Meet the character in the poem "Thanh Chuong Girl"

(Baonghean.vn) - 51 years ago, at 3:15 p.m. on March 19, 1965, many administrative, industrial, and transportation facilities... in Thanh Chuong district were simultaneously attacked by American aircraft. This fierce battle has been mentioned in many documents, especially the article: "Thanh Chuong won the first battle" and the poem "Thanh Chuong girl" by journalist Quang Huy, a reporter for Nghe An newspaper, who was present directly at the battle.

We were lucky to have the opportunity to meet again the "Thanh Chuong girl" of that time. That is Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa, 76 years old this year, living in Dai Dinh village, Thanh Van commune (Thanh Chuong).

Born in the year of Canh Thin (1940), growing up after the resistance war against French colonialism, like many friends of the same age, Nguyen Thi Hoa dreamed of contributing to the country's construction. At the age of 18, she left Dai Dinh village to join the Cu Chinh Lan Youth Volunteer Group, directly opening roads in the Western region of Nghe An.

Mrs. Hoa with souvenirs associated with "Thanh Chuong girl".

In 1964, after completing her mission, she returned to her hometown and worked as a worker at Thanh Chuong Sugar Factory, a newly established industrial facility. Being healthy and hard-working, she was trusted and assigned as the production shift leader. Life was peaceful until on the afternoon of March 19, 1965, "American invaders came to spray black smoke into the blue sky" and the entire Truong Dung area (Thanh Chuong Town today) was covered in bombs and bullets.

Military units, self-defense forces of sugar factories, paper factories, agricultural tools factories, food warehouses... fought back fiercely. Through the battles, many brave examples emerged. At the end of the battle, Thanh Chuong district organized a summary to draw lessons and commend the achievements. Nguyen Thi Hoa was voted the best female self-defense force of the sugar factory, the leading unit in the fight against sabotage war, was admitted to the Party, and was sent to report on typical examples in the province, Military Region and many other places.

During that time, a teacher at the University of Fine Arts sculpted a statue of a Thanh Chuong girl with a "glittering gun on her shoulder" that once touched the hearts of many people.

Mrs. Hoa and her teammates recall memories of the war.

After these battles, Nguyen Thi Hoa was mobilized by Nghe An Provincial Military Command to reinforce a military unit. In 1969, after leaving the army, she returned to work at the sugar factory which had moved to Anh Son. After that, she was transferred to the fish sauce factory, the phosphate factory in Thanh Chuong, the Song Lam porcelain factory in Ha Tinh and finally the Herbal Oil factory in Nghia Dan. In 1988, she retired. She now lives alone in Dai Dinh village, Thanh Van commune, surrounded by the love of friends, neighbors and brothers.

Mrs. Hoa returned to the old battlefield.

Although she is 76 years old this year, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoa is still healthy. In her small, simple house, she still keeps many souvenirs, especially the photos that journalist Quang Huy took years ago on the battlefield. All have yellowed with time but are still intact.

Especially the heroic memories of the battles and the pride of her homeland and comrades. More than 50 years have passed, but the warm greetings and encouragement: "Hello Thanh Chuong girl" from provincial leaders, Military Regions and friends at typical conferences still go on throughout her life. Because that is the recognition, the source of encouragement not only for her, for the Thanh Chuong girls but also for her homeland, the heroic "Soviet fields" as in the poem of journalist Quang Huy...

Tran Dinh Ha

(Thanh Chuong Radio)