Soldier love story

Visiting the home of veteran Nguyen Tan Phuoc (72 years old) and his wife, in residential group 1, Tran Hung Dao ward (Quang Ngai city), we were impressed by the portrait of them when they were young, taken in 1972. Mr. Phuoc recalled, this photo was taken when I was 19 years old, at that time I had participated in the revolution for more than 1 year. With the revolutionary tradition of my family, in 1971, I volunteered to join the local guerrilla team in Binh Chau commune (Binh Son). More than 1 year later, I was assigned to work in the district security department, and in 1973 I received a task at the provincial police.

Veteran couple Nguyen Tan Phuoc and Nguyen Thi Than, in residential group 1, Tran Hung Dao ward (Quang Ngai city) look at their portrait taken in 1972.

Continuing her husband's words, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Than (69 years old), from Tinh Son commune (Son Tinh) said, this portrait of me was also taken in 1972. At that time, I was only 16 years old, working as a liaison in Son Ha district. My whole family participated in the resistance war, so at the age of 14, I joined the youth volunteer force. In 1972, I was assigned to work as a liaison and guide in mountainous districts such as Son Ha and Ba To. During those years, I almost never returned home, mainly staying at liaison stations to perform my duties.

During the arduous years of resistance, facing many dangers, both Mr. Phuoc and Mrs. Than upheld their sense of responsibility and excellently completed their assigned tasks. Talking about their fateful meeting 51 years ago, Mr. Phuoc and his wife are still moved. “We first met in 1974. At that time, I was on a mission to lead prisoners of war, and she was delivering mail. While resting with my comrades in the mountainous area of ​​Ba Dien commune (Ba To), I accidentally met her who was also stopping there. We greeted each other for a few minutes and then continued on our mission. However, the impression of our first meeting made me and her unforgettable. She was very cute, agile and also very brave,” said Mr. Phuoc.

After that first meeting, just a few weeks later, Mr. Phuoc and Mrs. Than accidentally met again on a business trip. At that time, Mr. Phuoc made an appointment to visit the liaison station where Mrs. Than worked as soon as possible. “As promised, in the last days of 1974, he went with a friend to visit me. And we made a promise to wait until the day the South was liberated and the country was unified to consider getting married,” Mrs. Than confided.

After the liberation day, because they were still young, Mr. Phuoc and Mrs. Than put aside their personal matters to continue studying and improving their qualifications. Because they were far apart, they only expressed their feelings through letters. In March 1979, Mr. Phuoc was mobilized to do international duty in the Cambodian battlefield, while Mrs. Than worked at the Son Tinh District Post Office. In 1980, during a leave to return home, Mr. Phuoc and Mrs. Than got married after more than 6 years of loving and waiting for each other.

Also comrades and teammates during the resistance war, more than half a century has passed, the love story of veteran couple Pham Minh Thu (73 years old) and Nguyen Thi Mau (72 years old), in Binh Bac village, Tinh Binh commune (Son Tinh) is not only a beautiful memory of a time of war, but also a vivid proof of a generation who lived their lives for the revolutionary ideal and knew how to sacrifice for each other and for the country. Mr. Thu and Mrs. Mau met for the first time on a business trip through Tinh Minh commune in 1973. At that time, he was a soldier in Company 284 of Son Tinh district, and she was working in military affairs in Son Tinh district. Their love blossomed during quick meetings on business trips, and so, their love grew through handwritten letters filled with love.

For more than half a century, veteran couple Pham Minh Thu and Nguyen Thi Mau, in Binh Bac village, Tinh Binh commune (Son Tinh) have always been happy together.

While the country was still at war, not knowing when peace would come, out of sympathy for the situation of the two, Mr. Thu's family and Ms. Mau's work unit agreed to organize a wedding for Mr. Thu and Ms. Mau to become husband and wife. "My father was a martyr, sacrificed in 1971, my mother died of illness in 1961, and my three younger brothers also died when they were young. At the time I joined the revolutionary movement and met him, I had no relatives, I was all alone. Mr. Thu was the eldest son in the family, so we were supported by relatives, agencies, and units to get married," Ms. Mau recalled.

The wedding of Mr. Thu and his wife was held simply and hastily in the early morning of November 26, 1974, lasting only a few hours. At nearly 9:00 a.m. that morning, receiving a reconnaissance report of an urgent situation, Mr. Thu returned to his company's combat position. In the midst of the war, they continued to encourage and wait for each other to overcome countless difficulties and join the fight for national independence.

Married in 1980, but Mr. Nguyen Tan Phuoc did international duty in the Cambodian battlefield until 1986 when he returned. During more than 6 years of international duty, Mr. Phuoc only had 2 leaves, so Mrs. Nguyen Thi Than in her hometown worked hard and took care of her 2 young daughters. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Mau raised 5 children on her husband's behalf. When her husband worked at the District Military Command, she single-handedly took care of the family. "Having the spirit of Uncle Ho's soldiers, people like my wife are not only brave and courageous in the resistance war, but also resilient, hard-working, sacrificing for their husband and children, taking care of the family in peacetime. Because of the nature of my job, I cannot be close to my wife and children to take care of them, so thanks to my wife's understanding and care, my children have grown up and become mature like today," Mr. Phuoc emotionally said.

The children are grown up and have stable lives of their own, while Mr. Phuoc and Mr. Thu are still together day and night. They not only live happily, being exemplary for their children and grandchildren to follow, but are also leading party members in local movements and activities. More than half a century has passed, and they are still together simply and firmly. Not only have they gone through war together, fought for revolutionary ideals, but they have also cultivated happiness together in peacetime, continuing to contribute to the development of their homeland and country.

Article and photos: HIEN THU

Source: https://baoquangngai.vn/xa-hoi/doi-song/202504/chuyen-tinh-nguoi-linh-74f086b/