On a chilly autumn afternoon, we visited the home of the veteran who is the author of the poetry collection “My Life Story”. That is Dr. Do Van Thong, former Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Political Theory - Ho Chi Minh National Academy of Politics. He lives in an alley located on Dang Thuy Tram Street (Nghia Do Ward, Hanoi).

Dr. Do Van Thong was born in 1952 in Phuong Son commune, Luc Nam district, Bac Giang province (now Luc Nam commune, Bac Ninh province). He was a student of the Physics Department, University of General Sciences. In 1972, he followed the call of the Fatherland and "put down his pen and went to war". He fought directly in the Tri - Thien battlefield, especially the 81-day and night campaign to protect Quang Tri Citadel.

Veteran Do Van Thong - author of the poetry collection "My Life Story".

The diary stained with smoke and fire

Meeting veteran Do Van Thong, we were impressed by his small figure, calm and gentle demeanor. Looking at the man with silver hair, few people could imagine that he had fought in one of the fiercest stages of the resistance war against America to save the country.

In his office, we saw a space filled with countless mementos of his life. It was not only a place where he composed and worked, but also a miniature museum of memories. All over the room were photos taken with his teammates and family, certificates and medals that he treasured and placed in a glass cabinet. Most special of all, lying neatly on the table was a faded diary, imprinted with the traces of time.

In the rare moments of rest between the moments of fighting, holding a pen to write has become a small joy. Nothing too big, the diary is simply a few lines of a young man's story, with the confusion, the first emotions, and difficulties in life when going to war. - he smiled, his hands gently smoothing the notebook. He thought:

When asked, the veteran clutched the diary tightly, rubbing his hand on the bullet-riddled hole. Perhaps, he was recalling memories of the past, when bombs and bullets rained down across the sky of Quang Tri . - he choked up as he recounted.

The diary through fire and bullets accompanied the soldier during the war years.

For that soldier, the diary has gone beyond the meaning of recording memories, it is the breath of youth, a part of his flesh and blood, a testament to his passionate patriotism. The diary now becomes a bridge between the past and the present, so that the years of youth on the battlefield are not forgotten. For that reason, the veteran is even more attached to and preserves the diary, wishing to show future generations the meaning of independence.

Poems that last through the years

Now, having retired, far from the years of war, veteran Do Van Thong returns to the simple joy of making friends with words. The diary through the fire and bullets also became the greatest source of inspiration for him to write a collection of poems about his life called “The Story of My Life”.

The poetry collection “My Life Story” is the author’s own reflections and experiences over a long period of 65 years. According to poet Quang Hoai (member of the Vietnam Writers Association):

The poetry collection "My Life Story" is a simple and sincere narrative about the life of Mr. Do Van Thong.

Silently turning each page, the lines of poetry imprinted with time immediately drew us into a heroic part of history: the 81-day and night battle to protect Quang Tri Citadel. In that fierce battlefield, countless outstanding sons of the Fatherland lay dead. Their blood and bones merged into the motherland, melting into the endless flow of the Thach Han River.

Cherishing the commemorative photo of the Physics class K14 enlistment day in the poetry collection, his trembling hands ran over the faces of each of his old comrades, recounting the unforgettable years. In the photo, the colors had faded, many details had faded, but the smiles on the lips of the young soldiers never faded. He choked up as he pointed at the photo, introducing each face to us. Some comrades had sacrificed their lives on the fierce battlefield, some had become wounded soldiers, carrying the pain of loss with them for the rest of their lives.

(Excerpt from "My Life Story" - Author: Do Van Thong)

At the age of over seventy, the veteran still persistently holds the pen, continuing to write the story of his life. Amidst the peaceful life of Hanoi, Mr. Do Van Thong still quietly sits at his familiar desk, gently flipping through the pages of his old diary, continuing the journey of writing about his life through each page of poetry./.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/phong-su/cuu-chien-binh-do-van-thong-hanh-trinh-tu-chien-hao-den-trang-tho-990487