Hero Phan Dang Cat in the memories of those who remain

Memories of those who stay

In the middle of hamlet 2, Hung Tan commune (Hung Nguyen), there is a house of gratitude built by the Air Defense - Air Force, which has now become a place to worship martyr Phan Dang Cat (1940-1964). This is where the hero cried when he was born, began to walk slowly and said goodbye to his parents and brothers to join the army. This is also where his relatives waited for him to return home on leave to enjoy a family reunion meal, but the reunion was not successful when he fell from a bomb on August 5, 1964.

In that house, the younger brothers of martyr Phan Dang Cat could not hide their emotions, their eyes filled with tears when talking about their brother. Mr. Cat has two older sisters, Phan Thi Lien (born in 1935) and Phan Thi Lan (born in 1938). He has four younger brothers, Phan Thai Duong (born in 1947), Phan Dang Mao (born in 1951), Phan Dang Son (born in 1957) and Phan Dang Thuy (born in 1963).

The house of gratitude built by the Air Defense - Air Force for the family of martyr Phan Dang Cat. Photo: Cong Kien

The two older sisters left home early, the person closest to Mr. Cat was Phan Thai Duong, because the two brothers were born next to each other, when he was a child Mr. Duong was carried and pampered by his older brother. Mr. Duong's memory always retains the image of his fair-skinned, gentle older brother, always giving in to his younger brother from cakes, sweet potatoes to bowls of rice during floods.

Like many other families in Hung Tan, Mr. Phan Cuc and his wife (father and mother of martyr Phan Dang Cat) depended on farming to raise their young children. The old man also had a carpentry job, during the off-season he went to the lower hamlets and upper hamlets to make beds, tables, chairs and other utensils for the villagers.

As the eldest son, after school, Phan Dang Cat helped his parents herd cows, weed, and harvest. Every time he went to the fields to herd cows, Cat would always bring home some tilapia and snakehead fish, so the whole family would have a fresh meal. Naturally gentle and friendly, after finishing school, Cat was sent by the local authorities to study nursing, and after a while, he returned to serve the villagers and commune.

Martyr Phan Dang Cat. Photo: GĐCC

In 1961, Phan Dang Cat joined the army and became a soldier of the 138th Artillery Company, Air Defense Regiment 280. The unit was stationed in Nghi Xuan (Ha Tinh), carrying out the task of protecting the airspace and key projects of Vinh town. In a letter home, Mr. Cat told about his training, studying and living in the unit, and once he reported the good news that he was assigned by his superiors to be the Gun Squad Leader.

Only 14km from home, but it was not until about two years later that Phan Dang Cat took a leave to visit home and get married. His wife was Ho Thi Sam, a few years younger than him, from the same village. The two were classmates, participated in the same youth union activities, and then secretly fell in love without anyone knowing.

The wedding was simple but very happy and cozy, the two families and friends gathered together with a few plates of peanut candy and a pot of green tea. A week later, Mr. Cat said goodbye to his family to return to his unit. That day, Ms. Sam saw her husband off a long distance, all the way to the middle of the field...

Mr. Phan Thai Duong (younger brother of martyr Phan Dang Cat) emotionally recounted memories of his fallen brother. Photo: Cong Kien

Around mid-1964, the family received another letter from Mr. Cat, saying that he would be home on leave in early August. The letter brought joy and excitement to all family members. In late July, the old man went to the fields to catch some perch and snakehead fish and released them in a puddle next to the well, waiting for Mr. Cat to return to cook vinegar, a dish he loved very much.

The old lady took out the fragrant sticky rice she had stored for a long time to dry, planning to treat the whole family to a sticky rice meal on this occasion. Sister Sam and her siblings were eagerly waiting for brother Cat to come home early so they could have a family reunion meal.

Deep affection

On August 5, 1964, after lunch, suddenly there were continuous explosions. Looking in the direction of the explosions and the columns of smoke rising high, Mr. Phan Cuc said: "American planes attacked the position of Cat's unit!". In the afternoon, in the same direction, explosions rang out again. This time, the explosions lasted longer, and the columns of smoke spread out wider.

Looking in that direction, old lady Phan Cuc could not hide her worry: “They are attacking Cat’s unit again!”. No one was interested in eating dinner, the pot of rice was almost intact. That night, the old lady did not sleep a wink. As for Ms. Sam, she kept going in and out, trying to hold back her anxious sighs.

Martyr Phan Dang Cat was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces in 2014. Photo: Cong Kien

The next day, someone stopped by to inform him that Phan Dang Cat had been killed in the battle against the American planes the day before. Twice hit by rocket shrapnel, he still raised the command flag. The third time, he fell in the middle of the bunker, his blood staining the flag red.

That morning he completed the leave procedures, finished lunch and was about to leave when the enemy planes arrived. He decided to stay and fight with his comrades, and he sacrificed himself… Hearing the news, the whole family was devastated, the family reunion during his days off did not come true.

When Phan Dang Cat fell, his hatred rose to the utmost, his pain was unbearable. While working as a youth union officer, his younger brother Phan Thai Duong signed up to join the army to avenge his brother. But when considering his circumstances, the local leaders did not approve and arranged for him to study medicine. From then on, he pursued a career in healing and saving people, before retiring as the Director of Hung Nguyen Hospital.

Mr. Phan Cuc (father of martyr Phan Dang Cat) took a souvenir photo with General Vo Nguyen Giap. Photo: GĐCC

Mr. Duong's younger brothers all joined the army and fought on the battlefields. Mr. and Mrs. Phan Cuc became pensive, suppressing their pain and burying it deep in their hearts.

Each person bears a pain. Ms. Ho Thi Sam seemed to have reached the pinnacle of suffering. Because, after only 7 days of being a wife, just getting used to her, not yet having children, her husband left. After two long years of waiting for the day of reunion, her husband suddenly sacrificed himself on the day he was allowed to go home on leave. She was as quiet as a shadow, her tears soaked her pillow every night.

She was recruited to work as a commercial officer in Vinh, going to work in the morning and returning home in the evening on an old bicycle. Mr. and Mrs. Phan Cuc loved their daughter-in-law very much, and advised her that she was still young and had a long life ahead of her, so she should remarry. She hesitated for a long time, and after 7 years she finally agreed to marry. Her husband was from Do Luong, and the two moved to Hung Tan to live. The couple and their children often visited Mr. Phan Cuc's house, as if they were grandchildren in the family, and were present in all the joys and sorrows.

The pride of family and comrades on the day of posthumous award of the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces to martyr Phan Dang Cat (2014). Photo: GĐCC

Both Mr. and Mrs. Sam passed away from serious illnesses. Following in their parents’ footsteps, their children still visit the family of martyr Phan Dang Cat and still consider themselves descendants of the family. This means that the affection is still deep and strong, even though time is getting farther and farther away…

In the first days of August, relatives, friends and comrades sadly remember Phan Dang Cat - the brave hero who fell in the first battle against the Americans in the North. He fell so that his homeland and country could be reunited forever.

Cong Kien