Inside his modest house, the veteran carefully preserves old notebooks containing battlefield records, sketches, and burial locations of fallen soldiers. For over 50 years, these documents have been an inseparable part of his life.
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Veteran Dong Huu Thao recalls memories of his comrades on the Route 9 - Southern Laos battlefield. |
During nearly 25 years of military service, he fought in both the resistance war against the French colonialists and the American imperialists. From serving as a combat engineer during the Dien Bien Phu Campaign to becoming a political officer in the Armored Corps, he devoted his youth to the nation.
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Veteran Dong Huu Thao and his descendants look back at photographs from his years in military service. |
Among his most painful memories is the Route 9 - Southern Laos Campaign in 1971, when Tank Battalion 297 fought continuously from March to June. Many officers and soldiers were killed in action. Some died inside burning tanks, while others succumbed to their wounds while being evacuated. Many were buried by their comrades in the mountains and forests of Laos amid the harsh conditions of war.
More than five decades later, veteran Thao still remembers the names and resting places of his fallen comrades. Among them were Ha Ba Tinh, who was killed in the Muong Chuong area of Sepon district, Savannakhet province; Nguyen Van Tien, who died while conducting reconnaissance for tank routes; and Nguyen Van Binh, who was buried near the command area of Tank Battalion 297.
The memory that haunts him most is that of five soldiers from Company 7 who were killed on March 25, 1971, during an assault on an unnamed hill in Laos. Their tank was hit and caught fire while supporting infantry forces, and all five men were killed. According to the old veteran, each was buried in an individual grave marked with their name and hometown.
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Veteran Dong Huu Thao provides information about fallen soldiers to relevant units. |
Whenever he speaks of his comrades, his voice falters with emotion. “I only hope we can find them and bring them back to their families,” he said.
After learning of the government’s “500-day-and-night campaign” to accelerate the search, recovery, and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains, Thao continued to review his memories, redraw maps, and record every detail he could recall to support the “Finding comrades” program.
Though age and declining health no longer allow him to return to the former battlefield, his thoughts remain with those who still rest on Lao soil.
The memories preserved by veteran Dong Huu Thao are not only valuable to efforts to locate and recover the remains of fallen soldiers, but also reflect the enduring comradeship and loyalty of Vietnamese soldiers, men who sacrificed themselves for their country and never forget those who fought beside them, even decades after the war ended.
Translated by Tran Hoai