Grateful to the Heroic Vietnamese Mothers

Wiping away tears, they encouraged their husbands and sons to go to the front lines to defend the Fatherland, and many of their husbands and sons never returned; hiding their tears, they bravely continued to work and produce, supporting the front lines… The silent, great sacrifices of the Heroic Vietnamese Mothers have contributed to the glorious golden pages of our nation's history. The lives and immense contributions of these Mothers will forever be a shining example for generations to come to follow.

Activities to show gratitude to and care for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers are regularly carried out by youth union members in Vinh Phu commune (Vinh Tuong district).

We visited Heroic Vietnamese Mother Nguyen Thi Cun in Vinh Phu commune (Vinh Tuong district) on a day at the end of April, when the whole country was commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and the reunification of the country; many activities to express gratitude to wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, families of martyrs, Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, and those who have contributed to the revolution were being actively implemented by Party committees and authorities at all levels in the area.

Even though she is 98 years old, her eyesight is failing, and her hearing is no longer sharp, but her memories of her husband and son remain vivid. In 1968, answering the sacred call of the Fatherland, her husband, martyr Nguyen Kiem The, voluntarily enlisted in the army and fought on the Southern battlefield.

In September 1969, Mother Cún was devastated to receive the tragic news of her husband's death. Suppressing her grief and swallowing her tears, she resolved to be strong and steadfast, to be a pillar of support for her family, to care for her elderly parents, and to raise her five children to become responsible adults so that her husband could rest in peace.

Following in the family's revolutionary tradition, in 1970, Mother Cún's eldest son, Nguyễn Kiêm Giới, volunteered to join the army at the young age of 19, having just finished high school. Before her tears had even dried, and the pain of losing her husband had not yet subsided, in 1971, Mother Cún received another death notice for her son…

Youth union members and young people from Vinh Phu commune (Vinh Tuong district) visited and inquired about the well-being of Vietnamese Heroic Mother Phung Thi My.

Recalling the memories of bidding farewell to her husband and son as they left for military service, and then receiving two death notices for them, Mother Cún's eyes welled up with tears. On the day they left, both promised to return to her when the war ended and the country was peaceful and unified. However, that promise could never be fulfilled. On the day of the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country, Mother rejoiced in the shared joy of the entire nation, but also felt a personal pain because her husband and son would never return.

Heroic Vietnamese Mother Phung Thi My, from Vinh Phu commune (Vinh Tuong district), has received death notices twice for her husband, martyr Nguyen Cong Ty, and her son, martyr Nguyen Cong Tai. Wiping away tears with a handkerchief, Mother My choked back sobs as she recalled memories with her husband and her eldest son. At 90 years old, she still carries the heavy heart of not having found her husband's remains.

With the reunification of the country and the attention and support of Party committees and authorities at all levels, the family has found the grave of martyr Nguyen Cong Tai. The remains of martyr Nguyen Cong Ty are still being searched for, but there is currently no information available…

Following the end of the wars to defend the Fatherland, the entire province had more than 1,500 mothers awarded the title of Heroic Vietnamese Mother (currently, 11 mothers are still alive). Upholding the tradition of "drinking water, remembering the source," and in gratitude for the great sacrifices and contributions of the Heroic Vietnamese Mothers, in addition to fully implementing the preferential policies of the State, Party committees, authorities, and people throughout the province always focus on carrying out "gratitude and repayment" activities, caring for the material and spiritual lives of the Mothers.

Heroic Vietnamese Mother Phung Thi My stands beside a portrait of her son, martyr Nguyen Cong Tai. Photo: Tra Huong

Besides contributing to the "Gratitude and Repayment" Fund, many organizations, units, businesses, departments, and associations have carried out meaningful and practical activities to care for and support Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, such as building houses of gratitude; giving savings accounts; registering for lifelong care and support; regularly visiting and encouraging them; organizing visits and giving gifts to Vietnamese Heroic Mothers on holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year)...

Currently, 100% of surviving Vietnamese Heroic Mothers are cared for and supported for life by socio- political organizations, agencies, and units; 100% of families of meritorious individuals in the province have a living standard equal to or higher than the average living standard of the local people.

During wartime, Vietnamese Heroic Mothers encouraged their husbands and sons to go to war to defend the Fatherland, serving as a strong support and rear base for the front lines. After peace was restored, despite enduring immense suffering and loss, these mothers remained resilient, diligently working in production, raising their children and grandchildren to be good people, and setting a good example by participating in local activities and movements, contributing to the development of their homeland and country.

The silent, immense, and noble sacrifices of the mothers have further highlighted the beautiful qualities and virtues of Vietnamese women, serving as a beautiful symbol and a shining example of revolutionary heroism for future generations to learn from and emulate, striving in labor and study to build a more prosperous, beautiful, and civilized homeland, worthy of the sacrifices of countless generations of ancestors.

Le Mo

Source: http://baovinhphuc.com.vn/Multimedia/Images/Id/127172/Biet-on-Me-Viet-Nam-Anh-hung