Continuing the dream of the soldier at Rao Trang.
As National Day on September 2nd approaches, the hearts of every Vietnamese person turn towards their homeland with the most sacred feelings. In Truong Vinh ward, that love is evident in the deeply moving journey of Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh (born in 1993) - the wife of martyr Dinh Van Trung (born in 1984), a soldier who sacrificed his life during peacetime while on a rescue mission at the Rao Trang 3 Hydropower Plant.
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Thanh Quynh/Present:Hong ToaiAugust 20, 2026
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As National Day on September 2nd approaches, every Vietnamese person turns their thoughts to their homeland with the most sacred feelings. In Truong Vinh ward, that love is evident in the deeply moving journey of Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh (born in 1993) - the wife of martyr Dinh Van Trung (born in 1984), a soldier who sacrificed his life during peacetime while on a rescue mission at Rao Trang 3.
Rising above her loss, she donned her military uniform, becoming a comrade of those who had fought alongside her husband. For nearly six years, she has single-handedly raised her children, cared for her family, and strived to fulfill her duties, as a way of continuing the path her husband had taken.
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It's not easy to arrange a meeting with Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh, as her work at the unit and caring for her two young children almost completely fill her time each day. Nearly six years since her husband died in the line of duty, she has become accustomed to shouldering the family's burdens alone and has learned to live more strongly so that her children have a source of emotional support.
She still cherishes the simple memories of her husband. She recounts that she is from Hanh Lam commune, while Dinh Van Trung was born and raised in Ben Thuy, formerly Vinh city, now Truong Vinh ward. They met when she was a fourth-year student at Vinh University and he was working at the 80th Signal Brigade. Their love led them to get married in 2015. Their two children were born in 2016 and 2019, respectively.
Before his sacrifice, he was the 15W Station Chief, Company 6, Battalion 2, 80th Signal Brigade, 4th Military Region. The work of a signal soldier involves combat shifts, training sessions, and demands strict accuracy and caution. In his unit, he is always remembered by his comrades as a dedicated and responsible individual. Back home, he was a loving husband who shared household chores with his wife and a devoted father who made the most of his free time to be with his children.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh still remembers her husband's familiar words whenever he came home: "Just let me do the cleaning and cooking." At that time, their eldest daughter was only 4 years old, and their second child was only 11 months old. Their life then was very simple: family meals, the laughter of their children after each of his shifts. For her, those days were filled with immeasurable happiness.
Then, tragedy struck on October 12, 2020, while he was at home with his wife and children. In their small house, the couple were busy with their usual chores. Suddenly, he received orders to join a rescue team at Rao Trang 3. Immediately afterward, he departed with the team to Thua Thien Hue to carry out rescue operations in the Rao Trang 3 area.
It was almost noon. He was cooking while I took the baby to my grandfather's garden to feed her. When I returned after feeding her, I couldn't find my husband. I called him and found out he had received an unexpected assignment. Time was short, and all he had to tell me was, "Stay home and take care of the baby!"
Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh recounted
The next morning, while waiting for news from her husband, she received a photo sent by one of his comrades. In the photo, he was on duty, and the floodwaters had risen almost to his chest. She looked at the photo, her heart filled with worry. But she still reassured herself that he would return after completing his mission.
But that night, a landslide buried him and 12 other members of the task force at Forestry Station 67, on the way to Rao Trang 3. By evening, his body was found, much to the profound grief of his comrades. Thus, the husband and father of a family would never return home.
What tormented her most was a promise she hadn't been able to fulfill with him. Before he left, they had planned to take family photos when their second daughter turned one year old. Now, there was only a little over a month left until her birthday. But the promise of a complete family photo would never be realized.
Amidst those seemingly insurmountable days, she still received encouragement and support from both families, and especially the care and attention from the unit where her husband had previously worked.
Looking at her two young children and thinking about her husband who died while on duty, she understood that she couldn't remain consumed by grief. She encouraged herself to live, to work, and to raise her children.
And most importantly, she wants her children, when they remember their father in the future, to not only remember a separation, but also to be proud of the soldier who dedicated the best years of his life to duty and was ready to sacrifice himself for the country.
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In December 2020, nearly two months after her husband's death, Nguyen Thi Anh was officially recruited into the army with the rank of Lieutenant, serving as a military postal worker at the 80th Signal Brigade - the unit her husband had served in.
She recounted that, before her husband passed away, she worked as an office employee at a company after graduating from the Vietnamese Studies department of Vinh University. She never imagined that one day she would become a soldier.
In the early days of her assignment, everything from receiving, managing, and transferring official documents to the unit's work style, discipline, and schedules was new. The job demanded carefulness, accuracy, and sometimes required night shifts, but she didn't want her personal circumstances to become a reason for preferential treatment. She wanted to complete her work using her own abilities and sense of responsibility.
During the period of 2023-2025, despite her children being young, she diligently pursued further studies in document management and archiving at the Hanoi University of Culture. While attending classes, she relied on her father-in-law and her husband's sisters for childcare. Even on days when she was exhausted after work, she would continue studying, but she persevered to the end.
After much effort, she was transferred to the Headquarters Office. Her new job continued to require her to hone her professional skills and maintain meticulousness and carefulness in every task. Despite this, she strived to complete her duties well and gradually established herself in her work.
At home, her children are growing up day by day, cherishing warm memories of their father. Her son still remembers the times his father took him kite flying and taught him to ride a bicycle. The children are always diligent in their studies, achieving excellent results for many years in a row.
Nearly six years after the Rào Trăng incident, the lives of Nguyen Thi Anh and her children have taken a different turn. Although the soldier, husband, and father never returned, his legacy remains present in their small home, in the memories of their children, and in the very military uniform she wears every day.
Those who remain are continuing the journey of the fallen soldiers, so that love for the homeland is extended through people who know how to live responsibly towards their country, their comrades, and their families…
