Heroic action in "fire coordinates"

  In 1970, young Mai Ngoc Thoang, a Muong ethnic minority native of Ngoc Long, Ngoc Trao commune, Thach Thanh district (now Ngoc Trao commune), Thanh Hoa province, volunteered to join the army at the age of 17. During the 81-day and night campaign to protect Quang Tri Citadel in 1972, Mai Ngoc Thoang Tri was a Corporal, Squad Leader, Signal Company 18, Regiment 48, Division 320B (now Division 390, Corps 12). Now, at the age of over 70, he still remembers clearly the fierce days of the Citadel. There, the cadres and soldiers of the entire front were loyal to the oath "Quang Son remains, Quang Tri remains" which was deeply engraved in the hearts of every soldier, turning their will into extraordinary strength in the face of the enemy's bombs and bullets.

Corporal Mai Ngoc Thoang at the Citadel battlefield, Quang Tri in 1972. Photo provided by the character

After many fierce battles with the enemy, on May 1, 1972, the entire Quang Tri town was liberated. At that time, our army took advantage of the victory to advance with the intention of liberating Thua Thien Hue. At the same time, the US and puppet forces decided to mobilize all their forces to launch a counterattack in order to retake Quang Tri town, ensuring that they could plant the flag on the Citadel to announce to the world that the Citadel had fallen into enemy hands, in order to put pressure on us at the Paris Conference.

The voice of People's Armed Forces Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang dropped at the exchange night: "Proud of tradition - Continuing the feat": "On July 13, 1972, when I had just returned from reconnecting the broken line, I heard that 3 comrades in the squad had sacrificed their lives while performing the task of reconnecting the communication line across the Thach Han River. The grief for my comrades had turned into hatred for the enemy. In the critical situation, Quach Manh Nhac and I, from the same hometown of Thach Thanh, Thanh Hoa , volunteered to take on the task that the 3 comrades who had sacrificed their lives had not yet completed. The Thach Han River at that time was raging and fierce due to the enemy's fierce artillery fire. Nhac was on the shore in charge of filming, I swam out to the river to find the location of the broken line, when I discovered the end of the line was broken in the middle of the river, there was no other way, I used my own two jaws to bite down tightly, reconnecting the communication line".

In 1973, Corporal Mai Ngoc Thoang was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State when he was only 20 years old. Photo provided by the character

That extraordinary brave action of Squad Leader Mai Ngoc Thoang ensured the smooth flow of communication. Thanks to that, orders from the command post to all directions were transmitted smoothly, directly to General Vo Nguyen Giap, who promptly transmitted the order to mobilize the 48th Regiment to organize and break the enemy's attacks, contributing to maintaining and protecting Quang Tri Citadel during the 81 historic days and nights. After this action, in 1973, he was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the State when he was only 20 years old.

Emotional exchange and lessons for today

The story of Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang is not only a glorious page in history but also a vivid source of inspiration for today's young generation. This is further demonstrated in the exchange program "Proud of tradition - Continuing the feat" of the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command. Here, Mr. Thoang himself directly recounted the story of his action of using his teeth to connect the rope. The honest and simple story of a soldier who lived through the days of "blood and flowers" made the delegates and the television audience extremely impressed and moved.

Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang at the exchange night "Proud of tradition - Continuing the feat" organized by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command.

The exchange event took place on the occasion of the release of the film "Red Rain" by the People's Army Cinema in theaters. This is a meaningful coincidence, helping the younger generation to visualize more clearly the sacrifices and contributions of the previous generation. The spirit of Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang is not only the courage when facing bombs and bullets, but also the strong will to overcome all difficulties to complete the mission.

For today's young generation, life is no longer filled with fierce wars, but "wars" on the economic, scientific and technological fronts are still taking place every day. His courage and dedication are not only meaningful in wartime, but also a valuable lesson in peacetime. It is the spirit of daring to think, daring to do, daring to face challenges to build an increasingly prosperous country.

The Journey Continues and Messages

Even after being discharged from the army, Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang continued to contribute to his homeland, becoming a shining example in his daily life. He participated in social activities and local leadership, was elected by the people as Head of the Neighborhood, then Secretary of the Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of the ward in Bim Son town (old). His life was a complete epic, not only on the battlefield but also in daily life.

The story of the action of maintaining the communication network of People's Armed Forces Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang left an emotional impression on today's young generation.
Delegates attended the exchange program "Proud of tradition - Continuing the feat" organized by the Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command.

Every year, on the occasion of Independence Day, in his cozy house, he always reminds his children and grandchildren that the value of peace and independence today had to be exchanged for the blood and bones of many generations of fathers and brothers. He tells the younger generation born and raised in peace to appreciate and remember that great contribution to live a worthy life and continue to build a prosperous country.

The 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2 is not only an occasion to remember, but also a reminder of the responsibility of the younger generation in preserving and promoting the values ​​that our ancestors paid for with their blood and bones. Every success in studying, every initiative at work or every beautiful action in life is a way for us to continue and promote the revolutionary ideals of our ancestors. The story of Hero Mai Ngoc Thoang will forever be an endless source of inspiration, urging us to live with ideals and aspirations to be worthy of the great sacrifices of previous generations.

Article and photos: HOANG KHANH TRINH

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/80-nam-cach-mang-thang-tam-va-quoc-khanh-2-9/anh-hung-mai-ngoc-thoang-suc-song-cua-ly-tuong-cach-mang-trong-the-he-tre-844234