A loyal and unwavering soldier.

(Baonghean) - Losing his parents early, he had to live as a servant and laborer, then the winds of revolution brought about a change in his life, escaping from a life of misery and hardship. When foreign invaders attacked, he took up arms again, his sacred love for his country never fading. Unfortunately, he fell into the hands of the enemy, but he still maintained the integrity of a Party member and a soldier… The person we are talking about is Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tam, from Dien Hoa commune (Dien Chau district).

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tam (right) reminisces about memories with his comrades and fellow soldiers.

With more than half a month to go until the Lunar New Year of the Goat, Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tam is quietly and meticulously trimming and watering the ornamental plants in front of his house. Few would imagine that this gentle, small-statured man was once considered a "ringleader" by the enemy and subjected to torture in an attempt to crush the fighting spirit of a communist. When a visitor arrives, he temporarily stops his work, goes inside to brew a pot of hot tea, and engages in a very open and friendly conversation.

Mr. Tam shared: “This spring I turn 84, my mind is still sharp enough to remember important things that have happened in my life. The only thing is, old wounds are recurring more often, my whole body is numb and aching, and I have to brace myself to cope. But that's also the inevitable part of old age; witnessing the changing life of my homeland makes me happy every day...”

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Tam was born in 1931, during the height of the Soviet revolutionary movement in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, and throughout the country. In those years, villages were desolate, and famine and cold were rampant, a consequence of the exploitative policies of the colonial-feudal regime. During that vulnerable period, Mr. Tam's parents both fell ill and died prematurely, leaving behind four young children; he was the third child, only about seven years old at the time. With their parents gone, the three brothers had to work as servants for wealthy families in the village, while the youngest lived with their grandmother. Mr. Tam was adopted by a wealthy farming family, his daily tasks being tending buffalo and cutting grass. It's impossible to recount all the hardships and difficulties of those days as a servant, lacking food, clothing, and medicine when sick. Nearly 80 years have passed, yet he still remembers the saying: "One trouser leg gets torn once in a while / The other leg gradually gets torn too." Tam's older brother, while tending buffaloes, was stung by wasps and died three days later due to lack of medicine. After some time, Nguyen Xuan Tam was taken in and cared for by his uncle, helping him with silkworm farming and weaving.

When the August Revolution broke out, at the young age of 14, Nguyen Xuan Tam already sensed that this was an extremely momentous event. Everyone's faces were beaming with joy, flags and flowers filled the streets, cheers resounded everywhere, and everyone eagerly joined national salvation organizations and groups. He also registered to join the National Salvation Youth Union, actively engaging in propaganda activities to help his neighbors understand the significance of the revolution, thereby strengthening their resolve to preserve the achievements already made.

When the French returned to occupy our country, responding to President Ho Chi Minh's call for "National Resistance," Nguyen Xuan Tam volunteered to join the militia. At the age of 17, he served as a civilian laborer on the front lines in the mountainous region of Son La. The following year, after three attempts at conscription, the young man from Phu Dien village failed all three times, mainly due to being underweight. On the fourth attempt, he received advice from an experienced person. Nguyen Xuan Tam put three stones in his pocket and dug up three large potatoes to eat before the examination. Sure enough, this time he met the criteria and was officially called up for military service. The young soldier marched with his unit to the Northwest, then circled to the battlefields of Laos to fight against the French, contributing to the overall victory of the army and people of the whole country.

During the brief period of peace between the two wars, Nguyen Xuan Tam participated in political training courses and then returned to serve as the Political Commissar of a 12.7mm artillery unit, belonging to the 341st Division. This was also the time when he had the honor of joining the Party. The US imperialists sought to replace France in the South, plotting to permanently divide our country, forcing the Vietnamese people to "cut through the Truong Son Mountains to save the country."

Among the troops advancing south, there was a small but brave and resilient soldier, a son of Dien Hoa. During the Tet Offensive (1968) in Hue, Nguyen Xuan Tam, as the political commissar of a Special Forces battalion, was tasked with raiding an enemy airfield. The fighting was extremely fierce and intense; the enemy, reinforced with large numbers of troops and advanced weapons, especially with the support of helicopters and tanks, inflicted considerable losses on our forces. Under heavy artillery fire, Nguyen Xuan Tam, holding a B40 grenade launcher, fired at a helicopter hovering overhead. A shrapnel from an enemy M79 grenade lodged in his chest and penetrated deep into his lung. His comrades carried him to the rear for treatment, and a comrade in the command post remarked, "You are truly a son of the Party!"

After the surgery, he was taken to Phong Dien commune (Quang Dien district, Thua Thien Hue province) for recuperation. Unexpectedly, the enemy surrounded him and took him to a secret bunker. The enemy landed from helicopters and used iron rods to search every nook and cranny for the secret bunker. Unfortunately, the bunker where Nguyen Xuan Tam was hiding was discovered, and he fell into enemy hands. However, before leaving the bunker, the political commissar had asked a local resident to bury his backpack full of documents, so the enemy knew nothing about the prisoner's identity.

Nguyen Xuan Tam was taken to Non Nuoc prison camp (Da Nang) and subjected to all kinds of torture by the enemy in an attempt to extract important information from us. He steadfastly claimed to be Nguyen Van Tam, a soldier, and that he had no other information. The enemy didn't believe him, saying, "You must be at least a lieutenant" (in reality, he was a captain at the time) and continued to torture him. Finally, they classified him as a "ringleader" and decided to exile him to Phu Quoc Island, considered a "hell on earth." There, the soldier continued to endure brutal tortures ranging from medieval to modern times, such as "being carried on an airplane" (hanging from a beam and being pushed back and forth), "being carried on a submarine" (head submerged), being beaten on the fingertips with a wooden ruler, having nails driven into his hands and feet, and being electrocuted in the mouth...

Knowing they could not extract any information from him, the enemy eventually had to send Nguyen Xuan Tam to solitary confinement. Prison could only confine the body of a communist, but it could not imprison his will, his unwavering spirit, or his indomitable will to fight. In solitary confinement, Tam gradually re-established contact with the Party organization within the prison and actively participated in secret struggle activities. From there, he launched hunger strikes demanding increased food rations, better medicine, the right to go outside to enjoy fresh air, and the opportunity to improve his knowledge and skills. His enthusiasm and active participation led to his growing prestige, and he was appointed deputy secretary, then secretary, of the Party Committee of Sub-division 4, Phu Quoc Prison. He regularly taught advanced classes to fellow prisoners, using geometric drawings and arithmetic on the blackboard to deceive the enemy, but in reality, he was teaching national traditions, the Party's revolutionary line, and the strength of our army and people.

Nguyen Xuan Tam's most notable achievement was directing his comrades to dig a secret tunnel leading to the coast, ready for an escape when the opportunity arose. The tools for digging were concealed spoons and forks; the means of transporting the soil were torn sacks sewn together; and the soil was hidden in long-abandoned wells. To deceive the enemy, they first had to dig a "deception" tunnel, meaning a tunnel dug in a different direction and deliberately left exposed. The main tunnel, over 60 meters long, took more than two months to dig, running under layers of barbed wire fences, then connecting to a white sand beach, a minefield, a thorny forest, a swamp, a coconut grove, before finding a boat to return to the mainland. Nearly 20 people were selected for the escape, mostly special forces, reconnaissance, and marine soldiers. Nguyen Xuan Tam remained alongside the prisoners, continuing the struggle, especially after discovering that over 20 prisoners had successfully escaped; the enemy intensified their search and rescue efforts with extreme harshness. The enemy even planted spies within the organization, secretly monitoring our activities. This scheme could not fool the seasoned communists. By adhering to operational principles, maintaining high vigilance, and being ready to sacrifice themselves when necessary, the organization's secrets remained secure, and at times even managed to win over those planted to monitor us.

The former Party Secretary of Sub-division 4, Phu Quoc Prison, shared his experience in the struggle: “The operating principles of the Party organization in prison have their own unique characteristics. First, absolute secrecy is essential; all information is communicated through coded signals. Those who join the organization must be truly honest; otherwise, sooner or later, it will collapse, and there will be very little chance of reintegration. In leading the struggle, the spirit of unity and harmony must be prioritized; only with unity in thought and action can victory be achieved...”

For Nguyen Xuan Tam, March 16, 1973, was a momentous day in his life, because on that day he and his fellow prisoners of war on Phu Quoc Island were officially released according to the Paris Agreement (January 27, 1973). Leaving that "hell on earth," he was able to return to the North for recuperation, and to be reunited with his homeland and family. Considering his circumstances after decades of fighting far from home, Nguyen Xuan Tam was granted permission by his superiors to transfer to the Vinh City Command (Nghe An province) and retired in 1977.

Locally, he remained enthusiastic and dedicated to social work, serving as a production team leader and then as Party branch secretary for many consecutive terms. His dedication, hard work, and intellect were always recognized by the local government and community with respect and admiration. He always kept the teachings of General Secretary Nguyen Van Linh as his guiding principle: "Live in prison with unwavering loyalty and integrity / Live outside with faithful and loyal hearts." His numerous medals for military achievements, glorious soldier medals, and resistance medals, along with a happy family and many children and grandchildren, speak volumes!

Cong Kien