The "sweet fruits" of a veteran's labor.

Mr. Tran Thanh Phong is a veteran and also a lover of singing and sports. He dedicated his youth to the revolution, his work, and building a happy family; after retirement, he continues to contribute to social work and cultural and sports movements in his locality…

Mr. Tran Thanh Phong performed traditional Vietnamese folk music at a cultural event organized by the City's Retired People's Club.

We first met him when he performed a traditional Vietnamese folk song at a cultural competition organized by the Can Tho City Retirement Club. Wearing his green military uniform, he sang with a warm, confident voice, completing his performance well. On subsequent occasions, he was sometimes participating in chess competitions, other times busy distributing gifts to victims of Agent Orange… But at our most recent meeting, he mentioned that since the merger of four wards in Ninh Kieu district – Thoi Binh, An Nghiep, An Phu, and An Cu – he is no longer the Chairman of the An Nghiep Ward Association of Agent Orange Victims; his current residence, formerly Area 3 of An Nghiep Ward, has now been renamed Area 15 of Thoi Binh Ward. He shared: “This year I am 71 years old, it’s time to rest and dedicate more time to my hobbies like performing arts and chess.”

Mr. Phong was born into a family with a revolutionary tradition in Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu province. At the age of 15, he was selected to study radio communications and was later assigned to work at the Southwest Regional Party Committee. Working in the revolutionary base for many years, he was also exposed to Agent Orange, which the enemy sprayed in the forests. After liberation, he continued working in various provinces and cities, in different positions as assigned by his superiors. From 1980 to 1983, he was sent to Cambodia to help restore the country's communication system and train new radio operators. Upon returning to Vietnam, he was sent to university and then assigned to work on ships, managing radio communications for 10 years. Afterward, he worked at the Can Tho River and Sea Transport Joint Stock Company until his retirement in 2012.

At this time, he joined the city's Retirement Club, participating actively in many activities. Recognizing that many members loved and were talented in traditional Vietnamese folk music (đờn ca tài tử), he proposed establishing a Traditional Folk Music Club to create a wider platform for those with similar interests. The club was quickly established and has maintained its activities for many years. Every Friday afternoon, the club holds regular meetings and attracts more and more participants. The club not only provides musical performances for events and conferences of the Retirement Club but also participates in exchanges with many traditional folk music clubs from communes, wards, districts, and counties within and outside Can Tho City; contributing to the development and spread of the traditional folk music movement. Mr. Phong is a core member of the Traditional Folk Music Club and has achieved many high-ranking results in competitions and performances, or actively participates in exchanges with other clubs. Before retiring, he represented the company in a cultural performance organized by Vinashine Group and won a silver medal for his traditional singing performance and a bronze medal for his poetry recitation. Besides performing arts, he also actively participated in activities of the local Veterans Association and the Association of Victims of Agent Orange.

For his family, after 42 years of marriage, what he is most proud of is that he and his wife have shared hardships, loved and understood each other, and together built a complete and happy family. Mr. Phong shared: “During the 10 years I worked at sea, my wife single-handedly took care of the children and managed the household. When I came ashore, we worked together in everything, so the family has always been peaceful and harmonious, and our children have excelled in their studies.” Both children, a daughter and a son, have graduated from university, have stable jobs and their own families. Mr. Phong himself enjoys and has a talent for cooking, so he often prepares meals for his family, including his mother-in-law and his own mother. Both are now 95 years old and are healthy and mentally alert. Mrs. Lam Thi Be, Mr. Phong's wife, said: "I am an only child, so my husband and I take care of my mother. Mr. Phong's mother lives with his younger brother. But the two houses are close together, so Mr. Phong often goes back and forth to take care of them. For decades, we have maintained our family happiness by loving, understanding, and being considerate of each other, overcoming the most difficult times together to have the warm home we have today."

52 years of Party membership, along with numerous resistance medals, certificates of merit, and commendations from various levels, are the result of years of dedication to the revolution and the cause. And family happiness is the "sweet fruit" of his twilight years.

Text and photos: LE THU

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/-trai-ngot-cua-nguoi-cuu-chien-binh-a184991.html