A soldier's life - a loyal heart

The war is long gone, but there are people who never allow their memories and affection to fade.

April morning, Tan An sky lit up red.

Half a century after the day the liberation flag flew over the Independence Palace, the city on the banks of the West Vam Co River once again lives in the atmosphere of the heroic years. The purple Lagerstroemia trees and the last clusters of cotton flowers of the season burn brightly in the sun, as if suddenly lit up in the middle of a national festival.

At Ward 5 Park, which was once a hot spot of the battlefield 50 years ago, the Tan An Victory Monument has just been inaugurated. This project is not large in scale, but has a special meaning - it is a place to record the feats of the soldiers of Regiment 174, Infantry Division 5 who fought tenaciously in the key battle, opening the Southwest gateway, from which the troops quickly entered Saigon in the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

The Monument to the Victory of Regiment 174 in Tan An city, Tay Ninh (former Long An province) was built with funds sponsored by Mr. Nguyen Minh Son.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

In the crowd gathered this morning, among the white-haired heads, there was a figure that stood out with eyes shining with memories. Mr. Nguyen Minh Son, a veteran of Company 4, Battalion 4, Regiment 174. He stood silently looking at the granite stele standing tall in the heart of the city. To him, it was not just a stele, but a promise from half a century ago - when the blood of his comrades mixed with this land on the historic day of April 30, 1975...

At that time, Mr. Son was just 20 years old, a DKZ 75 gunner. In the opening battle to attack the center of Tan An town, when the enemy's bullets were pouring into our formation, he rushed to the mouth of the artillery bunker and calmly organized to return fire. The DKZ 75 shots of the battery exploded loudly, completely destroying the enemy's heavy machine gun that was firing from the bridgehead, creating conditions for the assault unit to capture the target.

"At that time, we only had one thought: we had to open the Tan An gate wide open so that the enemy in Saigon would have no place to cling to. War did not allow us to think about anything else," he slowly repeated, his voice lowering as the loudspeaker played the song "Marching to Saigon" with a truly majestic melody.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son (left) and the author took a photo at Tan An Victory Monument on the inauguration day (April 27, 2025)

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Tan An is a memory, but not the only one. After the liberation day, Mr. Son put on his backpack and continued his march through the vast dipterocarp forests of Cambodia. Place names such as Snoul, Kratie', Th'mo puok, Svaichek, Cao Melai... have become very familiar. The war to protect the southwestern border and help our friend revive from the ashes of genocide was an equally fierce journey.

He said there were days of marching under the scorching sun, with worn-out military uniforms, not enough food, and not enough ammunition, but no one backed down.

"We had to face not only bullets and bombs, but also hunger and disease. Many of our comrades never returned, they lay in strange forests, under palm trees or beside the red Mekong River heavy with alluvium," he said, his eyes filled with tears.

Once, in a battle on the Thai border, he and his teammates were surrounded by the enemy, with only a few rounds of ammunition left. Amidst the gunfire and cries for help, one of his teammates - a young man from Nghe An, only 19 years old - rushed out to attract enemy fire so that his teammates could escape the siege. That young man never returned. "I still remember his name to this day. And I always tell myself to live for him." Mr. Son spoke quietly, his calloused hands clenched tightly as if to keep something very precious.

The years in the army left him with something that he would always remember for the rest of his life: that comradeship is the most sacred thing. He often told his children and grandchildren: "War took away my youth, but it gave me back something priceless, that is comradeship. That is something that will never be lost."

Perhaps that is why, when he returned from the war years, Mr. Son did not choose a leisurely life. From nothing, he overcame difficulties and then became Chairman of the Board of Members of a pharmaceutical company in Ho Chi Minh City. His company is in the top 1,000 enterprises paying the largest income tax in Vietnam. But for him, money has never been the destination. His destination is to fulfill his old oath - to live up to his comrades.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son and the Veterans Liaison Committee of Regiment 174 visited and presented gifts to People's Armed Forces Hero La Van Cau - a soldier of the regiment (August 2024)

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

For over 40 years, he has been tirelessly on another journey - the journey of gratitude. He has contributed to the renovation of martyr cemeteries; built houses of gratitude for families of martyrs in difficult circumstances; sponsored the construction of the Long Khot Martyrs' Temple (Vinh Hung, Long An); sponsored meetings of comrades; organized and sponsored "Return to the Source" trips for comrades to find the birthplace of Regiment 174 in Hoa An (Cao Bang). And today, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the country's reunification, he and the Liaison Committee of the Regiment's Veterans Association erected the Tan An Victory Monument - so that the past is engraved in the present, so that those who have fallen have a place to return.

***

The inauguration ceremony of the Tan An Victory Monument had ended long ago, but Mr. Son was still sitting there. The wind from Vam Co Tay blew gently, the red flag with yellow star on the monument fluttered in the afternoon light. In his eyes, 50 years seemed like just yesterday. The images of young men in their twenties who fell, their blood mixed with Tan An soil in exchange for peace for the Fatherland. And the silhouettes of his comrades lying in the middle of the Cambodian forests, where the wind blew like a tragic song, had not left his mind for a day.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Son (holding the book) and his teammates on the day of meeting with Division 5 in Hung Yen (August 2023)

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE AUTHOR

Standing in front of the stele in the middle of the city today, one can hear the echoes of a reminder to future generations: peace does not come naturally. It is exchanged for the blood and youth of countless soldiers. And there are people who, even though the war has ended, still silently preserve that memory - like Mr. Nguyen Minh Son, a soldier, a businessman, and above all, a shining example of comradeship.

The image of Mr. Nguyen Minh Son today is not only that of a veteran, but also a symbol of the spirit of overcoming difficulties, strong will and loyalty. He went through years of bombs and bullets to face the challenges of the business world, but never lost the qualities of a soldier. For him, success is not the numbers on the report, but the gratitude projects that have sprung up, the smiles of the martyrs' families, the eyes of his comrades when they meet each other on the day of return.

The message he sent to the younger generation was clear: Whether in wartime or peacetime, the greatest value of a person is not status, not wealth, but living with ideals, living responsibly, and not forgetting one's roots. A soldier of the past can still become a businessman today, but in every step, he still keeps in his heart the old flame - the flame of courage, of comradeship and of love for the country.

The fifth Living Well Writing Contest was held to encourage people to write about noble actions that have helped individuals or communities. This year, the contest focused on praising individuals or groups that have performed acts of kindness, bringing hope to those in difficult circumstances.

The highlight is the new environmental award category, honoring works that inspire and encourage action for a green, clean living environment. Through this, the Organizing Committee hopes to raise public awareness in protecting the planet for future generations.

The contest has diverse categories and prize structure, including:

Article categories: Journalism, reportage, notes or short stories, no more than 1,600 words for articles and 2,500 words for short stories.

Articles, reports, notes:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 2 second prizes: 15,000,000 VND

- 3 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 3,000,000 VND

Short story:

- 1 first prize: 30,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 20,000,000 VND

- 2 third prizes: 10,000,000 VND

- 4 consolation prizes: 5,000,000 VND

Photo category: Submit a photo series of at least 5 photos related to volunteer activities or environmental protection, along with the name of the photo series and a short description.

- 1 first prize: 10,000,000 VND

- 1 second prize: 5,000,000 VND

- 1 third prize: 3,000,000 VND

- 5 consolation prizes: 2,000,000 VND

Most Popular Prize: 5,000,000 VND

Prize for Excellent Essay on Environmental Topic: 5,000,000 VND

Honored Character Award: 30,000,000 VND

The deadline for submissions is October 16, 2025. The works will be evaluated through the preliminary and final rounds with the participation of a jury of famous names. The organizing committee will announce the list of winners on the "Beautiful Life" page. See detailed rules at thanhnien.vn .

Organizing Committee of the Beautiful Living Contest

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/mot-doi-linh-mot-tam-long-son-185250919105742283.htm