Growing up in the storm

Lieutenant Colonel, doctor, and veteran Vuong Van Tan has lived and worked in Ba Ria-Vung Tau for more than a third of a century. I received his autographed copy of the novel "Growing Up in the Storm" on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the Great Victory of Spring 1975.

Book cover of Growing Up in the Storm.

"Growing Up in the Storm" is the brainchild of a soldier, doctor, veteran, and former student of the Military Medical University, nurtured over many years. Although not a professional writer, this book, his intellectual offspring, is rich, vivid, and captivating. The characters in the book are all real-life prototypes: himself, his comrades, colleagues—those who experienced life-and-death battles to realize the dream of peace , unity, and independence for the Fatherland, and to protect the peaceful lives of the people.

These stories, written from the heart and blood of war, recount the sacrifices and losses of the struggle. They feature young soldiers in their twenties, from rural areas and university lecture halls, who plunged into the front lines with the spirit: "We would rather sacrifice everything than be enslaved." They were present at every key target of fierce enemy attack: the Quảng Bình battlefield, the Quảng Trị citadel, the immortal Thạch Hãn River, the Johnson ferry crossing, the Quảng Đà front, the East and West Trường Sơn lines… These moving accounts portray the courageous and dedicated spirit of the doctors, nurses, and medical staff in field hospitals along the Trường Sơn trail, in the midst of brutal trenches.

From the paths to the battlefield, Vuong Van Tan brings to life vivid images of young men and women from Thang Long, Hung Yen , Thai Binh, Kinh Bac, and the port city, abandoning their studies to go to war, with guns in their hands and love for their country and very human emotions in their hearts. A hurried kiss on the hair of a twenty-year-old girl, in a moment between life and death, becomes a symbol of love and boundless respect. There are love stories that blossom in the smoke and fire of war, and there are also love stories that are agonizing, unrequited, and forever remain memories. Love, whether short-lived or long-lasting, remains a great source of spiritual strength, giving courage to soldiers to fight selflessly for the day of ultimate victory.

Growing up amidst storms, this book resonates deeply with people, simple yet profound, portraying the admirable figures both on the front lines and in the rear. These include Trường Giang, Trần Trung, Phạm Thùy Trang, female military medic Thúy Hằng, Vân Anh… and the courageous and brave female Trường Sơn drivers who braved bombs and bullets.

Author Vuong Van Tan was born in 1946 in Co Le village, Dang Le commune, An Thi district, Hung Yen province. He enlisted in the army in 1964 at the age of 18, right when the US imperialists began their war of destruction against North Vietnam. Serving in the 7th Regiment, Engineering Command, he participated in suppressing bandits in Laos, fought on many fronts in South Vietnam, and took part in the campaign to protect the southwestern and northern borders in 1979.

He retired from the military in 1992 and moved to live in Vung Tau City. He actively participated in social activities, serving for many years as the Head of the neighborhood and the Head of the Hung Yen Hometown Association in Vung Tau City.

PHAM QUOC TOAN

Source: https://baobariavungtau.com.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202504/truong-thanh-trong-bao-tap-1040876/