The emotion and pride of veterans on the streets of the capital

Although the official rehearsal for the National Day Parade and March did not start until 6:30 a.m. on August 30, hundreds of veterans, meritorious people, and the elderly were already present at Trang Tien Street, Hanoi, from 4 a.m.

They were invited by the police officers on duty to go through a separate path and were guided to sit in a priority area with more than 200 seats arranged on the corner of Dinh Tien Hoang-Trang Tien Street, one of the most "VIP" positions on the parade route of Trang Thi - Hang Khay - Trang Tien - August Revolution Square.

Early journey full of excitement and pride

In the joyful atmosphere of the rehearsal day of the parade to celebrate the National Day on September 2, the veterans, who have devoted their youth and blood to the independence and freedom of the Fatherland, gathered very early to wait for the parades to pass by. Sitting in priority positions arranged by the Trang Tien ward police, they could not hide their emotions and pride when witnessing the country's development and peace .

The Veterans Group from Hung Yen was given priority seats to watch the parade rehearsal, marching right at the Trang Tien-Dinh Tien Hoang intersection.

According to the reporter's records, many veterans started their journey at 3am, even one from Hung Yen left at midnight to arrive at Hoan Kiem Lake at 2am. They learned about the event and priority positions through newspapers, radio and word of mouth from friends. They expressed their gratitude when the organizers created favorable conditions, gave out gifts, water, cakes and especially arranged very nice seats so they could watch the program. Even more touching, they were very impressed with the kind act of two motorbike taxi drivers from Thanh Hoa who took them all the way to the place without charging, leaving an unforgettable memory. Whether they had to wake up early or walk a short distance, the veterans all affirmed that "it's no problem" and "getting up a little early is okay".

Veteran Nguyen Van Thai (second from right) and his comrades expressed their emotion at being given seats by the security forces.

When asked about their feelings, the veterans present at Trang Tien early in the morning of August 30 all expressed their national pride and the maturity of the country. Mr. Luong Khac Doan, a veteran from Thuong Tin who went to Hoan Kiem Lake at 3am, expressed: "Sitting in the center of the capital to wait for the parade to pass by, I feel very proud. Our country has independence and freedom, our people enjoy this happiness and cannot forget the merits of our ancestors who died fighting for peace." Sitting nearby was Mr. Nguyen Van Thai (born in 1948, living in Hung Yen), a veteran of the 325th Division, who shared: "From 12 o'clock at night, I and a group of veterans gathered to catch a bus from Hung Yen to Hanoi. At 2 o'clock in the morning, we were at Trang Tien and were led by the ward police officers to the priority seats. I was very moved. This was the first time I had seen the rehearsal of a National Day celebration program. I felt very proud and realized that the country was developing so strongly. He also emphasized that this was a rare and important occasion for the nation, and was impressed with the enthusiasm of the people.

Recalling his memories of the battlefield, Mr. Nguyen Van Thai said: “I miss my comrades!” Many people remained on the front lines. According to him, those memories are an inseparable part of a soldier’s life and are the motivation to cherish peace today.

Veteran Trinh Quoc Vinh (second person sitting holding the flag) and his friend, wounded soldier Nguyen Anh Tuan, excitedly wait for the moment the parade passes by.

Honored to be part of history

Honored to be a part of history, veteran Nguyen Anh Tuan (3/4 disabled soldier), former Secretary of the Trang Tien Ward Party Committee, could not hide his joy and excitement when joining in the heroic and glorious atmosphere of the whole country, proud to be a son born in Hanoi and witnessing the growth of the next generation. He shared that after retiring from the Army Unit 2 and returning to his locality, he had more than ten years as Secretary of the local ward Party Committee, so he was even more proud. He also wanted to remind young people to maintain the spirit of solidarity, preserve national pride and continue the tradition of their ancestors through concrete actions: study seriously, obey public discipline, be ready to support the community and respect the sacrifices of previous generations. Major ceremonies and events are not only for admiration, but to reinforce common memories and foster national spirit, so that the legacy of previous generations can be transformed into a driving force for development for future generations.

Sitting next to Mr. Anh Tuan was Mr. Trinh Van Vinh, a veteran and nephew of Mr. Trinh Van Bo, a patriotic capitalist who donated 5,147 taels of gold to the revolution and also donated the house at 48 Hang Ngang to make a memorial house, marking the place where President Ho Chi Minh drafted the Declaration of Independence and read it at the National Day ceremony on September 2, 1945. Mr. Trinh Van Vinh said that he felt very honored to be a guest at major events such as the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the capital and today's parade. The priority seating position in the stands further increased this honor. He also expressed his impression of the policy of Hanoi city and the ward in giving priority to welcoming veterans.

Trang Tien Ward Police are discussing with the veterans about removing the median strip so that they can watch more easily, but also hope that they will remain seated until the end of the program.

In the joyful atmosphere, veteran Trinh Van Vinh shared: I was fortunate to have witnessed many major historical events in Hanoi, such as the 1000th anniversary of Thang Long and the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the capital. To this day, I still keep the Peace flag issued from the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the capital as a way to show my respect for historical values. Being able to watch live brings a very special "atmosphere" that watching TV cannot have.

Despite their advanced age and possible health problems, the veterans still tried their best to attend. This shows that the enthusiasm and deep patriotism still burn in the hearts of the old soldiers.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Doan To, Deputy Chief of Trang Tien Ward Police, shared: In order for the elderly to have a place to sit and not have to stand, many days ago the ward made a list of war veterans, meritorious people, and elderly people who wanted to watch the parade, then came up with a support plan. The ward police also arranged for people to help guide the elderly to move safely. In addition, from the afternoon of August 29, a plan to demarcate the priority area with signs and more than 200 plastic chairs was neatly arranged, waiting for the elderly.

Source: https://cand.com.vn/doi-song/niem-xuc-dong-va-tu-hao-cua-nhung-cuu-binh-co-mat-tren-duong-pho-thu-do-i779811/