Over 100 portraits taken in the first phase were handed over to the families of fallen soldiers on the occasion of the War Invalids and Martyrs Day on July 27th this year.
"War is a matter of life and death; it's about green grass and red chests. If anyone survives, they must take responsibility for those who have died." These oaths, sworn during the arduous years of fighting alongside comrades on the battlefield, still echo in the ears of Colonel Pham Quyet Chien, Chairman of the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs, a former soldier of Uncle Ho, now 70 years old, are driving him to race against time to find and bring fallen soldiers back to their homeland.
Meeting me in the small office of the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs, Mr. Chien recounted: In May 1972, he enlisted in the army. After two months of training, his unit participated in the Quang Nam - Da Nang battlefield during the final stages of the resistance war against the US. This was a crucial area, where many major campaigns and battles took place, especially the campaign to liberate Hue - Da Nang. After April 30th, the liberation of the South and the reunification of the country, he and his comrades continued to participate in defending the Fatherland on the Southwestern border, performing international duties in Cambodia, and commanding combat units on the Northern border.
Colonel Pham Quyet Chien, Chairman of the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs, carefully examines the newly completed portraits of martyrs before handing them over to the families.
Flipping through old photographs and mementos of a glorious, heroic era, a time of life and death, the memories flooded back as if it were yesterday. Mr. Chien's eyes welled up with tears, and his voice lowered: "Nearly half of my comrades who enlisted with me have sacrificed their lives and left a part of their blood and bones on the battlefield... I was fortunate to return unharmed, and I've always been deeply concerned about how to bring them back to their homeland as quickly as possible."
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Ensuring suitable conditions for summer teaching.To ensure the care and education of children during the summer break, preschools and independent, private preschool groups are striving to ensure safe conditions for children to play, learn, and experience beneficial educational activities only available during the summer. Every time they went into battle, the soldiers swore an oath: "War is life and death; it's about green grass and red chests. If anyone survives, they must be responsible for those who have died." This was a historical commitment... That simple statement, full of soldierly spirit, remains a vow always kept in the hearts of the soldiers. It is for these reasons that, upon returning to civilian life, Mr. Chien and his comrades never forgot their oath. He volunteered to join the Phu Tho Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Fallen Soldiers and became one of its founding members, actively campaigning for its establishment.
From then on, he and his comrades in the Association always harbored the aspiration to pack their bags and head to the old battlefields, to remote places, to search for traces of fallen comrades and bring them back to their hometowns. Mr. Chien said: "There are comrades who, 50 or nearly 60 years ago, have not yet been recognized as martyrs, but today we have achieved that." Sayings like: "Eating at home, wearing my wife's clothes, doing good deeds," or "Eating at home, carrying the burden of gratitude on my shoulders" all describe him, a dedicated person with a benevolent heart for his fallen comrades.
The fragrant incense sticks offered in remembrance of fallen comrades, the small but heartfelt gifts that he and his colleagues in the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Fallen Soldiers deliver to the mothers, wives, and relatives of fallen soldiers every July 27th, are profound expressions of gratitude from the living to those who have passed away for the peace of the Fatherland.
Mr. Chien has personally visited over 800 cemeteries nationwide to collect, share, and connect information in the search for the remains of fallen soldiers, helping over 7,500 families of fallen soldiers obtain information about their graves, places of sacrifice, circumstances of death, and burial locations. He has conducted genetic and DNA testing for 220 cases; to date, 54 cases have yielded correct results. He has discovered over 900 gravestones of fallen soldiers from Phu Tho province with missing or incorrect information, and has subsequently notified and assisted the families in supplementing and correcting the information. He has also provided advice and support to over 2,200 families of fallen soldiers in accessing the policies and regulations of the Party and State, and in searching for information and graves of their loved ones.
The Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs, in coordination with LICOGI 14 Joint Stock Company, presented a portrait to Heroic Vietnamese Mother Ha Thi Tinh, from Dieu Luong commune (formerly), who has two sons who were martyrs.
Understanding the aspirations of the families of fallen soldiers and the reality that the portraits of martyrs had not been preserved intact over time, the Association collaborated with Vietnam Goods Supply Company Limited, Van Lang Photo Studio in Viet Tri Ward, LICOGI 14 Joint Stock Company, and philanthropists to initially implement a project to restore more than 100 portraits of heroic martyrs in the province. This aims to preserve the sacred memories of these heroic sons and daughters who fell for the Fatherland. Countless tears of emotion were shed by the families of the martyrs upon receiving these clear, faded, and time-worn photographs.
Mrs. Nguyen Thi Minh, originally from Cao Xa commune (formerly Ban Nguyen commune) and currently residing in Hanoi – the wife of martyr Dang Van Luan (who died in the Bien Hoa battle) – emotionally shared: “In my heart, there is not only the longing for my husband, but also deep gratitude for the work of the Phu Tho Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs, including Mr. Chien, who had the initiative to restore the martyr's portrait. This is an invaluable spiritual gift for the family; I am truly moved.”
Strengthening the friendship between Vietnam and the United States.On July 3rd, as part of the Pacific Partnership - Friends of the Pacific 2026 program, the U.S. Army Pacific delegation, led by Lieutenant General Joel Vowell, Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Pacific, paid a courtesy visit to the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command. Having miraculously survived and returned to civilian life, Mr. Chien always cherishes the oath he took as a soldier before going to war. This is a deep concern that motivates him to dedicate the rest of his life to caring for the families of fallen soldiers, as a way of keeping his oath from years ago.
And in each of those memories, every tear, every scar, every moment of silence before a photograph of a fallen comrade... all represent an unforgettable vow - a vow to preserve the peace, independence, and freedom of the Vietnamese nation.
Dinh Tu
Source: https://baophutho.vn/loi-the-trong-trai-tim-nguoi-linh-237492.htm
