The fateful letter…

During wartime, a soldier's equipment was simple: besides a backpack, a rifle, and essentials, a pen and a notebook. In those fateful moments, many only had time to leave a few lines for their loved ones back home as a farewell or parting. Then, as time passed, for those soldiers who could not return, the letter became the last memento for their family…

In late July 2024, amidst the national grief over the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a staunch communist of the Party, an outstanding disciple of President Ho Chi Minh , a leader infinitely beloved and close to the people… I suddenly received a letter from the relatives of Martyr Nguyen Quang Luong, from Dai Cuong commune, Kim Bang district. The letter was stained with time, but the handwriting and ink color remained intact. The hastily written words on two pages, sometimes scribbled, stretched out like the paths the letter writer was about to travel.

…I met the sender of this letter, the second daughter of martyr Nguyen Quang Luong, Mrs. Nguyen Thi Oanh, born in 1968, currently residing in Tung Quan village, Dai Cuong commune. In her spacious and well-maintained house, filled with the cheerful sounds of children playing, Mrs. Oanh introduced them as her grandchildren. Also living with her is her elderly mother – the wife of martyr Nguyen Quang Luong, who is over 80 years old.

Holding her father's letter in her hands, she was deeply moved: "It's the only thing my father left us. I remember every word, every line, and I can almost feel his warmth in it. For more than 10 years, this letter has been my motivation to overcome life's difficulties, always striving to work hard, build a better life for my family, take care of my elderly mother and children, so as not to bring shame to my father..."

Ms. Oanh took out her father's certificates of merit, commendations, and medals, calling them the great rewards bestowed by the Party and State upon the martyr's contributions and dedication. She only received the letter when her family found the grave of martyr Nguyen Quang Luong at the Tinh Bien Martyrs' Cemetery in An Giang province at the end of 2009. Her uncle, at the time, thought it was time to give this memento to his wife and children to keep. He told his niece: "I swallowed every word! Now that I've found your father, I'm giving it back to you!!!" The words in the letter resonated deeply with those still alive. The love for the martyr's parents, wife, children, siblings, and relatives blended with the love for the country, just like the other soldiers.

However, the letter also hinted at an ominous future: "Mother and father, I am far away now, and from this moment on, I am gone forever. As your child, how can I repay your kindness and gratitude for raising me? I have thought about this a great deal, and my thoughts will be intertwined with those of the communists."

Mrs. Le Thi Le, the wife of martyr Luong, said with emotion: “We got married in 1960, then he went to work as an armed police officer in Ha Nam, and later to Cam Pha. The time we spent together as husband and wife could be counted on the fingers of one hand, fleeting and brief. In 1964, I gave birth to our first daughter after he came home for a visit. In 1966, he transferred to another branch, and after that, he came home to visit his wife and children once more. Then I became pregnant with our second daughter, and we gave birth in the year of the Monkey (1968). At that time, the army was mobilizing its forces for battle, so he enlisted again in February 1968. On December 3, 1969, he was killed in action.”

The mother and her two children lived a very difficult life during the war years. Mrs. Le sent her children to live with her husband's parents while she worked various jobs such as construction laborer and market vendor to make a living. Her children grew up independent and accustomed to hardship and deprivation. In the family of the fallen soldier Luong, no one knew exactly which unit he served in. One autumn day, he sent a telegram to the commune, telling his father to come immediately to Bac Ma (a commune in Dong Trieu district, former Hai Duong province) to meet him because he had to go to the South to fight. However, Mr. Luong's father couldn't go right away, planning to leave a few days later. Due to the urgent need to go to the front lines, Mr. Luong had to leave immediately. Passing through Dong Van town (Duy Tien district – Ha Nam province at that time), his unit stopped to rest, and he took the opportunity to write a letter to his family.

The letter reached Oanh's grandfather after her father had passed away. Later, when returning the letter to his niece, Oanh's uncle recounted: Her grandfather didn't give the letter to his daughter-in-law because she had just given birth, and he feared that worry and anxiety would affect her health. He kept it, reading it daily, "devouring every word," as a way of suppressing his longing for his son. When he received his son's death notice, Oanh's grandfather cherished that letter as the only valuable memento to keep, to hold dear…

… The letter began with simple words:

Dong Van, February 27, 1969

My beloved parents

Dear parents! Tonight, my battalion is resting in Dong Van. I long to go home, but I can't. I know you will scold me, and I don't know what to say. If only I could come home to check on your health, even if it was just for half an hour, that would fulfill my lifelong wish. My dear parents! Standing before this moment of parting, I leave without knowing what to say, only writing these few short lines—that is the responsibility of the one leaving (and that person is me).

First, I send my warmest greetings to my parents and the entire family, with a thousand times the love and longing…”

Perhaps only those soldiers who experienced that atmosphere truly understood the nature of this war. And, with the spirit of "communists," the soldiers of Uncle Ho, they were ready to prepare themselves to sacrifice for the Fatherland, without hesitation, without regret, without remorse! "Parents, don't be afraid or worry too much about me, even if I have to stop breathing for a moment, I am determined not to do anything that would harm the honor of a Party member, of my parents, my family, and my grandchildren in the future…"

These hastily written, touching letters will bring tears to the eyes of mothers, fathers, wives, and children… But for young people, reading this letter will make them think more about themselves, their responsibilities to the country, society, and their homeland. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Oanh said, “That was my father’s fateful letter. He wrote it as a final message before forever laying down his life for a green and prosperous homeland…”

Jiangnan

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/van-hoa/la-thu-dinh-menh-130277.html