On October 10, in Ho Chi Minh City, the People's Army Newspaper organized a traditional meeting in the Southern region to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Traditional Day (October 20, 1950 / October 20, 2025). In that warm and friendly reunion, journalist Hong Phuong and some seniors, due to health reasons, could not attend. That day, Major General Doan Xuan Bo, Party Secretary and Editor-in-Chief, told me:

- Uncle and the Board of Representatives arrange time to visit Uncle Hong Phuong and deliver the congratulatory gift from the editorial office to him!

I reported to the Editor-in-Chief that I would carry out that act this week. We contacted Ms. Huong, daughter of journalist Hong Phuong, and learned that recently, his health was weak but his spirit and intelligence were still clear. We made an appointment to visit him on the afternoon of October 14. Before we could go, we received the bad news that he had breathed his last on the night of October 13 and early morning of October 14...

As a multi-talented, multi-faceted journalist, working in many fields, journalist Hong Phuong's passing left behind sorrow and deep impressions on many friends, colleagues, students... of all generations. During his professional life, he was mentioned in many roles: Journalist, teacher, manager, photographer... In every field, he left his mark.

Journalist Hong Phuong (second from left) with officers, reporters and staff of the People's Army Newspaper's representative office in Ho Chi Minh City during a reunion. Photo: XUAN CUONG

A quarter of a century ago, when I was just starting out in journalism, Hong Phuong was already a big name in the Southern press. As the Permanent Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association, Editor-in-Chief of Journalism Magazine, visiting lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University)... he was very famous in the profession, respected by many people, and considered an idol. I was fortunate to be noticed and loved by him right from the first days of working as a reporter for the People's Army Newspaper Representative Office in Ho Chi Minh City. Although he had changed jobs and left the house at 7 Phan Dinh Phung a long time ago, he still carried within him the style of a journalist-soldier. Whenever he had the opportunity, he came to my office, shared his feelings and enthusiastically passed on his passion for the profession and his journalism experience to young reporters...

Journalist Hong Phuong entered journalism at a very early age, and according to him, the military and journalism professions chose him. In 1954, when he was just 17 years old, Nguyen Hong Phuong left his hometown in Hung Nguyen (Nghe An), volunteered to join the army with a burning desire to participate in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign. On the occasion of Tet At Ty 2025, when we came to wish him a happy new year, we also heard him tell this story:

- I have only touched one hand of my dream. Just becoming a soldier, on the way to the battlefield, the news of victory from Dien Bien Phu came rushing in. I was both happy and regretful. Happy because of the news of victory, but regretful because I missed the opportunity to contribute my youth to the campaign...

So the young soldier from Nghe An and his comrades received orders to return to Hanoi, join the 57th Regiment to liberate and take over the capital. And then on the marching journeys, the pride of victory and the beauty of the country ignited the right source of inspiration for journalism in him. “At first, it was diary-style notes. When I held the People's Army Newspaper in my hands and read the articles filled with the spirit of victory, I was very eager to write. So I boldly sent articles to the People's Army Newspaper. Every time I received a new newspaper, I anxiously searched to see if my article was there. Then great happiness came. At the end of March 1956, my article "The Construction Soldiers" appeared solemnly on page 3 of the People's Army Newspaper. It was a short reportage, reflecting the working atmosphere of an Army unit, including soldiers from the South who gathered in the North, and were on the task of making bricks...", journalist Hong Phuong recounted the old memories, his voice full of excitement.

From an excellent collaborator, in 1964, Hong Phuong was transferred to work as a reporter for the People's Army Newspaper and was one of the youngest reporters in the editorial office at that time. Living in a military environment, his love for the profession and youthful enthusiasm helped Hong Phuong quickly assert his position in the profession. He has many excellent journalistic works that have lasted over time. The most prominent is the journalistic photo "Pain and Responsibility", capturing the moment when General, Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap shared the boundless pain with the people of the Capital during the memorial service for President Ho Chi Minh at Ba Dinh Square (Hanoi) on September 9, 1969. That historic moment was also the reason why he became a photographer. In his career, he has had many exhibitions of journalistic-artistic photos. Just like on each page, Hong Phuong's photos are rich in current events and journalistic details. With his keen observation, he is very good at capturing moments and taking the opportunity to press the shutter. Many of his articles in the genre of essays and comments... in the People's Army Newspaper during the resistance war against the US, to save the country and the day of liberating the South and unifying the country, are considered by young reporters today as "textbooks" for their profession.

Starting his career at the People's Army Newspaper, his career and family life are closely linked to the City named after Uncle Ho. In 1988, journalist Hong Phuong was appointed as the Permanent Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association. He proposed the establishment of Journalism Magazine and took on the position of Editor-in-Chief. Journalism Magazine quickly became a career handbook for journalists, lecturers and students of journalism. Writing for newspapers, editing and managing newspapers helped him gain rich life experiences and a wealth of experience. He compiled those valuable assets into lesson plans and lectures on political journalism, contributing to the training of many generations of journalism students at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Ho Chi Minh City National University) and many professional training courses organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association and the Vietnam Journalists Association.

At the traditional meeting on October 10, 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, journalist Pham Quoc Toan, former Vice President of the Vietnam Journalists Association, still mentioned Ms. Hong Phuong with profound memories. After retiring from the Ho Chi Minh City Journalists Association, journalist Hong Phuong was "invited" by journalist Pham Quoc Toan to participate in editing and organizing articles for the Journalist Magazine of the Vietnam Journalists Association. Retired but not quitting his job, the passion for the profession burned within him again. With his prestige, journalist Hong Phuong gathered many writers with rich identities from press agencies to order articles for the magazine. Each time, he and the author discussed, debated and argued to create a "menu" for the work, deeply and effectively exploiting the strengths, experiences, life experiences... of each journalist. “He is very dedicated. Once he accepts a job, he commits himself, does it thoroughly, and is very dedicated and responsible,” journalist Pham Quoc Toan exclaimed when mentioning Mr. Hong Phuong.

Such stories are still told, but the main character is no more. The heart of a journalist who always burned with the fire of his profession, burned with all his might until the last drop of energy, has stopped beating.

Journalist Hong Phuong passed away during the days when generations of journalists from the People's Army Newspaper met for a traditional meeting to celebrate the 75th anniversary of our beloved newspaper. On October 10, in Ho Chi Minh City, Editor-in-Chief Doan Xuan Bo sadly confided that every time they met, the guest list was shortened by a few lines. It was very sad, but it was the law of nature, what could we do? And today, October 15, the meeting of generations of journalists from the People's Army Newspaper in the Northern region was held. In the arms of reunion, we once again said goodbye to a respected brother, comrade, and colleague!

Please bow your heads and bid farewell to journalist Hong Phuong to the white clouds...!

Colonel PHAN TUNG SON (Head of the People's Army Newspaper's representative office in Ho Chi Minh City)

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/ky-su/nha-bao-hong-phuong-trai-tim-ruc-lua-nghe-da-ngung-dap-861885