The diary that wandered halfway around the world.

The Museum of Military Region 3 currently houses a diary, with a brown cover and nearly 300 pages, belonging to martyr Nguyen Van Viet. According to the museum, this diary was donated by veteran Nguyen Van Nam, the younger brother and comrade of the martyr, from Le Chan ward, Hai Phong city.

Previously, from halfway around the world from the United States, Larry Luther, an American veteran, sent a diary and some relics of fallen soldiers to Vietnam, hoping that the authorities would help send these items back to the families of the martyrs. The first page of the diary had a photo of President Ho Chi Minh, and the second page contained the words "farewell diary to the port city," signed Nguyen Viet, mailbox 14947KJ...

Diary of martyr Nguyen Van Viet.

Martyr Nguyen Van Viet enlisted on April 21, 1966, at the age of 18. According to his family, he died on November 17, 1972, with the rank of Sergeant. Furthermore, since leaving for the South to fight, his family has received no further information, not even about his place of death or burial. In his diary, we find the image of his beloved (a girl from the same neighborhood named Nguyen Thi Tham) in the port city of Hai Phong, through the poems he wrote as a declaration of love and a promise: “Tomorrow, reunification/ When the ships arrive in the distant port city/ At that time, we will walk side by side on the streets/ Our love, Viet and Tham, will last forever…”

Reading the diary entries on faded, bullet-stained pages, we can feel the life, faith, and heroic spirit of the fallen soldier and his comrades on the thin line between life and death in the battlefield: “February 28, 1968, after more than a month of encircling eight enemy soldiers, I killed five, and for the past few days I've been scouting the enemy, but they haven't come out!... March 20, 1968, I shot one enemy soldier today, and for the past few days I've been operating regularly, but there are no enemy soldiers” – excerpt from the diary of fallen soldier Nguyen Van Viet.

The diary is one of the invaluable artifacts for educating about traditions; helping present and future generations to be more proud of and admire the immense sacrifices of their forefathers in the war of national liberation, regaining peace, independence, freedom, and happiness for Vietnam.

Text and photos: NGOC TRANG

* Please visit the section commemorating the 50th anniversary of the great victory of Spring 1975 to view related news and articles.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/cuon-nhat-ky-luu-lac-nua-vong-trai-dat-250772.html