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Leaving the battlefield, many wounded and sick soldiers of Hai Duong, despite losing part of their health or carrying lifelong disabilities, still strive to contribute to their homeland.

Following President Ho Chi Minh's teaching: "To be a soldier in wartime, one must compete in fighting; when peace comes, one must compete in labor, production, and enrich oneself, one's family, and society", many wounded and sick soldiers of Hai Duong are determined to maintain the spirit of Uncle Ho's soldiers, strive to rise up, and become shining examples in everyday life.

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The war has long passed, but the memories of the time when People's Armed Forces Hero Ha Minh Tham in Tran Phu ward (Hai Duong city) fought through the rain of bombs and bullets are still as fresh as yesterday.

At the age of 17, young man Ha Minh Tham from Vinh Hoa commune, Ninh Thanh district (now Ninh Giang district) wrote a petition in blood and brought it to the commune People's Committee to join the army. After 3 months of training and 4 months of marching, he was present at Inter-zone 5 and participated in many battles in the reconnaissance formation in the Binh Dinh battlefield until the day the South was completely liberated. The joy was not yet complete when the Duc Co border area, Gia Lai province, became "hot" again because of the Pol Pot army's attack. With his extensive experience and many battles, he returned to the southwestern border battlefield to command the battle.

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People's Armed Forces Hero Ha Minh Tham carried 12 wounds but still commanded the battle and defeated the enemy.

In September 1978, as Deputy Captain of Company 5, Battalion 2, Regiment 95, Military Region 5 Command, he both commanded and directly held guns with his comrades to repel many enemy attacks. It was also here that he was seriously injured. Despite being covered in blood and injuries, he still struggled to rush to the battlefield to handle the situation. His comrades took him back for treatment with 12 wounds on his body. “Over the past 45 years, I have not forgotten the image of my comrades, despite their bleeding legs, still going through the forest and crossing large streams to save their comrades. Afraid that I would get infected by the water, 4 comrades even carried a stretcher on their heads, carefully and gropingly crossed the stream to take me to the treatment site. Those moments made me very grateful and cherish the comradeship and comradeship on the fierce battlefield of fire and bombs that day,” Mr. Tham said.

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Through the wars to protect the country, Hai Duong has had thousands of heroic sons who sacrificed their lives, devoting their entire youth to the battlefield. More than 2,000 wounded soldiers and 10,000 sick soldiers of Hai Duong were lucky to return home but they were disabled for life. Some people still have to bear the lingering mental pain when their children were affected by toxic chemicals. Every inch of homeland land that is protected means so many losses and sacrifices from both the rear and the front.

Disabled soldier Le Xuan Kich in Do Xa residential area, Tu Minh ward (Hai Duong city) does not forget the malaria that took away the strength and lives of young soldiers. It is also the disease that haunts most soldiers who used to “eat mountains and sleep in the forest” like him. Every time he has a fever, no matter how many blankets his teammates cover him with, he still shivers with cold.

Mr. Kich said that there were many “monk” soldiers in the battlefield at that time. Mr. Kich laughed and explained why he made such a comparison because malaria caused them to lose all their hair. For 12 years, he fought in many battlefields from Binh Dinh, the Central Highlands to the days of fighting in the Plain of Jars in Xieng Khouang province of Laos, and when he returned, he was 25% injured and infected with Agent Orange/dioxin. “It is hard to forget the days of marching through the forests with jagged cliffs on one side and deep abysses on the other, or the hand-to-hand combats with the enemy, witnessing many comrades die, but still determined to attack and fight to the end to reclaim every inch of our ancestors’ land.”

The war has long gone, but for Uncle Ho's soldiers of the past, the handfuls of rice and bowls of wild vegetable soup hastily shared... have become unforgettable memories. They lived and fought bravely for the peace, independence and freedom of the Fatherland today.

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“What to do when peace comes?”, that question has made many wounded and sick soldiers of Hai Duong continue to overcome difficulties, rise up on all fronts, actively participate in local movements, and support their comrades in all parts of the country.

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Disabled soldier Vu Huu Thuy cares and looks after the lives of his comrades.

In 1977, returning from the battlefield, war invalid Vu Huu Thuy in Bac village, Hong Lac commune (Thanh Ha) asked to go to school to gain knowledge and experience in starting a business and contributing to his homeland. In 1979, he was able to go to school and 1 year later returned to take on the role of Party Cell Secretary and production team leader of the village. The knowledge he gained along with the "steel" spirit of a soldier helped him lead the production team to develop. Mr. Thuy has held many important positions in Hong Lac commune from Chief of Police, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee, Head of the Commune Statistics Department and retired in 2010.

Mr. Thuy said: “After returning home from the army, the people trusted and assigned me to participate in many local activities, which helped me love life more, overcome difficult times and discouragement due to illness. When I retired, I decided to join the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin of the commune to share the joys and sorrows, and support the families of my comrades who are still in difficulty and struggling.” Mr. Thuy worked hard to grow new varieties of grapefruit, orange, tangerine, and jackfruit trees that can bear fruit out of season to give to members, helping them improve their mixed gardens, expand their cultivation areas, and increase their income.

Mr. Pham Hong Nghia, a 61% disabled soldier, member of the Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin in Hong Lac commune, said: "Although peace has come, the lives of many disabled soldiers are still difficult, so Mr. Thuy always wholeheartedly supports. He is interested in proposing that the locality have its own policies to help members have a better life."

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Many war invalids and sick soldiers in Hai Duong have become leaders on the economic front. War invalid Vu Duc Thien in Co Bi commune (Binh Giang) is a shining example of good production and business in peacetime. He was commended by the Provincial People's Committee three times. War invalid and veteran Nguyen Van Lan in Lang Xuyen village, Gia Tan commune (Gia Loc) is strong-willed and good at production and business. His family's livestock and farming model has been visited and studied by many people. Hero of the Armed Forces Ha Minh Tham has actively contributed to the movement to encourage learning and build new rural areas in Vinh Hoa commune (Ninh Giang). War invalid Le Xuan Kich holds many important local tasks after leaving the army and now always aspires to support his comrades in difficulty, actively participating in many movements of Tu Minh ward.

War invalid Vu Huu Thuy in Bac village, Hong Lac commune (Thanh Ha)

As for war invalid Nguyen Dinh Phooc in Man De village, Nam Trung commune (Nam Sach), after many years of fighting in Cambodia, in 1982 he returned to his hometown to open an agricultural processing facility, creating jobs for many laborers who were his comrades, relatives of his comrades and people in difficult circumstances.


Struggling in the business world, Mr. Phooc always maintained the will of Uncle Ho's soldier, not afraid to cycle to Hanoi and then to other provinces and cities to find sales opportunities. The years of non-stop marching on the battlefield, facing rains of bombs and bullets, even times close to death, he overcame, so staying up late, waking up early to cycle hundreds of kilometers to find business opportunities was nothing and the bravery of a soldier did not allow Mr. Phooc to be discouraged. In 2004, Mr. Phooc went to China to find new business opportunities and the following year opened a handicraft processing workshop to export to Taiwan. In 2008, he established Dong Hung Agricultural Products One Member Co., Ltd. specializing in purchasing, processing agricultural products and processing handicrafts for export. The company's annual revenue reached more than 15 billion VND.

Now that the business has developed and he is old, Mr. Phooc still does not hesitate to travel everywhere in and out of the country to look for new orders, because he does not want any workers, especially those in difficult circumstances, to lose their jobs. Currently, Dong Hung Agricultural Products One Member Co., Ltd. is creating stable jobs for nearly 100 local workers, mainly the disadvantaged and the elderly... Mr. Phooc said: "So many people have shed blood, many comrades have sacrificed on the battlefield to have a peaceful life today. Luckily, we are still alive and returning home, old soldiers like me cannot be discouraged, determined to live well, to live usefully for our families and society".

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During the days of July, Hai Duong is holding many activities to show gratitude to people with meritorious services and families with meritorious services. This year, the province has spent more than 34 billion VND to give gifts to people with meritorious services on this occasion. In many localities, organizations, businesses and individuals promote the tradition of "remembering the source of water when drinking" and "repaying gratitude" by regularly visiting, encouraging and sharing the losses, pain and difficulties of people with meritorious services and families with meritorious services. Activities of visiting and giving gifts, medical examination and treatment, and free medicine distribution are organized in many places.


Hai Duong has mobilized the whole society to join hands to care for the lives of people with meritorious services and families with preferential policies. The province has built and supported the renovation of more than 9,000 "houses of gratitude". The "Repaying gratitude" fund has created a large resource for all levels and sectors to carry out many gratitude activities and better care for the lives of people with meritorious services.

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Mr. Dinh Van Truy, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Hai Duong province affirmed: “The contributions of veterans, wounded soldiers and sick soldiers of Hai Duong in peacetime are truly admirable. They are shining examples for today’s and future generations to learn from and follow.”

Mr. Dinh Van Truy, Chairman of the Veterans Association of Hai Duong province

Today's peaceful life is cherished from the countless sacrifices of our fathers and brothers during the war. We respectfully bow before the souls of the heroic martyrs. Today's generation is always grateful and admires the wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, and meritorious people of Hai Duong, whether in war or peace, they always maintain their will and determination to overcome difficulties and contribute to their homeland and country.

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Content:LAN ANH - JACKSON CHAN

Graphics:TUAN ANH

Present:LIBRA


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