my uncle, we were able to organize this solemn, moving, and warm ceremony to receive the relics of our loved one. We are extremely grateful and deeply understand that no matter where we go, no matter how long we are away, our homeland and roots are always the place to return to…"
The war is long over, but the aspirations of youth, the beautiful memories of family and comradeship; the brutality and hardship of the battlefield; and the yearning for peace… recorded in the marching diary of martyr Nguyen Trong An serve as a message to his loved ones and future generations to never forget the pain, loss, and noble sacrifices of those who fell for the country to “blossom with independence and bear the fruits of freedom.” From this, each person learns to appreciate more the value of peace, prosperity, freedom, and happiness today…
