Proud to be a soldier of Dien Bien Phu.

(Baonghean) - Now 85 years old and with nearly 55 years of Party membership, although his health has somewhat declined, the spirit and fighting will of a Party member and a soldier of Uncle Ho's army remain strong. He is Le Van Bao from Hamlet 7, Quang Son Commune, Do Luong District.

Born and raised in Quang Son, Le Van Bao had to drop out of school after completing the third grade due to poverty and work as a laborer for a landlord to earn a living. In January 1954, answering the call of the Fatherland, he volunteered to join the Youth Shock Troops and was assigned to Regiment 141, Division 98, Zone 4. When the Party decided to reinforce forces for the Dien Bien Phu Campaign, in April 1954, he joined the army, serving in Regiment 254, Division 312. His unit then marched to Phu Tho for a month of military and political training before participating in the second phase of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Although he only fought for a mere 15 days, the heroic memories of the Dien Bien Phu victory remain forever in his mind.

Mr. Le Van Bao

He was a combat engineer involved in transporting long explosive charges (1-meter-long explosive charges used to breach barbed wire fences) deep into the battlefield for special forces to destroy the fences and open a path for infantry to advance into the battle.

After liberation, his unit was assigned the task of transporting prisoners of war from Dien Bien Phu to Viet Tri. The images of the victorious Vietnamese soldiers against the French at that time remain vividly etched in his mind to this day. The tall, burly French soldiers, their faces gloomy with defeat, lined up, following the instructions of our troops to their base. He showed us his certificate of "Dien Bien Phu Soldier" badge, issued by the 312th Division on May 7, 1957. The paper had yellowed with time, but his face remained as radiant as a victor, as if it were yesterday.

Having spent over half a century working in various fields such as the Youth Volunteer Corps, the army, and as a cadre of the Northwest Regional Party Committee before transferring to Nguyen Ai Quoc School No. 6, he retired in January 1980. In every field he served, he performed his duties well. During his career, in 1958 he was honored with the Glorious Soldier Medal by the President of Vietnam, and in January 1972 he received the Victory Medal. Even now, despite his advanced age and declining health, and having retired from Party activities as per regulations, he still fully participates in Party branch activities and encourages his children and grandchildren to abide by the Party's policies and the laws of the State.

With the courage and integrity of a soldier of Uncle Ho's army and a Communist Party member like him, he is truly a role model for today's young generation.

Photo caption:Longevity