PANO - Witnesses recalled their unforgettable memories of the war against invaders in a live-broadcast program, “Memories of July 27 th ”, held on July 22 nd , which linked five places of Hung Son Relic Site (Thai Nguyen), Dong Loc T-junction Relic Site (Ha Tinh), Nui Thanh Victory Memorial (Quang Nam), Hill 82 Martyrs’ Cemetery (Tay Ninh) and Ben Duoc Temple (HCM City), red addresses and sacred lands in the national cause for independence and freedom for over half of century.
Before the program started, participants had offered incenses to martyrs who rest in peace in local cemeteries.
The event was co-organized by HCM City Television, Military Zone 7, the People’s Army Newspaper and Radio and Television stations of some localities.
Ahead the live-broadcast program, journalist-photographer Hoang Van Sac said that he took photos of the squad of young female volunteers at Dong Loc T-junction. One week later, these ten volunteers sacrificed at the “no man’s land” co-ordinate. That photo became immortal and part of the history.
Journalist Sac confided that the moment he took that photo was when the late afternoon sun was still shining. 12 girls under Squad 4, Company 552 from Ha Tinh young volunteers were filling up a bomb crater full of water. Their shadows were seen on the bomb crater’s mouth and their movement made a lively photo as a symbol of brave Vietnamese women who dared to sacrifice for the national salvation.
Learning that the photo was hung at the Dong Loc T-junction Relic Site to worship these female martyrs, spectators were much moved.
However, that photo was ruined as time flies. Some days before the program took place, Sac’s family made a similar photo from ceramic, 1m in length and 1m in width, to present to Dong Loc T-junction Memorial Area. This ceramic photo has been attached to the grave site of 10 Dong Loc T-junction young volunteers.
Touching atmosphere dominated the program as the heart-rending story of Hero of the People’s Armed Force Dang Thi En in Quang Nam was told.
En’s 6-day-old twin children died in a scorching day and her husband bravely sacrificed in the war. Overcoming that extreme pain, En uncourageously and resiliently fought for the national independence.
In the program, she sent a message to today’s younger generations that they should show their respect to their older generation’s losses, take challenges and do useful things.
Speaking at the event, Major-General Tran Don, Commander of Military Zone 7, confirmed that gratitude to martyrs was responsibility of the whole society. With practical activities, each person should express their gratitude to those who sacrificed for the country.
Listening to moving stories, student Tran Anh Tuyet from Ho Chi Minh City University of Social Sciences and Humanity said that those stories made them, young generation, more proud of and grateful to heroes and martyrs.
Also at the program, nearly VND 97 billion was collected for the “Returning someone’s favor” Fund.
* The same day, in the evening, the Vietnam Veterans’ Association, in association with the Voice of Vietnam, organized an artistic exchange, “Gratitude in July”, in Hanoi.
The event was to honor veterans with strong will and taking challenges to build happy families and sharing compassion with comrades in difficulties.
At the exchange, 200 gifts, worth VND 1 million each, were presented to veterans and martyrs’ families, and 17 groups and individuals with great contributions to the “Compassion of July 27 th ” Fund were honored.
Translated by Mai Huong