SGGP
Over 74 members, including former prisoners of Con Dao, Phu Quoc, Phu Tai, and Da Lat, as well as members of the Patriotic Cambodian Overseas Vietnamese Resistance Tradition Club, recently embarked on a journey following in Uncle Ho's footsteps through 15 provinces and cities. These veterans had the opportunity to revisit the fierce battlefields of Quang Tri Citadel, Dong Loc Crossroads, the Truong Son Road, and Lang Sen, Uncle Ho's birthplace, to reminisce about the past.
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| Former political prisoners from Ho Chi Minh City offer incense to commemorate heroic martyrs at Quang Tri Ancient Citadel during their "Following in Uncle Ho's Footsteps" journey. |
Sing a song for those who have passed away.
Returning to Quang Tri Ancient Citadel under the scorching April sun, Mrs. Tran Thi Truc Chi (a former prisoner of Con Dao) sadly lit incense sticks to honor the spirits of the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives on this sacred land. “I was also involved in the battles, but on a different front. Here, our comrades fought on an extremely fierce battlefield. Every time I hear about the sacrifices of our comrades on this battlefield, I can't help but feel heartbroken. Now, visiting and hearing the stories of their sacrifices, my heart aches even more,” Mrs. Truc Chi said emotionally. At the age of 16, Mrs. Truc Chi was captured while on duty and subsequently imprisoned for five years, including nearly three years in Con Dao. Despite enduring torture from the enemy, she and many of her comrades remained steadfast in their struggle until liberation. Today, standing by the banks of the Thach Han River, listening to the tour guide recount stories of glorious battles and recite verses like, "Oh boat sailing up the Thach Han River, row gently. My friend still lies at the bottom of the river," the former female prisoner of Con Dao quickly wiped away a tear.
During their journey, the members visited Dong Loc Crossroads to offer incense and flowers to the fallen heroes. Placing a white chrysanthemum on the grave of martyr Vo Thi Hoi, Ms. Truong Thi Chon confided: “Back then, if I hadn't been so lucky, I would have also sacrificed myself on the battlefield in Quy Nhon (Binh Dinh province) like my comrades. Today, returning to this place, I chose to wear my old military uniform to remember my fallen comrades.” Ms. Chon said that during the fierce battle of 1972, she served as a nurse on the battlefield, witnessing the deaths of many comrades, which caused her immense grief. In that same battle, she was captured by the enemy. Her comrades and family had no news of her for two years, believing she had died, so they set up an altar for her.
Visiting each grave to place a branch of white chrysanthemums, and reading the names of the 10 young volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives on this land, Ms. Hoang Thi Khanh, Head of the Liaison Committee of Former Political Prisoners and War Prisoners of Ho Chi Minh City, was deeply moved as she looked at the birth and death years of the female heroes. “They sacrificed themselves at such a young age. Some were only 17 years old. Although nearly 55 years have passed, the image of these brave young female volunteers remains forever in my mind. It was they who helped to keep the transportation routes here open, thus creating a solid rear base to provide manpower and resources to the South,” Ms. Hoang Thi Khanh confided.
The victory will live on forever.
During the 22-day and 22-night "Following in Uncle Ho's Footsteps" journey of former prisoners, People's Armed Forces Hero Ngo Tung Chinh, a former Saigon Commando soldier, had the opportunity to revisit the Da Lat Children's Prison. Mr. Ngo Tung Chinh is one of 630 former child prisoners who were once held there. Returning to the prison, Mr. Chinh shared that it felt like stepping back into the past. Walking through each cell where he and his comrades were once imprisoned, he suddenly remembered the bone-chilling nights and the brutal torture inflicted by the enemy. "Every time I return here, I remember those unforgettable, tumultuous years of mine and my comrades. I remember each name, the bravery and resilience of my comrades; even at a young age, they did not surrender despite the brutal torture," Mr. Ngo Tung Chinh recounted.
Due to poor health, unable to join her comrades from the past, Saigon Commando Vu Minh Nghia (Chin Nghia) chose to revisit the Independence Palace, the site of her and her comrades' attack. Offering incense to the heroic martyrs at the Memorial Monument to the Saigon Commando soldiers who sacrificed their lives during the Tet Offensive of 1968 at the Independence Palace, Mrs. Chin Nghia fondly recalled the battle on the night of the first day of Tet. In that battle, the Saigon Commando team of 15 was tasked with attacking the Independence Palace; Mrs. Chin Nghia was the only woman participating in this heroic and bloody battle. She will never forget the image of her eight comrades who perished, and the others who were captured and imprisoned by the enemy. “For those of us who were there, the memories of that historic April are as fresh as yesterday. April 30, 1975, is a day I will never forget in my life. The heroic deeds and sacrifices of our comrades will forever resonate in my heart and the hearts of my fellow soldiers,” shared Mrs. Chín Nghĩa.
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