52 years living with a bullet in his head, the veteran still continues to contribute

(Baohatinh.vn) - With an 81% disability and 52 years of living with bullets, veteran Phan Van Dai (Ha Tinh) still affirms the spirit of Uncle Ho's soldiers and actively contributes to building his homeland.

For 52 years now, veteran Phan Van Dai (born in 1951), from Cho Dinh village, Trung Loc commune, now Dinh Cuong residential group, Dong Loc town (Can Loc), has had to cope with the excruciating pain of war because of a bullet in a critical position in his head that could not be operated on.

However, he is always optimistic, affirming his courage and intelligence, and striving to build his homeland.

During the resistance war against America to save the country, Mr. Phan Van Dai was shot in a particularly dangerous position in the head and could not be intervened.

After graduating from high school, following the sacred call of the Fatherland, in 1970, young Phan Van Dai put down his pen and joined the army. He was assigned to C7, K22, Military Region IV, and participated in a year of training in Cam Xuyen and Huong Son districts with the determination to soon go to the front line.

Then, the young man's wish came true. In March 1971, he was one of the elite soldiers of the Vietnamese volunteer army participating in the battle on the Southern Laos battlefield.

“I will always remember the fierce battle in Attapu province (Laos) in March 1972 when the Lao army and people, the Lao-Vietnamese coalition, confronted the US. Following instructions from our superiors, we pushed the enemy down to the Mekong River and captured and liberated the lower Lao Attapu area. The victory from this battle, combined with victories on the Lao battlefield and the victory of the Vietnamese army and people, forced the US imperialists to sign the Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam (January 27, 1973) and the Vientiane Agreement on Laos (February 21, 1973). With the achievements that my comrades and I achieved, I was honored to be awarded the Second Class Military Exploit Medal,” Mr. Phan Van Dai recalled.

Mr. Phan Van Dai's family was one of the first households to build a model garden, contributing to bringing Trung Loc commune (old) - Can Loc to the new rural finish line.

In the context of increased support for the battlefield in South Vietnam, at the end of 1972, Lieutenant Phan Van Dai and his comrades were ordered to withdraw their troops and return home. He and his troops marched from Laos to Kon Tum province (Vietnam), joined the 9th Regiment - 320th Division, and participated in the battle on the Kon Tum - Gia Lai battlefield from the end of 1972 to 1973.

In this battlefield, Lieutenant Phan Van Dai was assigned to a reconnaissance mission. On March 7, 1973, Lieutenant Dai was seriously injured while on a mission when he was tripped by an enemy mine.

“On a reconnaissance mission, that day there was me and a soldier from Ha Nam province. After falling into enemy territory, my comrades sacrificed themselves, I was seriously injured in the abdomen and head. The wound in the abdomen was operated on to remove the intestines and treat it, but the bullet in the head was in a dangerous position (occipital region, affecting epilepsy) so it could not be intervened. At the end of 1973, I was transferred to the North for treatment for more than a year. With an 81% disability, I was not qualified to continue participating in combat, so I was discharged and returned to my hometown. Over the past 52 years, every time the weather changed, the wound would sting painfully, but I always tried my best with the thought "I must live for my fallen comrades", as long as I have the strength, I must contribute to my homeland" - the old veteran confided.

The veteran believes that building a model garden is creating a space for himself to indulge his passion for taking care of plants, creating an environment to educate his children about love of work and love of life.

Returning to his locality, Mr. Phan Van Dai worked for 15 years at the Fatherland Front Committee of Can Loc district as a religious officer (from 1974 to 1989). With his practical experience and capacity, he and local Party committees, authorities at all levels, and socio-political organizations proactively grasped the situation, developed propaganda plans, and mobilized parishioners in the area to well implement the policies of the Party and State, "respect God and love the country", and build their homeland.

Promoting the good qualities of a soldier of Uncle Ho's Army, Mr. Phan Van Dai has always been a pioneer in the construction and development of his homeland. “My luck is that I married a wife who is "like-minded" and also a former soldier, so we do not hesitate to do anything that is beneficial to the country and the people. In the 1990s, implementing the policy of building the main canal system of Dinh Dam pumping station, my family pioneered in donating about 200 m² of land on Provincial Road 548 to the State. I also propagated and mobilized people in the affected area to donate land, contributing to the construction of modern canal infrastructure to promote the development of Ha Tinh's agricultural sector" - Mr. Dai recalled.

Mr. Phan Van Dai and his wife - former soldiers who were always pioneers in contributing to building their homeland.

Overcoming the subsidy period with countless difficulties and hardships, Mr. Phan Van Dai and his wife made great efforts to raise their children to adulthood. Following their parents' example, their four children have all become civil servants, state officials, and private enterprises, making positive contributions to society.

In the new rural construction period of 2017 - 2018, Mr. Dai's family was also the first household in Trung Loc commune (old) to pioneer in building a model garden, contributing to completing the criteria for production organization and rural economic development. The veteran always believes that, in addition to economic purposes, building a model garden is to create a space for himself to indulge his passion for taking care of trees; create an environment to educate his children and grandchildren about love of work, love of life, and pass on good spiritual values.

Mr. Phan Van Dai's family donated about 200 square meters of land on Provincial Road 548 to build the main canal of Dam Dinh pumping station.

Mr. Hoang Ba Hoan - Secretary of the Trung Dinh residential group Party cell, Dong Loc town shared: Party member Phan Van Dai was honored to receive noble awards from the Party and the State: 50-year Party membership badge, Second-class Resistance Medal. As a special 1/4 disabled veteran, 81% disabled, old age, poor health, he always actively participated in "giving advice" to contribute to building a clean and strong Party cell, taking the lead in the movement to build new rural areas in the locality. The good qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers in the past were clearly demonstrated through each action and work of the old veteran in the cause of building and developing his homeland.

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/52-nam-song-voi-vien-dan-trong-dau-cuu-binh-van-khong-ngung-cong-hien-post286519.html