Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung – An outstanding son of Tay Ninh homeland

Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung (right) and his son - Lieutenant General Nguyen Chau Thanh (Photo courtesy)

From the boy An Tinh to the first soldier of the Southern resistance

Born on June 15, 1927 in An Tinh commune, Trang Bang district (now An Tinh ward, Tay Ninh province), Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung - affectionately called Ut Thoi by the people - grew up in a countryside rich in patriotic traditions. This place used to be a hot spot in the Southern uprising movement, along with Ba Diem, Hoc Mon - Duc Hoa.

When he was only 15 years old, the boy Ut Thoi witnessed with his own eyes the scene of communists being executed by French colonialists at Trang Bang football field. That image was deeply engraved in his mind, nurturing in the young boy the will to fight, hatred for the enemy and love for his country.

In March 1945, responding to the policy of the Southern Regional Party Committee, he joined the Vanguard Youth Organization, gathering An Tinh youth forces to prepare for the General Uprising. In August 1945, when the August Revolution broke out, Ut Thoi joined the people rising up to seize power in Trang Bang, beginning a journey of more than half a century of military service.

The spirit of "Rung Rong Oath"

When the French colonialists returned to invade the South (September 23, 1945), the 18-year-old young man did not hesitate to join the Liberation Army, and with his comrades established the Suoi Sau defense line, blocking and attacking the enemy right at the gateway to Tay Ninh.

In the fierce battle on the morning of November 8, 1945, Ut Thoi was given the unit’s only Klip gun – the most valuable weapon in the hands of the resistance fighters at that time. When the enemy entered Trang Bang, his first shot opened the door for the resilient fight of the local army and people.

Afterwards, he and his comrades retreated to Rong Forest to build a base, establishing a special organization - "Rung Rong Oath", consisting of 27 soldiers who were determined to fight to the end for the Fatherland. This is considered one of the predecessor armed units of the Tay Ninh revolutionary force.

Since then, Ut Thoi's name began to be known as a brave, intelligent commander, close to the people, and valuing comradeship.

From Rong Forest Soldier to Military Region Commander

In 1947, he was admitted to the Indochinese Communist Party, successively holding the positions of Squad Leader, Platoon Leader, and then Company Leader at Squad 12. Through two resistance wars, Nguyen Thoi Bung was always present in the most arduous and fierce places: Hoc Mon, Trang Bang, the Southeast battlefield, and the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign.

During the years 1960-1975, he successively held the positions of: Regiment Commander of Regiment 5, Commander of Division 9, Head of Operations Department of Regional Command, Head of Operations Department of Ho Chi Minh Campaign. In each position, he left a deep impression of a brave, battle-hardened commander who knew how to listen and loved his soldiers like his own children.

In particular, in the counter-attack “Toan thang 1.71” in 1971, the 9th Division under his command defeated the enemy’s 333rd Battalion at Chup airport, causing the death of puppet general Do Cao Tri, shaking the enemy’s morale. Since then, the name “9th Division – Steel Division” has been associated with the reputation of Commander Nguyen Thoi Bung.

The mark of a general in the Southern region

After the country's reunification, Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung held many important positions: Chief of Staff of Military Region 7, Deputy Commander and then Commander of Military Region 9, Commander of Military Region 7, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People's Army and Deputy Minister of National Defense; Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, terms VI and VII; National Assembly delegate, term VIII. During this time, he continuously studied, researched and successfully defended his PhD in Military Science.

No matter what position he held, he maintained a simple, approachable style, always having special affection for Tay Ninh - the homeland that nurtured the spirit of the soldier. During his business trips, he often stopped in Trang Bang, visited his relatives and old comrades, quietly reminiscing about the bloody years of Rong Forest.

Those who worked with him still remember the image of the gray-haired general who still rode a Jeep to the training ground, talking to soldiers in a rustic, sincere Southern accent: "To be a general, you must love your soldiers. Only when you love them will your soldiers believe in you and be able to fight."

Keeper of the memory fire

In 1999, Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung retired under the regime but he still did not leave the army. He spent most of his time researching and compiling the history of the resistance war, especially works on the Southern Uprising, the Southern Resistance War, and the fight to protect the Southwestern border.

He once told his teammates: "If we don't write it down, future generations will no longer understand the value of the past years."

On January 22, 2014, Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung passed away at the age of 87. After more than 50 years of revolutionary activities, he devoted his entire life to the Fatherland. The Party and the State awarded him many noble awards: First-class Independence Medal, 5 Military Exploit Medals, First and Second-class Military Exploit Medals, First-class Angkor Medal of the Cambodian State, and the 65-year Party membership badge.

Senior Lieutenant General Tran Don - former Deputy Minister of National Defense, former Commander of Military Region 7 spoke at the discussion session proposing to posthumously award the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces to Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung.

Tay Ninh children forever in the hearts of comrades

Now, whenever mentioning Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung, the people of An Tinh (formerly Trang Bang) are always proud of a loyal and steadfast son who devoted his whole life to the country and the people.

In his house, old photos, military memorabilia, and unfinished manuscripts are still carefully preserved by his descendants – as proof of a devoted life.

He passed away, but the example of the former Rong Rung soldier, the talented and virtuous general of the Vietnam People's Army, will forever be a source of pride, a fire that urges generations of Tay Ninh children to follow.

Recently, in Ho Chi Minh City, the General Staff of Military Region 7 held a discussion to propose posthumously awarding the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces to Lieutenant General Nguyen Thoi Bung. /.

Nguyen The

Source: https://baolongan.vn/trung-tuong-nguyen-thoi-bung-nguoi-con-uu-tu-cua-que-huong-tay-ninh-a205206.html