Wednesday, August 12, 2026 (GMT+7)

Tel: (84 - 24) 3747 1748 / 3747 1029 - Fax: (84 - 24) 3747 4913 - E-mail: epano2005@gmail.com

Photos

11/08/2026 23:42

Choked with emotion, veteran Do Duc Diu shared that his wife and he had been unaware of their exposure to Agent Orange/dioxin and had merely harbored a simple desire to raise healthy children.
For him, this is an inconsolable pain and a consequence of war still vividly present within his own home.
Deep in the A Luoi mountains, A So Airport was once a hotspot for toxic chemicals. Although the land is gradually reviving, the consequences continue to afflict many families. Today, the faces, homes, and stories of residents around A So offer a glimpse into a pain that has yet to heal.
In A Luoi, the family of Ho Giang Ngan and Ho Thi Lien presents one of the most agonizing circumstances. The couple had 13 children, but 10 died from Agent Orange/dioxin exposure.
In their small house, Ngan, his wife, and their surviving child rely on one another. As the breadwinner, he must shoulder the burden of a struggling family and prolonged illnesses.
Among the surviving children, Ho Thi Ngoc Thu (born in 1996) began showing abnormal symptoms at the age of nine.
After three years of unsuccessful treatment at Hue Central Hospital, Thu gradually lost her mobility and eyesight. Doctors diagnosed her with Agent Orange/dioxin sequelae.
Her daily activities now depend entirely on her father’s care and support.
The family’s house was built in 2017 with the assistance from Defense-Economic Unit 92 (Military Region 4).
Life quietly continues each day, with the survivors constantly striving for a more stable and better future.
Doan Van Hien, an ethnic Ta Oi man, fought in the Binh-Tri-Thien battlefield and was discharged in 1978. Returning to his hometown, he got married, hoping for healthy children. However, all four of their initial pregnancies ended in tragedy as the babies did not survive. Of their three remaining children, one suffers from lifelong deformities, while the other two have weak health and small statures.
Photographs and memorabilia are carefully preserved by Hien’s family, marking his military service and the family’s years of hardship.
Currently, Hien and his wife receive benefits designated for those affected by Agent Orange/dioxin. They live in a charity house funded by Military Region 4 and Defense-Economic Unit 92, using monthly allowances to cover living expenses.
Hien once volunteered to move to A Luoi and has remained deeply attached to this land ever since.
On March 11, 1966, Vietnamese forces completely liberated the A So strategic airport stronghold in A Sau valley, A Luoi district, Thua Thien Hue province (now Hue City), shattering the enemy’s fortified complex on the Truong Son route. Subsequently, A So became one of the areas most heavily devastated by toxic chemicals.
War artifacts displayed at the Exhibition House of Chemical Warfare Remnants at A So airport
Other artifacts showcased at the Exhibition House of Chemical Warfare Remnants at A So airport
A stele marking the treatment area for dioxin-contaminated soil at A So airport. On the land that was once the epicenter of Agent Orange spraying, new saplings are sprouting, symbolizing the vitality and revival of a once-traumatized region.

A Lingering Pain

Returning from Truong Son battlefield, veteran Do Duc Diu (Ha Hiep village, Quang Ninh commune, Quang Tri province) simply wished for a peaceful home and healthy children. However, the pain of Agent Orange/dioxin continued to haunt his family. His wife and he had 15 children, but 12 passed away due to the effects of Agent Orange/dioxin, leaving only three alive.

Remnants of fierce wartime

At A So Airport, traces of a fierce war are preserved through bombs, shrapnel, explosive materials, and photographs of Agent Orange/dioxin victims. Although the war is over, these artifacts and stories serve as a constant reminder of the value of peace and the responsibility toward those bearing the scars of war.

Translated by Minh Anh

Photos

News Updated

1 2 3 4 5

PHOTOS

Vietnamese Soldiers Carrying Compassion to Earthquake Zone

Preparedness for Severe Disaster Response and SAR Capacity Enhanced

Vietnam’s Four-day Earthquake Rescue Mission in Venezuela

Enhancing Coordination in Handling Medical Emergencies

Braving Forests and Streams to Recover Fallen Soldiers’ Remains

Tribute to Sacrifice at Dong Tam International War Cemetery

Recruits Complete “Three-explosions” Test

Sailing Ship 286-Le Quy Don conducts long-distance sea training

Recruits of Naval Region 4 Confidently in “Three Explosions” Test

VietNam's Seas & Islands

Healthcare for troops and residents in Truong Sa

Vietnam calls on parties concerned to fully implement DOC in East Sea

Vietnam reaffirms goodwill in adhering to UNCLOS 1982

exchange rate

Unit: VND

Currency	Buy	Sell
EUR	25,476.64	26,873.59
USD	25,170	25,560

Video

Strengthening Special Solidarity between Viet Nam and Laos

Editor-in-Chief: Major General DOAN XUAN BO
Senior Colonel NGO ANH THU, Senior Colonel TRAN ANH TUAN, Senior Colonel LE NGOC LONG, Senior Colonel NGUYEN HONG HAI (in charge of online edition).
Chief of the Online Newspaper Division: Senior Colonel Trinh Van Dung
License number: 52/GP-CBC 10-6-2021

Address: No.7 Phan Dinh Phung Str, Hanoi.
Tel: (84 - 24) 37471748 / 069551452
Fax: (84 - 24) 37474913
E-mail: epano2005@gmail.com
Advertising: (84 - 24) 37473757