Major General Cao Xuan Khuong and the letters that go through the years

(Baonghean) - One winter afternoon, we visited Major General Cao Xuan Khuong (former Deputy Commander of Military Region 4) and he told us about his memories of his military career. Looking at his appearance and smile, surely not many people would think that he is a general who has been through many battles, had moments facing many dangers, life and death were just a hair's breadth apart...

Memories of a soldier

Major General Cao Xuan Khuong, born in 1942 in Linh Son commune - Anh Son, a rural area considered to be the place where "red seeds" are nurtured. In 1960, when he was just 18 years old, like many friends of the same generation, Cao Xuan Khuong left his family, school and hometown to join the army to fight to protect the country. In nearly 50 years of military career, from a rookie to a major general holding the position of Deputy Commander of the Military Region, soldier Cao Xuan Khuong's footprints have been imprinted on fierce battlefields. The nerve-wracking, life-and-death battles with the Vang Pao bandits in upper Laos, then the 81-day and night campaign to protect Quang Tri Citadel, the Route 9-Khe Sanh campaign, and Route 9 Southern Laos all had the participation of the soldier from his hometown Linh Son, a region in the West of Nghe An.

Major General Cao Xuan Khuong

"The life and fighting of our generation of soldiers, we cannot tell all the dangers and hardships, there were times when the boundary between life and death was only separated by the trigger of a gun. But with faith and determination, with the love of comrades and teammates, we had enough spirit and strength to overcome" - Major General Cao Xuan Khuong began his confession. Spending almost an entire afternoon chatting, General Khuong told us many touching stories about comradeship, the love between the army and the people as well as the spirit and will of soldiers during the days when the whole country went to war, each village was a fortress. He still remembers clearly the days of fighting to protect Quang Tri Citadel (1972), his 8th Battalion was the first unit to enter the fighting position and also the last unit to retreat. The fighting was fierce and unequal, the enemy concentrated firepower causing us many casualties. In the unit, there was comrade Nguyen Duy Binh (from Hoai Duc - Hanoi) who was hit by a mortar shell in the eye. This soldier personally pulled out the shrapnel from his eye, bandaged the wound himself and decided to ask his superiors to let him continue to fight. That soldier is currently in Hanoi and is about to be awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

During the fierce confrontation in Quang Tri Citadel, in addition to constantly facing the danger of bombs and bullets, he and his comrades often suffered from illness and hunger. In the muddy cellars, soldiers still boiled water in an ango and canteen to cook porridge and then shared it spoon by spoon. Then came letters from the rear, the war was so fierce that some letters reached the unit when the sender had already died. The surviving comrades had to take turns writing letters back, saying that their comrades were busy working far away or on secret missions and had no time to reply. Therefore, the family and the rear could rest assured to live and work, waiting for the day of victory when the soldier would return. After the end of the campaign to protect Quang Tri Citadel, his battalion was awarded the title of Hero.

Another time, his company fought in the mountainous region of Quang Tri, because they were so engrossed in pursuing the enemy that they lost contact with the regiment for more than a month. He and his comrades had to cross the forest to find a way out while the enemy constantly surrounded them. In a close-quarters battle, Company Commander Cao Xuan Khuong was wounded in the arm and was promptly treated by his comrades. "We had to eat banana roots and forest leaves to survive and fight. Medicine was running out, but all the comrades in the unit tried their best to treat me, determined not to let my wound get infected" - Mr. Khuong recalled. Later, his unit found a village of the Pa Co ethnic group and was protected and sheltered by the people until they could contact the regiment and the regiment sent forces to relieve the siege. Here, the soldiers were loved by the people, considered as family members. Company Commander Khuong was not yet 30 years old at that time, with a gentle and scholarly appearance, so many Pa Co girls loved him. The most beautiful girl in the village, who was married and had a child, leaned over to him and whispered innocently and sincerely: "I like Khuong very much, but my husband isn't... dead yet!".

And the ageless letters

Major General Cao Xuan Khuong shared: "Many times, I have affirmed that in my life, I have two lucky things that not everyone can easily have. That is more than 15 years of fighting in the battlefield, many times facing "death's door" but still surviving to return to reunite with family and homeland. Secondly, I have a virtuous, loyal wife, full of sacrifice to help me stay confident in the face of arrows and bullets, especially in every moment of danger".

General Khuong's wife, Hoang Thi Dam, was born and raised in Linh Son - Anh Son. They were the same age, same village, studied in the same class and had feelings for each other since the days they went to school together. The country was in danger, after finishing secondary school, the son joined the army, the girl stayed home to work and then joined the ammunition transport group to serve the Laotian battlefield. Although they had not yet made a promise, both of them were looking forward to the day they would get married. Once, they had a reunion in Nam Can commune - Ky Son district (Nghe An), where the border between Vietnam and Laos is located. At that time, the young soldier Cao Xuan Khuong had just completed his rookie training and was assigned to Battalion 925 stationed in Ky Son, with the mission of suppressing bandits and maintaining stability in the mountainous border areas of Nghe An. The girl Hoang Thi Dam was on her way to carry food and ammunition across the border to serve the battlefield. The meeting only lasted a moment, because the soldier had to keep up with the unit on patrol, the girl also had to keep up with the porters on the front line, but for both of them that moment became eternal...

In times of war, the emotional bond between the front and the rear was letters. The same goes for General Khuong and his wife. Letters sent back and forth were the motivation, faith and hope that helped them to be determined to complete their mission well so that they could reunite one day. "Even during the fierce fighting days in Quang Tri Citadel, I still looked forward to her letters. Between the two battles, I took the time to sit down and write letters to send home. Therefore, in the most difficult and fierce places, I still nurtured hope and found life more meaningful" - Major General Cao Xuan Khuong confided.

His wife shared: "At that time, I was at home, both producing and participating in combat duty, and taking care of four young children, so I was very tired and busy. But every night, when the work was done and the children were asleep, I took out his letters to read again and sat down to write a reply. Writing letters and waiting for his letters helped me forget the hardships and difficulties...". It is worth mentioning that nearly half a century has passed, but the old letters are still carefully kept by my grandparents. General Khuong showed us a thick stack of letters, hundreds of which he arranged in chronological order, and each year he arranged them into small volumes and carefully noted them on the outside. Those letters have turned the color of time, but the handwriting is still very clear, as the feelings of the two people are always passionate, deep and fresh in the flow of life.

Major General Cao Xuan Khuong confided: "Retirement is often free, so sometimes I open and read old letters to relive the exciting days in the trenches and the value of the moments of waiting in love and marital affection." And we have asked for permission to quote a passage from the letter he wrote in 1972, during the days of fighting at Quang Tri Citadel: "Em Dam and the two children miss, love, and cherish you! I just wrote to you and your children half a month ago, when I received the two letters you sent to you in May and June of last year, in response to your wish to write to you often and regularly, today I continue writing this letter. There is nothing more than sending you all my love and affection. I hope you are always healthy and can overcome the moments of longing...".

Witnessing the warm, smiling and affectionate scene of Major General Cao Xuan Khuong and his wife with old letters, we truly "realized" what people often say: "True love has no age". And we call them letters that go with the years...

Cong Kien