Female former Youth Volunteer tells the story of meeting and taking a photo with Uncle Ho
(Baonghean.vn) - The photo taken with Uncle Ho at the Northern Youth Volunteer Emulation Congress in 1967 has always been cherished by former female volunteer Nguyen Thi Van, considered a treasure. And his teachings have always been engraved in her mind.
Live Memorial Service on the Battlefield
In June 1965, Nguyen Thi Van volunteered to join the Quang Binh Youth Volunteer Force and was assigned to Squad 5, Company 755, Team N75, Ward 31. The unit was tasked with clearing roads and filling bomb craters on Routes 12 and 15.
This 18-year-old girl herself could not have imagined that she could survive and stay on this front line during the years of fierce American bombardment from 1965 to 1970. But then, her love for her homeland and her hatred for the enemy became the strength for her to fight and win.
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| Youth volunteers filling bomb craters. Photo: Archive |
The former Youth Volunteer Girl Nguyen Thi Van recounted: “On the very first day of entering the war, I had to endure a mental shock when witnessing the violent and tragic deaths of 6 comrades who were hit by enemy bombs. The sisters had just had dinner with me when the flares went out, American bombs covered us and everything melted into the ground.”
On the battlefield, hardship and fierceness, life and death were always close, gradually Nguyen Thi Van and her teammates overcame their fear, threw themselves into the task of clearing forests and mountains to open supply routes for the Southern battlefield to fight the Americans.
“After the bombing raids, I gradually got used to it. Bombs and bullets, and the tiring work of breaking rocks to clear roads no longer scared me...”.
On this vital road connecting the East Truong Son and West Truong Son, the enemy bombarded day and night. The bombings and the spraying of toxic chemicals did not make the Youth Volunteers falter, but only fueled their heroic will. Bomb craters were quickly filled, one person fell, another took their place, so that the road was not blocked, and goods were not blocked...
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| Former female Youth Volunteer Nguyen Thi Van talks about the times she had a live memorial service. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
Truong Son Road, the soil is red because it is mixed with the blood and sweat of thousands of Youth Volunteers who paved the way. Mass graves keep popping up.
Former Youth Volunteer Nguyen Thi Van said: “In July 1966, km 465 of Route 12 was the focus of fierce American bombing. The radius of 2 km around km 465 was dense with bomb craters. We were ordered to join Company 759 to fill in the craters and clear the road for vehicles. On July 3, 1966, the enemy bomb hit the formation of Company 759, burying 7 people. We dug and searched but found no results. Hill 37 (named after the day the event occurred) became the common grave of 7 Youth Volunteers.”
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During the 5 years of participating in road construction and filling bomb craters on the Truong Son route, Nguyen Thi Van was close to death many times and many times she and her teammates were given a live funeral before going on duty. Former Youth Volunteer Nguyen Thi Van recounted: In 1968, Squad 5 was assigned to fill bomb craters at coordinates 466 - one of the key points that was fiercely bombarded by the enemy. Everyone determined that "9 lost, 1 remained" so the unit organized a live funeral for the entire squad. Before the mission, each person's profile was read out, and their belongings were recorded and left behind. We carried hoes and shovels and set off... But then it seemed like the bombs and bullets avoided us. After the bombs were gone, we went back to digging and filling, determined not to let the road be cut or blocked."
Lucky to meet Uncle Ho
Besides the living memorial service, the most memorable memory of Ms. Nguyen Thi Van's life as a Youth Volunteer was meeting Uncle Ho. Ms. Van continued: In January 1967, I was sent to attend the Youth Volunteer Emulation Congress of the whole North. When we said goodbye, some friends said: "You will definitely meet Uncle Ho at this meeting." That was also the long-standing wish of Youth Volunteers like us.
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| Photo of former female Youth Volunteer Nguyen Thi Van (far left) who was lucky enough to take a photo with Uncle Ho. Photo: NVCC |
Upon arrival, the Organizing Committee gave priority to the delegations of Quang Binh and Nghe An to sit in the first row. The hall was silent as comrade Ta Quang Chien - Deputy Secretary of the Youth Union of the Ministry of Transport read the report. Suddenly, on the position of the Presidium, Uncle Ho and comrade To Huu appeared, the whole hall rushed to welcome Uncle. Uncle smiled, looking at us all. Uncle told the children to return to their seats so that the congress could continue working, but no one wanted to return, they just clung to Uncle. Uncle was so simple and close!
Comrade Ta Quan Chien - Chairman of the delegation invited Uncle Ho to speak. Uncle Ho asked: "Can you see me clearly?". The whole hall answered in unison: "Yes, Uncle!". Uncle Ho asked the Chairman of the delegation for permission to speak to the congress.
Uncle Ho was very pleased that our youth had achieved many good feats, worthy of being heroic youth of a heroic nation, our Vietnam was becoming more and more heroic! During the resistance war against the US to save the country, our people fought harder and harder, and won more and more great victories. At the first Congress of Emulation Fighters (1952), we only had 7 people honored as heroes. At the second Congress of Emulation Fighters, there were 95 more heroes. At the third Congress of Emulation Fighters, there were fewer heroes. At the fourth Congress of Emulation Fighters Against the US to Save the Country, we had 111 heroes. Of the 111 honored heroes, 44 were young heroes. Uncle Ho was even more pleased that among the 44 heroic youths, 12 were female heroes. So there are more and more female heroes.
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| Youth volunteers against the US carried ammunition boxes to support the southern battlefield. Photo: Archive |
Uncle advised, “Any child who has been honored as a hero should keep it, and any child who has not been honored as a hero should try to become one.” Then Uncle introduced comrade To Huu to recite the best poem for the congress. Comrade To Huu said, “There is no best poem, and if there was a best poem, it would be meaningless today. The only best poem is Uncle Ho’s teachings today.”
Then comrade To Huu recited four verses of Uncle Ho's poem:“Nothing is difficult/ Only fear that the heart is not steadfast/ Digging mountains and filling seas/ With determination, one can do it”... Uncle Ho stood up and asked permission to leave the conference. After Uncle Ho left, the entire conference hall was silent for a long time before continuing to work.
After the congress, I returned to my unit. My friends ran out to welcome me and the first question was, “Did you get to meet Uncle Ho?”. I told everyone about it with joy and pride. My friends and comrades said, “You are the luckiest person!”
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| The photo taken with Uncle Ho is always cherished by Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van. Photo: Thanh Cuong |
Luckily, not long after, a delegation from the Central Government passed through the unit and gave me a photo of "The Youth Volunteer Delegation of Quang Binh and Nghe An with Uncle Ho". This photo has been with me throughout the years on the Truong Son road and until now" - Ms. Nguyen Thi Van had tears in her eyes.
“I am the luckiest person! To have met Uncle Ho, to have lived, studied and worked according to his teachings. As for my comrades, many of them fell on the battlefield, on the fierce Truong Son roads, carrying with them the wish to meet beloved Uncle Ho once.”
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Van never forgot Uncle Ho's teachings. She always tried to become a "hero" in every part of her work, from the Youth Volunteers Company Leader, to the Secretary of the Quang Binh Port Youth Union, then the staff of the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee's Propaganda Department, and the staff of the hamlet. As for the photo taken with Uncle Ho, she enlarged it and hung it solemnly in her family's small house in Hung Loc commune, Vinh city./.
