The veteran and his unfulfilled promise.

At 85 years old, Mr. To Van On (Ba On) still carefully preserves letters and photos from his comrades from the war. For the former soldier, who once used the pseudonym To Thanh, these are not only war relics but also an unfulfilled promise from more than half a century ago...

In a conversation with the author, Mr. Ba On recounted that he joined the revolution at the age of 16, fighting directly in the local guerrilla forces. In 1966, while serving as a squad leader, he was sent to attend the H21 training course organized by Military Region R in Lo Go ( Tay Ninh ). Throughout those years, he preserved many letters, photographs, and a scrapbook recording the sincere feelings of his comrades in the war zone. More than half a century has passed, and whenever he remembers the arduous fighting days, the veteran takes out these mementos. Just by rereading a few lines from the scrapbook, the faces of each of his former comrades appear vividly in his memory.

Mr. Ba On (right in the photo) with his comrades at Lo Go in 1965.

PHOTO: TGCC

Bearing in my heart the promise I made to my teammates...

Looking at the faded black-and-white photograph, Mr. Ba On still clearly remembers the names of each comrade, their hometowns, and even those who fell on the battlefield. In the veteran's memory, the handwritten note from Comrade Huu Chi (from Ben Tre province) in 1966 still haunts and moves him: "See you tomorrow in the great city of Ho Chi Minh ."

Remarkably, it wasn't until 1976 that Saigon officially adopted the name Ho Chi Minh City. For Mr. Ba On, the message from his former comrade was a powerful belief that the day of national reunification would become a reality exactly a decade later.

He choked up as he said that he no longer knew which of the people in that photo were still alive and which had passed away; he only knew that Comrade Huu Chi had sacrificed his life, and what he regretted most was not being able to reunite with his comrades after April 30, 1975. "After the training course ended, we were deployed to fight in various locations in enemy-occupied areas, and from then on, we almost lost contact with each other," Mr. Ba On recalled.

Handwritten notes by comrade Huu Chi in 1966

PHOTO: TGCC

Even after the reunification of the country, one thing has haunted Mr. Ba On for many years. It's the request from his comrade, Nguyen Van Viet, which he has yet to fully fulfill. Before embarking on a mission, Comrade Viet entrusted him with the certificates of merit, commendations, and the certificate of being a good Party member belonging to his girlfriend, Nguyen Thi Tri – the deputy squad leader of the military equipment unit in Cu Chi district – as precious mementos from the war. At the time, Comrade Viet instructed him: "Later, when the country is at peace, if you ever meet your girlfriend or her family, please return these documents to her."

In late 1969, Mr. Ba On learned that his comrade, Nguyen Van Viet, had been killed in action in Long An. More than half a century has passed, yet the documents, letters, and mementos that Comrade Viet entrusted to him are still carefully preserved in his old notebook. Some pages are thin sheets of parchment paper, the typewritten text faded with time, including entries from the female militia member Nguyen Thi Tri – Comrade Viet's former lover.

About a month before the Lunar New Year of 2020, he unexpectedly received news from former comrades that they had found some clues about Ms. Nguyen Thi Tri, who was living with her family in Bau Don commune, Go Dau district, Tay Ninh province (now Truong Mit commune, Tay Ninh province). Despite his declining health, Mr. Ba On still asked his comrades to inform him of Ms. Tri's address if anyone could contact her, so that when he felt better, he could personally deliver the mementos to her.

For over 50 years, the old soldier carefully preserved those documents in his backpack, accompanying him to every battlefield. Even in moments of life and death, he never let these mementos of his comrades leave his side.

Certificate of Merit for Ms. Nguyen Thi Tri

PHOTO: TGCC

However, the search for Ms. Nguyen Thi Tri subsequently stalled due to the lack of information about her husband's family. Mr. Ba On's former comrades repeatedly visited Bau Don commune to inquire, but all their efforts were in vain.

About 10 months ago, when I called to ask if the mementos of my comrade Nguyen Van Viet had been delivered to their rightful recipient, Mr. Ba On said sadly, "We searched Bau Don commune but still couldn't find Mrs. Tri. Now there's no more information. The old comrades who used to keep in touch and ask about each other for over three years have gradually lost contact, probably due to old age, illness, or because many comrades have passed away..."

The veteran paused for a moment, then spoke as if still burdened by an unfulfilled debt: "I consider myself indebted to my comrades, because I was unable to fulfill their last message before they marched off to battle and died..."

Recalling the years of fierce fighting, Mr. Ba On recounted that during the Tet Offensive of 1968, his unit was tasked with capturing the Hanh Thong Tay treasury (Go Vap district). On the way back, the combat team was fiercely ambushed by the enemy in the Hang Bridge area. In that battle, he was seriously wounded, his left leg broken and a shrapnel fragment lodged in his head.

Amidst the fierce bombing, his comrades took him to a medical facility deep within the Ben Duoc tunnels in Phu My Hung commune – now the Ben Duoc Historical Site in An Nhon Tay commune, Ho Chi Minh City – for treatment. After more than six months of treatment, as his wounds gradually healed, the former young soldier returned to his unit and continued fighting alongside his comrades.

In 1975, he joined the liberation army in the advance to liberate Saigon. In 1979, he continued his international duty in the Cambodian battlefield. In 1990, he was discharged from the army and returned to his hometown, continuing his participation in the local government as the Party Secretary of Trung Lap Thuong commune, Cu Chi district. After many years of dedication to local work and the veterans' movement, in 2018, he assumed the role of Vice Chairman of the Cu Chi District Veterans Association, continuing to contribute to the community with the spirit of a soldier from the past.

Keep compassion in your heart for everyone.

While on a business trip, Mr. Ba On saw a woman riding a bicycle fall into a pothole and get scratched. He immediately stopped his car and quietly picked up stones and broken bricks from the roadside to fill the hole. When someone told him he was "meddling in other people's affairs," he simply replied that he did it so that no one else would fall.

That little story made me realize that kindness sometimes doesn't lie in grand gestures, but begins with simple actions in everyday life. Mr. Ba On, a soldier who had experienced war, not only possessed a resilient spirit but also always maintained a compassionate heart towards those around him.

Mr. To Van On with mementos including photographs and notebooks from his comrades.

PHOTO: TGCC

Recently, during a phone call, Mr. To Van On said that his health is still relatively stable. The disabled veteran, classified as 4/4, often reminisces about the fierce battles he fought alongside his comrades in the Cu Chi area – a place where the soldiers of yesteryear were always ready to face danger without thinking about their own losses.

In recent years, he has returned to a normal life, enjoying time with his children and grandchildren. Occasionally, he is connected by tourism agencies to meet foreign tourists, especially American tourists, when they visit the Ben Duoc Historical Site. Each time he recounts his war memories and the fighting spirit of the militia and soldiers of Uncle Ho's army during the resistance against the US, he lights up with joy and pride.

Despite his advanced age, this veteran quietly contributes to introducing to international friends the indomitable fighting tradition of the "Land of Fire and Roses" of Cu Chi with all the sincerity and pride of someone who has experienced war.

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Source: https://thanhnien.vn/nguoi-cuu-binh-and-loi-hen-con-dang-do-185260523213124702.htm