Special hometown on the martyr's tombstone

Many veterans who were once soldiers of the Coal Corps still remember the story of a grave at the former Kon Tum Martyrs Cemetery with a very special inscription of the martyr's hometown: "Hon Gai Coal Company". During his lifetime, that soldier always

He proudly believed that he lived as a soldier of the Coal Corps and died as a coal man. His remains were moved back to his hometown for burial at the Ha Tu Martyrs' Cemetery (Ha Long City), but the story of his hometown is still told by his comrades to their descendants forever.

Quang Ninh youths undergo medical examination to apply for military service in July 1967. Photo by the late photographer Doan Dat.

That soldier was Ta Quang Truyen, born in 1947, the son of Mr. Ta Quang Buc (alias Le Vinh), former Deputy Director of Hon Gai Coal Company (at that time Hon Gai Coal Company included all mines in Quang Ninh, the predecessor of the current Vietnam National Coal - Mineral Industries Group ). Mr. Le Vinh was a mine lover, trusted by the Coal industry to lead many coal mines.

Portrait of martyr Ta Quang Truyen.

He oftentaught his children the love of their homeland, the pride in the coal industry and Quang Ninh province, to which he was attached and devoted his whole life. Not only was he a leader of the coal industry with correct decisions, Mr. Le Vinh was also the one who encouraged miners to go to the South to support the fight against the Americans. In the Coal Corps that year, there was also his son, whom he had encouraged to join the army.

Mr. Le Vinh (right) at the farewell ceremony for the Coal Corps going to battle. Photo by the late photographer Quang Son.

Although he was the son of a leader, when the Coal Industry recruited soldiers, young Ta Quang Truyen enthusiastically wrote an application to volunteer for military service. Because he was too short and underweight at that time, young Ta Quang Truyen had to find pebbles to fill his pockets before going in for the weight check. In the end, he was still given special permission to join the army.

On July 27, 1967, miner Ta Quang Truyen and nearly 2,000 soldiers from the ethnic groups in Quang Ninh said goodbye to their relatives and their hometown in the mining area to join the army and receive training in Yen Tu. In January 1968, soldier Ta Quang Truyen officially went to the South to fight.

The grave of martyr Truyen and his comrades in the Coal Corps at the Kon Tum Province Martyrs' Cemetery before being moved back to their hometown. Photo courtesy of the Liaison Committee of the Coal Corps Veterans.

Soldier Ta Quang Truyen was assigned to Battalion 9 (combined with Battalions 385 and 386, collectively called the Coal Corps by the leaders of Quang Ninh province and the Coal industry). After the Mau Than 1968 campaign, Battalion 9 was added to Kon Tum province, fighting in the Central Highlands front. At this time, soldier Ta Quang Truyen, along with many comrades from the Mining Region, was assigned to Company 209, Special Forces Battalion 406 (abbreviated as C209, D406). Originally a worker from the heroic Mining Region, when entering the Central Highlands battlefield, soldier Ta Quang Truyen always demonstrated the qualities of resilience, indomitability, and the spirit of "Discipline and Unity".

CCB Tran Dinh Dien, currently living in Zone 2, Bai Chay Ward (Ha Long City), was once a comrade of martyr Ta Quang Truyen. He said: “When he was a new soldier, because he was short and light, Truyen was assigned to be a military cook. During a company meeting, he boldly stood up and firmly stated: I joined the army to fight, not to be a cook, and requested to return to the platoon to participate in training. From then on, he was able to directly hold a gun and fight.”

The grave of martyr Ta Quang Truyen rests in his homeland.

Also according to the story of CCB Tran Dinh Dien, soldier Ta Quang Truyen was always proud to be a miner, a son of the Mining Region who came from the Coal industry. He was so proud that in his profile he only stated his hometown as "Hon Gai Coal Company". All his personal papers and even the piece of paper with information in the penicillin bottle he carried with him were also written the same way. And so later, when he died, the collection team found his remains, on his tombstone buried in the Kon Tum Province Martyrs' Cemetery, people carved the words: Martyr Ta Quang Truyen, Platoon Leader, Battalion 406.

As for his hometown, instead of writing the district and province like other martyrs, martyr Truyen's grave is written as "Hometown: Hon Gai Coal Company". What is very special: Hon Gai Coal Company is the name of a state-owned enterprise, not a provincial-level administrative unit. Writing hometown information like soldier Ta Quang Truyen wrote is unprecedented.

Martyr Ta Quang Truyen was buried at Ha Tu Martyrs Cemetery. Photo courtesy of the martyr's family.

The date of Lieutenant Ta Quang Truyen's death is recorded as August 30, 1970 at the Central Highlands front, the place of death is abbreviated as H16, Kon Tum. His position at the time of his death was Platoon Leader of Platoon 7, Company 8, Battalion 406.

According to his comrades, while he was alive, soldier Ta Quang Truyen always wanted to promote his family's revolutionary tradition. He was a straightforward, brave, and inquisitive person, and was a decisive and excellent platoon leader.

Veterans of the Coal Corps burn incense for comrade Ta Quang Truyen at Ha Tu Martyrs Cemetery (Ha Long City).

Martyr Ta Quang Truyen died at a very young age, before he could get married. Mr. Ta Phuoc Son (Ha Tu ward, Ha Long city), the nephew who is in charge of burning incense to worship martyr Ta Quang Truyen, said: “When he was alive, my grandfather often told us about Uncle Truyen as a way to teach us family traditions. Therefore, even though we were born and grew up without meeting Uncle Truyen, we are always proud to have a respectable uncle. He is an example for us to strive to improve ourselves.”

Mr. Ta Phuoc Son next to his uncle's portrait.

Now, the remains of martyr Ta Quang Truyen have been moved by his family and comrades to rest at the Ha Tu Martyrs Cemetery in his hometown. On his tombstone, the words "Hometown: Hon Gai Coal Company" are no longer written, but Quang Ninh. Hon Gai Coal Company is only the name of a unit of the Coal Industry located in Ha Long City, but surely somewhere the soul of martyr Truyen is still proud of this special way of writing his hometown, proud of being a son of the coal region. And the coal region, the coal industry as well as Quang Ninh province are always proud of having soldiers who love their homeland as much as he does.

Huynh Dang

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/chuyen-tam-bia-mo-liet-si-que-than-3349166.html