Helping the people - a command from the heart.

During the 2024 rainy season, the Red River was muddy and turbulent. Floodwaters rose high and flowed fiercely. An unexpected incident occurred: the Phong Chau bridge collapsed. Amidst the complex weather conditions caused by the remnants of Typhoon No. 3, Brigade 249 mobilized over 200 officers and soldiers along with a large quantity of equipment to the Phong Chau wharf area to carry out their duties.

Recalling that time, Lieutenant Colonel Dao Van Hung, Deputy Commander of Brigade 249, recounted: “Following the instructions of the Commander of the Engineering Command, on the afternoon of September 28, 2024, the Brigade proceeded to launch the equipment to reinforce and assemble the bridge spans and wings. On the morning of September 29, the Brigade assembled the bridge spans and rotated the bridge wings, connecting the two banks. Afterwards, the unit coordinated with other forces to open the bridge, ensuring road traffic to serve the people.”

People from all walks of life bid a fond farewell to the officers and soldiers of Brigade 249.

Having served from the very beginning, Corporal Chu Duy Hieu, a soldier of Company 1, Battalion 1, Brigade 249, cannot forget the times he immersed himself in heavy rain and rough seas to build the pontoon bridge. Corporal Chu Duy Hieu shared: “For the people, we strived our best, regardless of hardship and danger. Witnessing the two banks being reconnected and the people happily walking on the bridge, all the hardships were dispelled.”

When the pontoon bridge was installed, every day, officers and soldiers of Brigade 249 would wake up at 3:30 AM to prepare for connecting the bridge. The lights flickered on the river's surface, and the soldiers silently carried out their duties, starting the new day to help people travel conveniently and smoothly. At 9 PM, the engineering soldiers were still busily cutting the bridge to allow watercraft to pass. At times, when the Red River's water level fluctuated erratically, the Brigade had to urgently cut the pontoon bridge and mobilize military ferries to transport people and vehicles across the river. Over a year of operation, the Brigade has ensured the safe passage of nearly 5 million people and vehicles across the bridge and ferry. In addition to ensuring traffic with the pontoon bridge, due to hydrological conditions and flow velocity exceeding the bridge's design, Brigade 249 had to convert the bridge into a 60-ton PMP ferry 27 times to promptly serve the people's transportation needs. At the pontoon bridge, the image of soldiers diligently pushing carts up the slope, assisting the elderly, leading children, and safely transporting the sick across the river left a deep impression on the local people.

The affection remains.

Throughout the mission, Brigade 249 consistently received attention and support from the Party Committee, government, military and police agencies, and local people. In particular, the close coordination and affectionate relationship between the Party Committee, government, and people of Phu Tho province and Brigade 249 served as a great source of encouragement and motivation for the officers and soldiers to successfully complete their assigned tasks. Witnessing the days of joint efforts between the military and civilians at the pontoon bridge, Colonel Do Huu Tiem, Political Commissar of Brigade 249, expressed: “The timely support, both material and spiritual, the heartfelt meals, the gifts, and the sincere encouragement from the people will forever be beautiful memories, leaving a deep and lasting impression on every officer and soldier of Brigade 249.”

The inauguration of the new Phong Chau bridge also marked the completion of the 249th Brigade's mission. Preparing for parting, a wave of affection and longing washed over them. To preserve the deep bond between the military and the people, the unit erected a small tent next to Tam Nong High School. Here, many local residents recorded their heartfelt and moving impressions. A heartfelt message from Nguyen Hong Hai of Tam Nong commune (Phu Tho province) read: “Amidst the sun, wind, and rain, the sounds of machinery and steel clashing, blended with the laughter and calls of the soldiers, created a vibrant and enthusiastic working atmosphere. Now that the Phong Chau pontoon bridge has completed its mission and the soldiers are returning to their unit, we, the people, cannot help but feel a sense of nostalgia. The pontoon bridge is not only a means of transportation but also a symbol of responsibility and the close bond between the military and the people. The soldiers are saying goodbye, but the feelings will remain.”

On the day of farewell, it was drizzling, and people from all directions arrived very early. Among the crowds heading towards the assembly area were elderly people, children, young people, women, and war veterans. Everyone was reluctant to say goodbye to the soldiers. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Truc from Zone 23, Van Xuan commune (Phu Tho province), embracing a combat engineer, said with a choked voice: “I will always remember the image of the soldiers helping push the carts across the bridge up the hill. Whether it was sunny or rainy, day or night, they were always dedicated to helping the people. Now that they are gone, the people will miss them very much!”

The image of the Engineering Corps soldiers at the pontoon bridge, wholeheartedly and devotedly serving the people, is simple, humble, yet profoundly beautiful. It's as beautiful as the simple, sincere verses that veteran Vi Văn Định, Head of the Veterans' Liaison Committee of the 355th Division in Phú Thọ province, dedicated on behalf of the people to the officers and soldiers of the 249th Brigade before their march:

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/nuoi-duong-van-hoa-bo-doi-cu-ho/bac-nhip-cau-thuong-nho-trong-long-dan-1020347