Soldier lifts General Secretary's coffin: "It is an honor for me and my family"

For Tran Ngoc Binh, the son of a farming family in Thai Thuy ( Thai Binh ), leaving his hometown to perform 2 years of military service at the Army Ceremonial Corps was an unexpected turn.

Among the countless generations of conscripts at the Military Ceremonial Corps, Binh and his comrades were honored to serve the final moments of the General Secretary whom the whole country respected.

The honor of the young soldier

“Before joining the army, I only knew General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong on TV. I knew that he had made many contributions to the country, especially in the fight against corruption and embezzlement,” Binh shared.

Private Tran Ngoc Binh during a rehearsal to prepare for the General Secretary's funeral (Photo: Ngoc Tan).

His father was a driver, his mother was a farmer, Binh graduated from high school and went to work as a worker at a local company. The turning point came when he decided to take a military service examination. With a height of 1m84, a handsome face and exceeding other standards, Binh was selected to join the Military Ceremonial Corps.

It was not until he joined the army that he understood more about the contributions and influence of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong. The photo of the General Secretary and the leaders of the Party and State was always hung solemnly in the common room (Ho Chi Minh Room) of the unit. He also learned that the General Secretary was also the Secretary of the Central Military Commission, the supreme leader of the entire army.

“I feel very honored to be able to serve at your state funeral. My parents are also very honored and proud to know that their child contributed a small part to this work,” Binh told reporters while still wearing his sweat-soaked military uniform.

We stood in the training ground of the Military Honor Guard with about 300 officers and soldiers in the last training session before the National Mourning Day. The soldiers wore gaiters and carried CKC rifles with bayonets. All were in a solemn posture listening to the commander announce the importance of this mission.

Prepare clothes before the funeral day (Photo: Ngoc Tan).

Around them, training materials representing wreaths and coffins were neatly arranged. The only thing that was not “symbolic” was the hearse mounted with a 122mm gun with a glass coffin on top.

The main and primary force serving the General Secretary’s funeral are young non-commissioned officers and soldiers. We have thoroughly informed them about the importance of this mission. 100% of the troops have clearly defined their ideology and sense of responsibility. The final review on the afternoon of July 24th, all comrades achieved good results.

Special experience of a person who served 5 times at a State Funeral

Sharing with Dan Tri reporter, Major Quang Huyen Tho, Captain of the Honor Guard (Military Ceremonial Group), said that when receiving news of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong's death, everyone in the team was sad and emotional.

But at the same time, he and his teammates all determined that the upcoming mission would be a special one to show their gratitude to the respected General Secretary. The team's officers and soldiers were all rushing to prepare and actively practicing according to the agreed funeral scenario.

President To Lam inspects preparations for the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: Quoc Chinh).

Major Tho has served in five State funerals. However, this mission is very special to him, both in terms of the scale of preparation, the number of participants and the emotions that come with it. This is the most important political mission of the entire unit.

During a week of continuous rain in Hanoi, officers and soldiers of the Military Ceremonial Corps still practiced 3 shifts: morning, afternoon, and evening, including Saturday and Sunday. Plans for leave and family visits of officers and soldiers were put on hold to focus on serving the National Funeral.

“In our unit, there is a comrade from Ninh Binh. Last week, his family informed him that his son was sick. However, he called home to encourage his family and promised to come home to visit after completing his mission,” the commander of the Honor Guard shared.

Private Tran Ngoc Binh and his fellow honor guards at the funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (Photo: Ngoc Tan).

The most difficult part of the training was carrying the coffin, which had to be done precisely, bit by bit. During the funeral, they directly carried the General Secretary's coffin twice, from the funeral home to the hearse and from the hearse to the place where the grave was prepared.

“This mission is an extremely honorable and proud task for us, mixed with the responsibility of a soldier when serving the General Secretary in his final moments. Therefore, regardless of the weather, we all try our best to practice,” Major Quang Huyen Tho shared.

In the memories of long-time officers of the Youth Union, the State funeral is a special task that no one wants. The last time he served in the State funeral was that of the late General Secretary Le Kha Phieu in 2020.

Dantri.com.vn

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/nguoi-linh-nang-linh-cuu-tong-bi-thu-do-la-vinh-du-cua-toi-va-gia-dinh-20240724221615518.htm