Dien Bien soldiers in the revolutionary homeland of Cao Bang (part 12)

Part 12: Proud to join in the epic of Dien Bien

The history of the famous Dien Bien Phu victory in all five continents is known and admired by the whole world, but to hear it recounted by those who went through that moment is to feel the courage and pride of a generation. hero. In the journey to find that brilliant milestone, we went to group 1, Ngoc Xuan ward (City) to visit the family of veteran Luu Si Niep – a Dien Bien soldier in the past. Through many seasons of blooming flowers, for Mr. Niep, the heroic memories and resounding victory of Dien Bien have always been his mark and noble luggage in the army.

Follow the call of the river

This year the veteran turned 94 years old with 57 years of Party membership to welcome us, in a military uniform filled with noble medals, he exuded the brave appearance of an old young soldier. .

Telling us about a time when he participated in the campaign, the old soldier’s eyes lit up with excitement, the story from 70 years ago was recreated. Born in 1930, in 1948, when he was just 18 years old, young Luu Si Niep followed the call of the Party, Uncle Ho, “Determine to die for the Fatherland, decide to live”, immersing himself in the long resistance war of the entire nation. At that time, he was assigned to Regiment 174, Group 316. In 1953, he was transferred to the Military Region Logistics Department, doing transportation work to serve the Dien Bien Phu campaign.

At this time, the entire Logistics industry and the entire people stepped in to prepare for the Fall – Winter campaigns and the Dien Bien Phu campaign with a very urgent spirit. We have mobilized human and material resources from the free zones of Thanh – Nghe – Tinh, Northwest, and Viet Bac to many provinces temporarily occupied by the enemy in the North to support Dien Bien Phu. Tens of thousands of compatriots enthusiastically went to work as civil servants, young volunteers participated in road construction, transporting supplies, serving the campaign, ensuring logistics for a front far from the rear every year, seven hundred kilometers, In the absence of rudimentary means of transport, the enemy attacked fiercely.

Meanwhile, the motorized roads to the Northwest are all narrow roads, weak bridges, many collapsed sections and go through dangerous terrain, high mountains and deep streams; The important route from Tuan Giao to Dien Bien Phu has very small road surface, most of it is single track, motor vehicles cannot maneuver, so it is very difficult for transportation work. He proactively proposed to the Military Region Logistics Department to ask the Front Command to use carts and buffalo power to transport weapons. Trips through the forest, climbing passes, crossing streams to secretly bring goods to the gathering place with convoys of carts and workers on foot, running loudly day and night on the roads to Dien Bien.

The past years were like a slow-motion movie unfolding before his eyes. Mr. Niep recounted: “There were many times on the march, the soldiers lacked food or suffered from malaria, but we always encouraged each other. keep moving forward. Tired of going through the forest and mountains, even though the meal was just rice balls, a few cassava roots, some wild vegetables and a can of water, the hardships during this time were indescribable. Every night, day off, through the forest, across streams, everyone’s spirit is uplifted. On the road, everyone sings and recites poetry, making the distance closer and the load on the car less heavy.

In May 1954, he was assigned the task of transporting nearly 1,000 kg of explosives with civilians, each person carrying a 2 kg block along the army’s trench to the center to Hill A1 to hand over to the 312th Battalion. May 6. /1954, when the explosive sound rang out, the war cry rose from the ground. The French army’s most fortified defense point in Dien Bien Phu was destroyed by Regiment 174, Group 316. From here, the Dien Bien Phu stronghold was torn apart so that at 4:00 p.m. on May 7, 1954, after 56 days and nights of “pouring rain, squeezed rice”, “blood mixed with young mud”, the “unassailable fortress” quickly became became a “pan of fire” that burned all the ambitions and final efforts of the invading army, our army and people achieved a victory of “Dien Bien Phu that shook the earth”. Mr. Niep recalled, an entire heroic past reappeared in the soldier’s memory.

“In death, the grass is green; in life, the chest is red”

After the Dien Bien Phu campaign, he continued to Lai Chau to destroy bandits at the Indochina Junction. In 1956, he returned home from military service, participated in local social work, and became the Deputy Chief of Militia Training in Vinh Quang Commune (City). In 1965, he re-enlisted to study at the Military Region Military School, then returned to take up the position of Political Commissar of the Hoa An District Military Command. In 1981, he was on leave.

During his years on the battlefield, he was shot in the head by three cluster bombs while passing through a bomb explosion area in 1952. Later pain due to the effects of cluster bombs did not discourage him. Although he retired, he did not quit his job. When he first returned to the locality, he was trusted and elected as Party Secretary of Manh Ngoc hamlet, Chairman of the Fatherland Front Committee of Ngoc Xuan commune, now Ngoc Xuan ward (City). Mr. Dam Xuan Truong, Chairman of Ngoc Xuan Ward Veterans Association, said: Mr. Luu Si Niep himself and the veterans are always bright examples for people in the streets and wards to study and follow.

To live and return in peace and happiness to him is such a blessing and a miracle. Because he was buried by bombs, stray bullets, and other dangers that threatened him on a long and difficult journey. When asked, during the campaign, what was the deepest memory for him, Mr. Niep remained silent for a moment, tears gradually seeping through the old soldier’s eyes: “Those heroic years are forever unforgettable to me.” never forget. There, the love of comrades and the love of soldiers and people is always closely linked, creating more strength than enemy machines and tanks. But in that historical moment, death no longer seemed to matter. At that time, the entire army and people only united with the desire to win. We promised ourselves that when we die, the grass will be green, and when we live, our breasts will be red.” Teamwork, solidarity, and attachment are still things that Dien Bien soldiers carry with them to this day.

The keepsakes that he cherished, cherished and kept carefully were the guard shirt and many Medals and Badges awarded by the Party and State: First Class Victory Medal, First Class Glorious Soldier Medal, Third class… During important holidays, he solemnly pinned it on his chest, where the beating of his heart echoed with pride and the boiling spirit of a time of blood and fire. Looking far away, holding a souvenir, with a choked voice, Mr. Niep confided: “This is the sweat, blood and tears of our brothers, our teammates are priceless assets, a sacred reason for life.”

In the epic poem Dien Bien Phu, the soldiers “from the blood and fire, shook off the mud and stood up bright” did not hesitate to sacrifice their entire youth for national independence and freedom. fulfill the glorious responsibility entrusted to us by the Fatherland, bringing eternal happiness to motherland Vietnam. And our young generation is always proud of our ancestors’ generation, determined to continue writing the brilliant epic of the Ho Chi Minh era, bringing the country to a new level, fulfilling the nation’s eternal aspirations. is to build a prosperous and powerful country.

Part 1: Glory to the soldiers of the 367th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Regiment

Part 2: Proud of heroic Dien Bien soldiers

Part 3: Remembering a time when flowers were on fire

Part 4: Proud to assist General Vo Nguyen Giap at the Dien Bien battlefield

Part 5: People who contribute to “becoming a red crown of flowers, becoming a golden history”

Part 6: Youth sent the entire Dien Bien battlefield

Part 7: Meet the driver in the Dien Bien Phu Campaign

Part 8: Memories of Dien Bien soldiers

Part 9: The white-blouse soldier in the Dien Bien Phu campaign

Part 10: Meeting an artillery soldier on the battlefield of Dien Bien in the past

Part 11: Worthy of the Badge “Soldier of Dien Bien Phu”

Minh Anh