He was seriously wounded twice, but thanks to timely medical intervention and his own efforts, he overcame his injuries and returned to his fighting unit until the liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country.

Meeting him at a gathering, discussion, and tribute program for veterans, generals, and Heroes of the People's Armed Forces with the theme "Returning to the Origins," organized by the People's Army Newspaper on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army in August 2024, we had the opportunity to hear him share memorable experiences from his military life.

Hero Phan Thanh Quyet (on the right) and his comrades participate in the "Returning to the Source" program, August 2024.

Born in 1950 into a poor Tay ethnic farming family in Cao Bang , at the age of 16, Phan Thanh Quyet joined the Forestry Planning and Survey Team of the Cao Bang Forestry Department as a worker. Amidst the increasingly fierce fighting in the South, at the end of 1968, Phan Thanh Quyet volunteered to enlist for the first time. However, he was rejected during the recruitment examination due to insufficient weight. “Feeling dejected, I returned to the office and resolutely trained every day, trying to gain weight. But even then, the second and third attempts were still insufficient. On the fourth attempt, before going to the designated health check, I checked my weight and found I was still almost a kilogram underweight. Luckily, someone advised me to wear more clothes and stuff some stones under my clothes. Unexpectedly, I passed!” – hero Phan Thanh Quyet recounted with a humorous smile.

So, in August 1970, Phan Thanh Quyet enlisted in the army and was subsequently assigned to Company 91, Battalion 35, 305th Special Forces Division. According to his account, during that recruitment drive, most young men from Cao Bang province were assigned to special forces units, so everyone understood the customs, traditions, and lifestyle of the highland people, and they supported each other a great deal.

Having completed his basic training, in early 1971, Phan Thanh Quyet and his comrades marched to Quang Tri . In this "fiery" battlefield, Company 91 operated independently, tasked with organizing reconnaissance and conducting rapid attacks and withdrawals.

Hero Phan Thanh Quyết speaks with reporters.

Hero Phan Thanh Quyet vividly remembers the battle at Ta Con airfield – one of the strategic military bases upgraded and developed by the US military from 1966 to 1968. From this airfield, hundreds of aircraft took off to attack our units, especially strategic positions on the Truong Son supply line – the Ho Chi Minh Trail. According to his account, to organize that battle, the unit's reconnaissance team had to spend many nights crossing 29 layers of fortified fences to conduct reconnaissance and gather information. Only after completing this task did the unit deploy its battle plan.

It was a night in late February 1971. The unit split into two teams, with the secondary team led by Phan Thanh Quyet in charge of the infiltration into the airport. Around 3 a.m., as the unit approached the target and completed the placement of the timed mines, they were spotted by patrol soldiers. Both sides opened fire simultaneously.

Caught by surprise, the enemy initially panicked and tried to flee. “Our explosive charges detonated one after another, shaking the entire airfield. The whole airfield was engulfed in flames as eight rocket ammunition depots and fuel storage facilities were detonated one after another. In the bright light of the fire, I could clearly see the enemy planes burning fiercely. I clutched my AK rifle, rolled into the anti-tank trench, and waited for the right moment to open fire and eliminate the enemy. The smell of bomb smoke, bullets, and the acrid smell of burning gasoline and oil filled my nostrils, making me breathless, and I fainted without realizing it. When I woke up, it was already daylight. I checked myself and found that although I wasn't injured, my throat was dry and sore, and my head was still spinning and dizzy.”

And so, I lay on my back, waiting until I fully regained consciousness before getting up. The first thing I did was search for my comrades amidst the eerie silence and devastation. After hours of struggling through the rubble, I finally reached our original assembly point, utterly disappointed that none of my comrades had returned. It wasn't until nearly dawn the next day that Comrade Tran Huu Phu, from Quang Xuong (Thanh Hoa), returned, exhausted and starving. We patiently waited another day, clinging to a faint hope…

"But that hope didn't come true. My unit completed the mission to attack the airfield; out of 17 men who went into battle, only 2 returned. It was heartbreaking. But that's war. Behind every victory lies the blood and sacrifice of our fallen comrades. As survivors, we will complete the unfinished mission for them!" - Hero Phan Thanh Quyet recounted emotionally.

Hero Phan Thanh Quyet (second from the left) recounts his battles to his comrades and today's young generation.

After that heroic battle, Phan Thanh Quyet continued to fight alongside his comrades in other fierce battles. From the battle at Dong Lam base (Thua Thien - Hue) in the summer of 1972, completely destroying 11 depots containing approximately 500,000 liters of gasoline and weapons and ammunition belonging to the enemy, to the battle against the enemy's field artillery position at Hill 28, north of My Chanh River (Quang Tri) on October 26, 1972, completely annihilating an artillery battalion of nearly 200 soldiers, destroying 9 cannons and 15 military vehicles, with him personally destroying 2 cannons and killing 25 enemy soldiers, or the battle at Tan Dien depot area, destroying 10 enemy gasoline and ammunition depots..., these battles have made the name of special forces soldier Phan Thanh Quyet.

For his exceptionally outstanding achievements in combat, on September 2, 1973, Phan Thanh Quyet was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces. Afterward, he was sent to officer training school and continued serving in the army until his retirement. Although he left the military decades ago, Hero Phan Thanh Quyet has always maintained the noble qualities of a soldier of Uncle Ho. He confided: "I have a strong belief that today's youth will preserve, develop, and worthily continue the glorious traditions that our forefathers have built."

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/anh-hung-luc-luong-vu-trang-nhan-dan/niem-tin-cua-nguoi-anh-hung-1034218