Double joy for veterans in the mountainous region of Nghe An.

A new home filled with gratitude.

During the holidays, in Bai So village, Tam Quang commune (Tuong Duong district), walking along the alleys and past houses, you'll see red flags with yellow stars fluttering everywhere, and cheerful faces looking forward to the great national holiday.

With a radiant smile, standing in front of his newly built house, Mr. Dinh Xuan Thang proudly shared the "double joy" of his family and himself: "Thanks to the government's support of 60 million VND, along with the money my son sent back from working abroad for the past 5 years, my grandson and I have been able to build a sturdy house as we wished."

Mr. Thang's newly built house is located right on the edge of the road connecting National Highway 7A to Bai So village. Born in 1954, Mr. Dinh Van Thang returned to his hometown after fighting in the South and started a family. Four children were born one after another, and he and his wife worked hard to raise them, but even now, at 76 years old, he has not been able to build a new house.

The house where the couple had lived for more than half their lives was dilapidated, shaking as if it were about to collapse every rainy season. Each time it rained or stormed, he felt both fear and a longing for the day he would have enough money to build a new house.

“Five years ago, thanks to policy support and guidance from the local government, I was able to borrow money from the bank to send my son, Dinh Xuan Hai, to work in Japan. For five years, my son has worked diligently, and besides paying off the bank loan, he has also saved a little money each month to send home. Combined with the additional 60 million VND in government support at the beginning of 2025, I discussed with my son about building a new house. Now that the house is completed, my wish has come true, and I can confidently support my children in their work and business,” Mr. Dinh Xuan Thang shared emotionally.

Not far from Mr. Dinh Xuan Thang's house, Mr. Nguyen Huu Luc, also a veteran who fought in the Saigon battlefield, shared the same joy as his old house was renovated to be cleaner, more beautiful, and sturdier thanks to a 40 million VND grant from the State budget to support house construction and repair for those who have rendered meritorious service to the revolution.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Luc is 90 years old this year. He lives with his children and grandchildren in his old house, built more than half a century ago. Although the government provided assistance for building a new house, he only requested repairs because he wanted to preserve the memories, to keep the house that was once connected to his parents, and where he and his wife and children lived comfortably for almost a century.

“The house is still sturdy, only the walls, floors, and some of the wooden ceilings are damaged by termites, so I want to renovate it to preserve my cherished home. My children and grandchildren have their own houses, and my wife and I are very happy living in this house. Now, with the government's support of 40 million VND and additional contributions from our children and grandchildren, the house is very solid,” Mr. Luc happily expressed.

Double the joy!

With support for building and repairing houses, veterans and those who rendered meritorious services to the revolution in Tuong Duong district, such as Mr. Dinh Xuan Thang, Mr. Nguyen Huu Luc, Vi Van Oanh, etc., felt their joy doubled during the days when the whole country was celebrating the parade commemorating the 50th anniversary of national reunification.

“I am deeply moved that later generations have never forgotten history, the sacrifices and contributions of our ancestors. Through the information shared by my children and grandchildren on the press and social media, watching the parade and seeing the excitement of the people nationwide, I am reminded of the days of fighting in the past. And I feel that being able to return and enjoy the preferential treatment and care of the State and my descendants is a great happiness and good fortune,” Mr. Dinh Xuan Thang expressed.

Wounded soldier Dinh Xuan Thang recalled that at the age of 18, he applied to join the army. That was in 1973, and he became a soldier in the 731st Regiment, 331st Division, Military Region 5. He recounted that during his eight years in the army, he participated in many marches from Nghe An to Saigon. After three months of training, he and more than 400 comrades were transported by military vehicles to a staging area in Quang Binh and began a long march through the Truong Son mountain range along a liaison route to participate in the liberation of Saigon. His unit fought and marched, drinking stream water, sleeping in the mountains, and "traveling without leaving a trace, cooking without smoke" for more than a month before finally reaching the staging area.

In April 1975, Mr. Thang's unit was ordered to participate in the campaign to liberate Xuan Loc town in the Central Highlands. Shortly after the liberation of Xuan Loc, news of the victory and the liberation of Saigon erupted. After April 1975, his unit was ordered to garrison Kon Tum town, helping to maintain the government while assisting the people in production and reconstruction. Later, he and his comrades from Regiment 731 fought in Cambodia and the 1979 Border Campaign. In 1981, he was wounded in the head and transferred to the rear base, after which he was discharged and returned to his hometown.

Also a direct participant in the liberation of Saigon, in 1973, Mr. Nguyen Huu Luc went south to fight following the General Mobilization Order along with the miners of Nghe An province.

“That year, along with 300 comrades, we marched from Quang Binh to the South. The journey lasted over a month. There were days of heavy rain in the jungle, and we had to wade through streams with mud up to our waists. We ate rice balls mixed with mud and rainwater… Despite the hardships, no one wavered in spirit; we were determined to fight until victory. We will never forget the comrades who sacrificed their lives and fell on the battlefield,” Mr. Luc recounted emotionally.

Ms. Kha Thi Hien, Chairwoman of the Tam Quang Commune People's Committee, said that in this "campaign" to build and repair houses for poor households and those with housing difficulties, the entire Tam Quang commune has 39 houses, all of which were completed and put into use by the beginning of May 2025. Of the 39 houses, 4 were newly built and 35 were repaired for poor households and families with particularly difficult housing circumstances; 3 families of war invalids and those who contributed to the revolution received support for building or repairing their houses.

Hoai Thu