Archival photo of a congratulatory card from the General.

My parents received a certificate of commendation from President Ho Chi Minh for their outstanding achievements in exceeding the first five-year state plan (1956-1960) (at that time, my father was the Head of the Dispatching Department - General Directorate of Railways), and a New Year's greeting card from General Vo Nguyen Giap to my parents' family. At that time, my parents were living and working in Hanoi . Both of them were cadres from the South who had relocated to the North.

My father said that receiving a Certificate of Merit and the Emulation Badge from President Ho Chi Minh was a great honor and source of pride for him, my mother, my seven siblings, and the entire General Department of Railways. Receiving a New Year's greeting card from General Vo Nguyen Giap for the whole family was a great honor for the family, and future generations must cherish and preserve these precious mementos. Therefore, when I moved to Hue for work, I brought everything with me and carefully preserved these mementos until today.

After being awarded a certificate of merit and the 1960 Outstanding Worker Badge by President Ho Chi Minh , the General Department of Railways rewarded my father with a 15-day vacation in Sam Son - Thanh Hoa, and he took my brother and me along.

For the past 64 years, the Certificate of Merit from President Ho Chi Minh and the New Year's greeting card from the General have accompanied my parents and my seven siblings, now seven families, through all difficulties and hardships, fulfilling all the tasks assigned by the Party and the State, worthy of the trust and love of the infinitely beloved President Ho Chi Minh and the General.

My parents were cadres from the South who relocated to the North to work in Hanoi. I was a student from the South, attending the Southern Students' School No. 23 in Ha Dong from 1956. On May 19, 2014, at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Thua Thien Hue province, I presented the museum with a scanned copy of the Certificate of Merit that President Ho Chi Minh awarded to my father.

I would like to present the full text of the General's New Year's greeting card to our readers as a token of gratitude to the General:

Spring of the Year of the Rat -

Happy New Year

Wishing our family a new year filled with good health, happiness, enthusiasm, progress, and continued dedication to work and production.

Actively strive to complete the three-year State plan for economic and cultural development, contribute to building the army and strengthening national defense, to advance the North towards socialism, and to create a strong foundation for the struggle for national reunification.

Achieve many new accomplishments to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and to celebrate President Ho Chi Minh's 70th birthday.

Hanoi, the first day of the Lunar New Year, Year of the Rat.

Minister of Defence

General Vo Nguyen Giap

Tran Van Duc