Vi Xuyen in July, the season of rendezvous.

I've been to Vi Xuyen (Ha Giang) many times during the July "commemoration" season, but the emotions are... never the same. Standing amidst the vast expanse of graves of young soldiers or in the courtyard of the memorial to the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the war to protect the northernmost border region of our country, my heart still swells with compassion as if it were the first time...

Peak 468 - the resting place of immortal souls

This year, July in Vi Xuyen brought persistent and heavy rain. Despite the heavy downpour and strong winds, comrades and relatives of the fallen soldiers still spread out across the vast cemetery to visit their loved ones. The cemetery has just been given a "new look"! The renovation and upgrading project began in 2016. This July, commemorating the 78th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs, Tuyen Quang province held a ceremony to announce the completion of the project, marking the significant renovation of the Vi Xuyen Martyrs' Cemetery.

Vi Xuyen National Martyrs' Cemetery gets a "new look".

Here, more than 40 years ago, despite the disparity in forces, on July 12, 1984, our troops launched counterattacks, recapturing high points 772, 1509, 468, and 685 that had been illegally occupied by Chinese troops. The battle to defend the nation at Vi Xuyen that year resulted in the sacrifice of over 4,000 officers and soldiers. More than 1,700 martyrs are buried at the Vi Xuyen Martyrs' Cemetery, but nearly 2,000 martyrs have yet to be brought to the cemetery due to various reasons, including the rugged terrain and the inability to completely remove weapons from the old battlefield.

The 468 Memorial at Vi Xuyen National Martyrs Cemetery

Since then, July has become a "meeting season" in Vi Xuyen. It's a meeting place for veterans, wounded soldiers, families of fallen soldiers, and even relatives of those whose remains haven't been found, because they all share one common goal: those who were determined to die for their country!

When I arrived, a group of veterans from the 356th Division leaned against the ramparts of the 468th Memorial, whispering words of remembrance for their fallen comrades in the valley below. After confiding in his old comrades, Sergeant Lang Van Thang, from Tam Dao, an artilleryman of the 356th Division, turned to us and recounted the tragic battle of the past. "When we heard our comrades calling from Hill 685 (dubbed the 'century's lime kiln') and Hill 772: 'Fire artillery at those coordinates.' But those coordinates held our comrades. In this unequal battle, they chose the option of 'fighting to the death for the Fatherland'."

Colonel Nguyen Lu, former Commander of the 3rd Golden Star Division, gazed at the towering mountains blurred in the rain, his voice choked with emotion as he recounted the events of that time: That year, the battle at Vi Xuyen was raging fiercely. He was ordered to lead a number of experienced officers and soldiers from the 3rd Golden Star Division to provide reinforcements. And, when the 3rd Golden Star Division was ordered to withdraw, "our group went but returned incomplete," many comrades had left their youth on this borderland. "Every year I come back here to visit my friends," the colonel's voice trembled.

Former President Truong Tan Sang and Secretary of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Party Committee Hau A Lenh visit the graves of martyrs.

The answer echoed from deep within the valley.

Arriving in Vi Xuyen during the "memorial season," former President Truong Tan Sang, Secretary of the Tuyen Quang Provincial Party Committee Hau A Lenh, Lieutenant General Le Quang Minh, Deputy Head of the General Political Department of the Vietnam People's Army, Major General Nguyen Hong Thai, Deputy Political Commissar of Military Region 2… went to each grave, poured glasses of wine, lit fragrant cigarettes… inviting the martyrs to attend.

As the rain intensified, Major Nguyen Duc Thang, Chief of Police of Thanh Thuy Commune, offered me a seat to shelter from the rain. Major Thang said that the people of Ha Giang and the veterans were deeply moved by the many practical programs that Mrs. Mai Thi Hanh, wife of former President Truong Tan Sang, and the Sharing volunteer group have carried out for vulnerable groups in the area for many years. In particular, the annual transportation of over 600 veterans, wounded soldiers, and families of fallen soldiers to Vi Xuyen for the "commemoration of the battle" is a truly heartwarming gesture.

Major Thang recounted the early days of building the 468 Memorial. In 2015, a group of veterans repeatedly went up Nam Ngat mountain (where the 468 Memorial is now located), lit incense to "call out to their friends," and told them what they wanted: to build a temple to provide a warm resting place for more than 4,000 fallen comrades. The "answer" was carried on the wind, echoing from the deep valley.

Former President Truong Tan Sang visits Colonel Nguyen Lu, former Commander of the 3rd Golden Star Division.

That year, President Truong Tan Sang received the delegation of veterans at the Presidential Palace and welcomed the idea of ​​building a memorial temple for the heroic martyrs who "lived clinging to the rocks, died becoming one with the rocks, immortalized." In March 2016, the temple at the former Hill 468 was inaugurated. Subsequently, several benevolent businesses joined hands with the local authorities to renovate and upgrade the Hill 468 memorial to its current form.

To commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs and the announcement of the completion of the renovation of the Vi Xuyen Martyrs' Cemetery, 51 war veterans in difficult circumstances received support of 12 million VND each, including a savings account of 10 million VND; 100 individuals who are meritorious people and families of policy beneficiaries received gifts and cash (4 million VND each).

PHAM THUC

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/vi-xuyen-thang-7-mua-hen-post805696.html