Photo of the General's congratulatory card

Certificate of Merit from President Ho Chi Minh for his efforts to exceed the first 5-year State plan 1956 - 1960 (at that time my father was the Head of the Control Department - General Department of Railways) and General Vo Nguyen Giap sent a New Year greeting card to my parents' family. At that time, my parents were living and working in Hanoi . My parents were both cadres from the South who had gone to the regrouping area.

My father said that being awarded the Certificate of Merit and pinning the CSTĐ Badge on Uncle Ho was a great honor and pride for my father, my mother, my seven siblings and the entire General Department of Railways. Receiving a New Year greeting card from General Vo Nguyen Giap for the whole family was an honor for the family, and future generations must cherish and preserve these precious mementos. Therefore, when I moved to Hue for work, I brought all of them with me and carefully preserved them until today.

After receiving a certificate of merit and the 1960 CSTD Badge from President Ho Chi Minh , the General Department of Railways awarded my father a 15-day vacation in Sam Son - Thanh Hoa, and he let my brother and I go together.

Over the past 64 years, the Certificate of Merit from President Ho Chi Minh and the New Year greeting card from the General have accompanied my parents and our 7 siblings, now 7 families, overcoming all difficulties and hardships to complete all tasks assigned by the Party and the State, worthy of the trust and love of beloved Uncle Ho and the General.

My parents were cadres from the South who gathered in the North to work in Hanoi. I was a student from the South who studied at the Southern Student School 23 Ha Dong from 1956. On May 19, 2014, at the Ho Chi Minh Museum in Thua Thien Hue province, I presented the Museum with the Certificate of Merit (Scan) that President Ho Chi Minh gave to my father.

I would like to introduce the full text of the General's New Year greeting card to readers as a tribute to the General:

Spring Canh Ty -

Happy New Year

Wishing our family a new year of good health, happiness, excitement, progress, and hard work and production.

Actively strive to complete the 3-year State plan for economic and cultural development, contribute to building the army and strengthening national defense, to bring the North to socialism, and create a strong foundation for the struggle to unify the country.

Set many new achievements to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam and celebrate President Ho's 70th birthday.

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

Minister of Defense

General Vo Nguyen Giap

Tran Van Duc