Skyline's leader and the journey of restoring and reconnecting memories.

TPO - Skyline team leader Phung Quang Trung and his colleagues belong to the generation that grew up when the country was no longer divided into North and South/didn't know what war was..., but with a computer installed with a photo editing application, they created a journey to restore memories and connect the past and present, feeling more clearly about the nation's history, the sacrifices of previous generations and showing gratitude in a very special way.

It's not just a picture.

“Skyline,” meaning “horizon,” currently has over a dozen members, all young people from various localities and professions. The youngest was born in 2004, while the oldest was born in 1985. For over a year, the group has restored, sharpened, colorized, and improved the quality of many time-worn portraits of heroic martyrs, delivering them to their families.

According to Trung, when the group was first formed, the members intended to name it something related to photography or photo restoration work.

However, the members all hope to go beyond simply restoring photos and aim for something more meaningful, making a greater contribution.

Opening the file containing the original photos that needed restoration, Skyline team leader Phung Quang Trung (born in 1996, from Hai Duong province ) said that most of the photos were taken decades ago, with faded and blurry images; some portraits were even pencil sketches.

During the process of restoring photographs of fallen soldiers that had lost their clarity and detail, the team members had to make phone calls and communicate with the families of the fallen soldiers.   Descriptions and photos of fallen soldiers' relatives are provided for comparison. Reconstruction is difficult and time-consuming.   Especially the eyes.

"During the process, the team contacted and collected several artifacts such as pith helmets, military uniforms, etc., and photographed them to be incorporated into the restored images, because some details and angles in the original photos are no longer visible. This will help ensure that the restored photos are not only vivid but also authentic and true to that period," Trung said.

Mr. Phung Quang Trung and his colleagues restored the photo. Photo: Provided by the interviewee.

Trung and the other members always encourage each other, saying, "To us, it's just a photograph, but to the families of fallen soldiers, it's everything precious, the only memento of their youth—the son, father, grandfather…". Therefore, the group needs to strive to restore more and more photos.

Trung revealed that one of the pressures the group faces as more and more people become aware of them is the large number of messages and phone calls they receive. They mainly work on the photos at night, so there are long periods where they work through the night.

Secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union and President of the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union, Nguyen Tuong Lam, presented the 2024 National Volunteer Award to Phung Quang Trung during the National Volunteer Day 2024 activities.

A journey of gratitude, building bridges.

To date, Skyline has restored and donated thousands of portraits. Following the image of "heroes forever in their twenties," the group has visited many sacred places and the homes of fallen soldiers' relatives across Vietnam.

“For the members of the group, restoring and donating photos of heroic martyrs has become a mission, striving to do more each year and do it more effectively than the last. During ceremonies honoring martyrs, when the national anthem is played and hands are placed on the chest, I couldn't help but feel emotional and realized that patriotism can always be expressed in so many ways,” Trung said.

Mr. Trung and the members still retain the same emotions they felt when they were in Dien Bien Phu on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Victory and donated 30 portraits of Heroes of the People's Armed Forces in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign to the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum; donated 100 portraits of martyrs in Hai Duong on April 30th; donated photos of 13 fallen Youth Volunteers and a living witness at the "fire coordinates" of Truong Bon (Nghe An), portraits of 10 fallen Youth Volunteers at Dong Loc Crossroads (Ha Tinh)...

According to Trung, each restored photograph is carefully packaged and respectfully draped with the national flag before being presented to the relatives of fallen soldiers. The restoration of the martyrs' photos is completely free; the group members dedicate most of their time and a small amount of money to printing and organizing the trip to deliver the photos.

There were trips spanning thousands of kilometers, such as to Con Dao Island (Ba Ria - Vung Tau) to present a portrait of the heroic martyr Vo Thi Sau; or to Ho Chi Minh City to donate portraits of 65 heroes and martyrs of the Saigon Special Forces, including Captain Nguyen Van Lem (alias Bay Lop), reconstructed from footage of his execution by the enemy in Saigon.

Through such trips, the Skyline boys gained a deeper understanding of the nation's losses and sacrifices, the lingering emotional wounds of the families of fallen soldiers, and the weary faces and eyes of the heroic Vietnamese mothers. In particular, they had the opportunity to meet heroes, witnesses of a time of bombs and bullets, and to admire and be proud of the unwavering will and courage of their ancestors.

Trung was delighted to visit Nguyen Tien Thu, the "king of bomb disposal" in the Dien Bien Phu campaign, one of the 32 Heroes of the People's Armed Forces whose portraits are displayed at the Dien Bien Phu Victory Museum.

The Skyline group organized a reunion meal and presented a reconstructed portrait of a fallen soldier. Photo: Provided by the group.

Along with the meaningful photo donation journey, Trung led Skyline in carrying out many activities to express gratitude, including giving photos and gifts, and lighting candles in remembrance. In particular, the "meal with Mother" is an activity where the group and local youth union members go to the market, cook, and gather to share a meal with Vietnamese Heroic Mothers and families of martyrs…

Beyond simply restoring images of martyrs, heroic Vietnamese mothers, and historical photographs, Skyline has expanded its activities to include numerous charitable initiatives and community-oriented photo restoration projects, such as the "Photos Overcoming Storms" program, which donated 34 restored photographs and raised over 100 million VND to support and share with people affected by storms and floods in Lang Nu village ( Lao Cai ).

In the future, Trung and Skyline aim to expand their operations nationwide; and at the same time, build a database of images and information about fallen soldiers to serve the community, educate patriotism and social responsibility.

Mr. Trung happily shared that at the beginning of 2025, the Skyline group received good news. During their journey to honor the heroic martyrs of Ha Tinh province (December 2024), the Skyline group restored a portrait of martyr Pham Ngoc Quyen and presented it to his mother, Ms. Phan Thi Dung. The image and story from this journey have contributed a small part to spreading awareness and transforming the home of Ms. Phan Thi Dung.
Photo: Provided by the interviewee

The Skyline group donated portrait photos and provided support to people affected by storms and floods in Nu Village.
Photo: Provided by the interviewee

“The war is long over, but there is still much work to be done, including contributions from today's young generation, to continue the mission of spreading the values ​​of peace and the sacrifices and contributions of previous generations for an independent and unified Vietnam. I, along with many members of the group, feel happy to have done something useful, to show our gratitude, and to continue striving to restore more photographs and undertake more meaningful projects,” Trung expressed.

“I feel very honored and fortunate to receive the 2024 National Volunteer Award presented by the Central Youth Union. While the award is for an individual, for me, it is a recognition of the efforts and dedication of all group members on our journey of gratitude and connection between the present and the past through photo restoration and charitable activities. This is invaluable encouragement for me and the Skyline group to strive even harder,” expressed Phung Quang Trung, the leader of the Skyline group.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/thu-linh-skyline-va-hanh-trinh-phuc-dung-ket-noi-ky-uc-post1706151.tpo