In the last days of June, the atmosphere in alley 167 Tay Son (Kim Lien Ward, Hanoi ) became quieter than usual. Long-time residents could not hide their sorrow upon hearing the news of the passing of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Colonel La Van Cau, on June 24th.
Hero La Van Cau
PHOTO: BAO ANH
Having lived in this small alley for over 10 years, the former hero has left in the hearts of his neighbors not only the image of a legendary soldier, but also that of a kind, simple man who lived harmoniously with everyone.
The hero enjoys gardening and raising pet birds.
As a close neighbor of Mr. La Van Cau's family, Mr. Nguyen Quang Trung (57 years old) expressed surprise upon receiving the news of his passing. Sitting on his porch, gazing towards where Mr. Cau used to live, Mr. Trung quietly opened his phone and looked at photos taken with Mr. Cau many years ago.
Mr. Trung said that Mr. and Mrs. Cau had lived in the house in alley 167, Tay Son Street, for about 10 years. Three years ago, due to old age and poor health, Mr. Cau moved to live with his children on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street.
A commemorative photo of Mr. Trung and Mr. La Van Cau.
PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT
"I've known Mr. Cau's son since 1988. Since then, our families have been close. To me, Mr. La Van Cau is not only a hero but also like a member of my family," Mr. Trung said, pointing to a photo of himself with Mr. Cau.
In Mr. Trung's memory, the image of the retired soldier—a small, slender figure who often wore shorts and a T-shirt in the summer and smiled whenever he met people—is always vividly present.
"What I remember most is the image of Mr. Cau sweeping the yard, cleaning the alley, and walking his dog every day. If you didn't know beforehand, no one would think he was the legendary soldier associated with the immortal victory at the Dong Khe stronghold during the 1950 autumn-winter border campaign," Mr. Trung said.
Mr. Trung added that in her final years, Mrs. Cau spent a lot of time caring for ornamental plants. Knowing her love for plants, her four children also bought more plants for her to grow. On several occasions, Mr. Trung also went over to help the family create an additional garden area of about 10 square meters on the second floor.
Mr. Trung looks at the commemorative photo with Mr. Cau.
PHOTO: LONG QUYEN
"She worked very hard with only one hand. She liked to personally tend to the plants, watering each pot. Before that, she also raised pet birds," Mr. Trung recalled.
For over a decade as neighbors, Mr. Trung always remembered and followed the advice of Mr. Cau: to live a decent and exemplary life for his descendants to follow, and to strive to contribute to society.
"I can't believe he's passed away."
When Mr. Le Van Hai (78 years old, a member of the Veterans Association of Kim Lien Ward) read the news of Mr. La Van Cau's death on social media, he couldn't believe it was true. He then rushed to official news websites to try and find the most accurate information, but all he found disappointed him.
"I can't believe Mr. Cau has passed away; I feel so sorry for him," Mr. Hai said, his voice choked with emotion.
Mr. Hai (third from the left) and other members of the veterans' association pose for a commemorative photo with Mr. La Van Cau.
PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT
Mr. Hai said that in the past, Mr. Cau always attended all the veterans' association meetings in the locality. Especially on the anniversaries of war invalids and martyrs (July 27th) and April 30th, Mr. Cau was always among the first to arrive. For Mr. Cau, those were extremely sacred and meaningful days.
Especially during meetings, Mr. Cau often offered frank feedback on things that were wrong or unreasonable. After those constructive criticisms, everyone understood and appreciated him even more.
Mr. Hai remembers most vividly the day he visited Mr. La Van Cau's house when he first moved to Nguyen Chi Thanh Street to live.
"That day, only he was home. After the guests arrived, he called his wife back and said, 'Today, the veterans from Kim Lien Ward are visiting the house and also delivering my membership papers up here. You should take a commemorative photo with them.' I will always remember the sentiment; that farewell was truly meaningful," Mr. Hai recounted, adding that after the farewell, Mr. Cau instructed the members of the veterans' association to organize activities well and "remember to visit each other."
Speaking to Thanh Nien newspaper , Ms. Le Thi Kim Hue, Chairwoman of the People's Committee of Kim Lien Ward, affirmed that hero La Van Cau is not only a symbol of courage but also a "tall and mighty tree," a symbol of patriotism for future generations to emulate.
According to Ms. Hue, Mr. Cau lived a very simple life. During their meetings, Ms. Hue felt that Mr. Cau spoke in a very warm and approachable manner. He listened attentively to what the local officials had to say. The ward officials considered this an honor and cherished the hero's contributions to the country.
According to information from the family, the memorial service for Colonel La Van Cau, Hero of the People's Armed Forces, will be held at 9:00 AM on June 30th (corresponding to the 16th day of the 5th lunar month). The funeral ceremony and procession will take place from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM on the same day at the Ministry of National Defense Funeral Home, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street. The cremation will be at the Universal Crematorium and the burial will be at Van Dien Cemetery, Hanoi.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ky-uc-binh-di-ve-anh-hung-la-van-cau-185260626160534437.htm
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