HERO LE DUY CHIN
Hero Le Duy Chin, a lowland Vietnamese, was born in 1930 at Xuan Thanh village, Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province. When cited as a hero, he was a party member, a captain, leader of engineers battalion 76 of the Dong Nai province regional forces.
From 1964, Le Duy Chin combated on the battle-fields in the eastern region of South-Viet Nam in the positions of leader of engineer company, then leader of engineers battalion. In 1969 and half of 1970, the battalion led by Le Duy Chin killed and wounded over 200 enemies (including 1,400 Americans and their vassals), destroyed and damaged 720 military vehicles (including 200 tanks and armoured vehicles), 18 posts, 36 bridges, 9,000 meters of railways, 540 meters of roads and downed 2 planes… In August 1968, Le Duy Chin and his company lay in ambush to attack an enemy convoy. He perseveringly waited for the enemy to fall into the battle-field before ordering to open fire simultaneously and make assault. As a result, we destroyed 12 vehicles transporting 60 Americans, damaged a bridge, obstructed enemy communications for two days. In September 1968, Le Duy Chin led his unit to damage a bridge near a position guarded by a unit of Thai soldiers. He cunningly induced the enemy to go outside, as a result we both damaged the bridge and destroyed six tanks and a number of soldiers inside the tanks. His unit was safe. In August 1968, Le Duy Chin led an engineers platoon of regiment 4 to attack two battalions of civil guards. In this fierce battle he wounded, but continued to direct his unit. Finally, we killed 50 enemies, captured 7 of them, 15 guns, creating favorable conditions for the regiment to do way with two enemy battalions rapidly.
He was granted a first-class liberation exploit medals, ten times the title of emulation combatant. On 06.11.1976 Le Duy Chin was granted the title of hero of the people’s armed forces.
VISIT TO HIS NATIVE PLACE
Tieu Thanh Giang
Only after nearly half a century’s combats on all fronts did colonel Le Duy Chin have a special joy, a night of reunification full of love and memories. In the cosy house of his grandson, in front of the ancestors’ altar, everybody was present: brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters, including old men who had been buffalo keepers and his close friends. Looking at the cheerful crowd, Le Duy Chin said with great emotion:
- Dear sirs, dear brothers and sisters, dear nephews and nieces, today my wife and I are touched and happy to see this reunification scene, to again see our family members as well as our dear neighbours. For 21 years my wife and I have not returned to our native place to visit our ancestors’ tombs and our fellow-villagers. We are very faulty with everybody…
- Enough! Why are you so solemn, Chin Cu?
Everybody in the house broke in laughter at the name “Chin Cu” yelled loudly by Mr. Hao, an old friend of Le Duy Chin. When he was a child, Le Duy Chin had the talent to catch cuckoos (Cu), so he was called “Chin Cu”.
Mr. Thieng stood up suddenly (he was the eldest brother:
- Mr. Chin and his wife have reached the age few persons live to up. Now that they returned to their native place after 21 years of separation, I have this proposal: let them tell stories about themselves, about the “young warrior” who disappeared far away and the lonely young wife who awaited …, how they loved each other and how they faithfully waited for their reunification.
Applauses and laughter welcomed this proposal which disconcerted Le Duy Chin and his wife very much. Unable to refuse, Le Duy Chin said joyfully to everybody.
- Yes, I shall comply with your request. In general, our love story is a modern one, not of the ancient type “I, your daughter (or your son), shall comply with your choice, parents”. At that time, after the revolution of August 1945, we adhered to the national salvation on youth organization; went to classes for illiterates, made propaganda for the villagers to participate in production, to enlist in the coast guard militia.
- So, did you love each other because both you and your wife combated hunger, ignorance and foreign invasion? – Son, granddaughter of Mr. Chin, interrupted him and everyone laughed cheerfully.
- Yes, my wife and I together combated these three enemies and we did not know when we made eyes to each other and when our hands held each other!
- Did you two kiss each other? – Son asked again and the audience restrained their laughters.
Mr. Thieng stood up angrily and pointed to Son:
- You are impolite, you joke all the time. Let Mr. Chin speak!
Mr. Chin intervened:
- Dear Thieng, let her speak! This does not matter.
Then he sat down with his pensive look. His brilliant eyes suddenly looked at everybody:
- When we were young, we were very cheerful. By day we worked hard in the fields at night we attended youth organizations’ activities and participated in artistic performances. We formed a dramatic troupe, she and I were its members. The troupe once presented a lively scene named “The rice pot for soldiers”. She played the role of the servant for a family of land owners. Every time she washed rice before cooking it, she secretly hid half a bowl of rice in a pot destined for soldiers. Unexpectedly, once day the landlord caught her red-handed. Thinking that she stole rice for her parents, he beat her savagely. The girl with her eyes full of tears met a propagandist (played by me) and told him all the story. The propagandist made a severe face and criticized the girl: “It is good that you are patriotic and love soldiers, but your action may be mistakenly taken for a theft. You should have explained to the landlord that saving rice for soldiers was a patriotic action, that it was in compliance with Uncle Ho’s appeal to contribute rice to feed soldiers”. The girl ceased to weep at once, looked angrily at the propagandist (i.e. at me) and said: “Yes, I am bad, a thief, I quit you!”. Then she jumped down from the stage and ran away, letting me abashed alone, while the audience held their sides with laughters.
At this point of the story everybody laughed loudly while Mrs. Chin chewed betel. Mr. Hue, old friend of Mr. Chin, recollected:
- I remember that at that time Chin stood motionlessly, then pounded his feet on the stage and growled:
- She still volunteered to play that role! Abominable!
- Mr. Hue, were they angry with each other?
- Yes, but for only a few days. The day Mr. Chin and I volunteered as front labourers in the northern region of North-Viet Nam, his wife saw him off and put in his hand a white handkerchief on which two flying birds were embroidered. But six months later, half of labourers returned home either at term expiry or because of food shortage, lack of goods or because of nostalgia. But Mr. Chin and I remained perseveringly, we picked bamboo shoots in the forest, caught fish in the spring, ate even young brown tubers. Only three months later did we have goods to carry back. For three more months, we had to cross springs and forests with 60 kg of iron on our shoulders. Back home, both of us were afflicted with malaria.
Mrs. Chin, who had been silent so far, said:
- Let me continue for you. When Mr. Hue and Mr. Chin left home, they were strong and robust young men, upon their return they looked pitiful with their extreme thinness, white eyes and pale skin. Having no medicaments, I picked herbs and leaves in the forest, which were said to treat malaria. After only one month’s illness, his head shed all its hair and his body was only bones wrapped in skin. Earth worms were said to be efficacious against malaria, I dug earth worms for them, but he could not swallow them because they crawled out of his mouth. Finally, I boiled sweet potatoes, then wrapped earth worms in them for him to swallow both sweet potatoes and earth worms. And he was cured!
- At that time, you were not married to my grandfather yet, why did you care for him so devotedly?
- You are too talkative! Your great-grandfather lived with his second wife. Your grandfather lived with his mother, and all his siblings had to plow land and transplant seedlings for others. Nobody was home to care for him, I had compassion for him, so I tended him!
Little Son laughed boisterously:
- So, you were the lovely lover of my grandfather!
- She was not only lovely, she was also very beautiful. – Mr. Thieng added. Then he recounted:
By the end of 1951 he and Mr. Chin volunteered to enlist in the army, because during the days and months they had stayed in Lang Son to wait for goods, they saw powerful units armed with small and big guns brought from the border. In addition, they were attracted by reports on the victories of our troops at Dong Khe, That Khe, where many French captains and majors were captured. They longed to be members of this powerful army. On his departure day, the beautiful girl Trinh Thi Vuong timidly saw him off to the village gate, saying to herself:
Only when the Dong Nai river is shallow and the Thien Mu pagoda is demolish shall I forget my promise.
Then after peace had come back in 1954, voluntary youths, armament carriers for the Dien Bien Phu battle and soldiers flocked back, except Le Duy Chin who did not write any letter or message to his family. Trinh Thi Vuong, who had given him a handkerchief as an engagement token, awaited him patiently like other wives whose husbands had gone to the front. Only in the beginning of 1958 did Le Duy Chin, Uncle Ho’s soldiers, reappeared out of breath in his sweat-wetted shirt.
- Grandfather, you were too bad, you disappeared for seven long years without a letter to my lonely grandfather!
Little Son said reproachingly.
Le Duy Chin said joyfully:
- However, I have returned timely to marry your grandmother!
- But why did you return “in a sweat-wetted shirt and out of breath?”
- This is the story. I had only twelve days of leave to cross more than two hundred kilometers of road, including the Ngang pass and only on foot. It took me seven days to take this trip, walking by day and testing at night. I walked as fast as running, with my mind full of her images, burning to arrive soon and again see your grandmother who had awaited me for seven long years. My seven days full of hardships were nothing compared with her 2,500 days and nights of loneliness and waiting. So, right on the next day, I took her to the village office to register our marriage, then returned home to celebrate our wedding. There were only pea-nut candy and green tea, but we became husband and wife. After living with her for exactly three days, on the fourth day I had to depart because the leave was over. This was obligatory for him, a soldier of brigade 341 which was ready to defend our territory sovereignty menaced by the enemy beyond the border. She could only weep sorrowfully after her husband’s departure. Two years later, in 1960, then four years after, in 1964, they from time to time met again for several days or half a month. And only eleven years later, when many families were reunified happily after the national liberation, did she receive a letter from her husband, letting her known that he was still alive and that he would return home some day. She did not know that after the cease-fire his unit was ordered to disinter mines around high voltage electric pylons from Deo Chuoi, Bao Loc to Thu Duc. For three long months, he and his comrades crossed springs and climbed hills to detect and disinter mines, then handed over the pylons to the electricity company for it to transport energy from Da Nhim hydro-electric station to Ho Chi Minh city.
- No wonder you returned to me only in the beginning of 1976. You were very bad. You did such a lethal task without letting me know about it.
Mr Thieng intervened:
- If you knew about it, you would be anxious. Do not reproach him. Moreover, he returned alive and gave you your son Long. What more do you want?
Mrs. Chin, with her blushing face, said to Mr. Thieng:
- I reproach him because he did not understand his wife’s feelings. Over ten years of separation, wives in the rear missed their husbands very much, longed to hear from them to share their hardships and console them. However, they were so hard-hearted.
- Mr. Grandmother is right – little Son interrupted – I lay beside her in the bed many nights and heard her say in tears: “Peace has come back, the nation has been reunified, but why hasn’t your grandfather returned home?”. She loved and missed him extremely.
So far, Mr Hue had listened to the love story of his old friend, he was very touched. So, this old “Chin Cu” is very romantic. During the 9-year anti-French resistance war, he and Le Duy Chin were soldiers of division 325 combating on the Binh Tri Thien front. Chin was a gentle and open-hearted taciturn young man of action. Especially, he did not have affairs with girls. The battle against an enemy mopping-up operation at Thanh Huong in 1952 left him an unforgettable memory about Chin. He stood up hastily and showed his arm full of scars:
- Chin, do you remember the Thanh Huong 2 battle?
- Yes, the Thanh Huong battle in June 1952.
Mr Hue sat down, lighted the peasant’s pipe and breathed in. The water in the bubbled noisily. Everybody fixed their eyes on him, waiting for an exciting story. Still dazzed by the tobacco smoke, Mr. Hue recounted:
- The battle was totally passive. At only 4 a.m gun shots were heard from the staff room of regiment 101. In the absence of the company leader who had gone to a meeting, the company deputy leader directed the combat. All the unit rapidly occupied the defence works. Lying in the trench, we saw flames on all sides and heard cries for help from villagers, all of us wanted to jump out and rush to the attacked and surrounded unit. Without orders from the regiment command, the platoons clung to their positions, waited for the enemy to come before opening fire. Had the company deputy leader hardly given his order when I saw tens of iron helmets appear in front of me. Chin said softly: “Wait until they are very near to open fire”. My index put on the trigger of my machine gun became hot. Chin suddenly stood up, threw a grenade in the enemy’s direction and yelled loudly: “Fire!” All the battle-field shook in the middle of explosive smoke and deafening explosions. The enemy roared and dispersed disorderly. A moment later, the enemy rained shells on our defence position. Detachments crawled into shelters. Not seeing Chin, I jumped out of the trench and saw that he was observing each salvo of shelling of the enemy. Until 5 a.m after many counter-attacks the enemy could not occupy our defence position. The sun had risen, liaison agents reported that the enemy mobilized six ships on the river and thirty tanks and armoured vehicles and two battalions of skilled European and African soldiers on land to surround our regiment 100 and were determined to erase it. Order: each unit to organize its defence to temporize, then make sacrifices to pierce through the enemy’s siege. The unit was divided into small groups, which resisted the enemy until 6 p.m, when our ammunition was exhausted. After burying our machine gun, Chin and I had only two grenades and a poniard left. We walked along a bamboo hedge to the river bank. It was as dark as ink and the two of us suddenly saw a tank lying at the village entrance. Chin pulled my hand and we lay down on the ground for reconnaissance. He suddenly held my hand and pointed it at the tank rear. Red points flashed then went out. He spoke softly close to my ear: “Let’s crawl to their rear”. At about ten meters from the enemy, Chin blinked to me and I took out my grenade. “One, two, three!” both of us simultaneously threw our grenades on the enemies who were lying in ambush. Two blue flames were followed by two thunder-like explosions and the yells “Viet Minh” of the frightened enemies, which troubled the nocturnal silence. We ran rapidly to a trench bank, pursued by abundant showers of shots. Suddenly, a brilliant band swept overhead. Chin pulled me flat to the ground. At once, clusters of red bullets flew past “Chin, they have discovered us” Chin held my hand: “Lie quiet” about ten minutes later, the night quieted down again. We stood up and ran without breath to the river bank. Both of us were looking sideways for observation when a dark silhouette rushed forwards from a cluster of pineapples. I avoided it, but fell to the ground with sensation of pain in my arm. At the same time, I heard the sound of some falling thing, then two silhouettes collapsed beside me. I saw then that Chin was lying on a French soldier. I sat up, intending to crawl forwards, but my right arm ached terribly. Blood wetted one side of my shirt. My eyes were dazzled and I heard only the panting voice of Chin: “Hey, Hue…” I lost consciousness and when I came back to myself, both of us were on the other bank of the river. We had escaped the enemy’s siege. Little Son stretched her neck and asked:
- Mr. Hue, did my grandfather kill the French soldier?
- If he had not, both of us would have rejoined our ancestors. Stupid question!
- Bt why was there only a French soldier then to fight against you two?
Mr. Thieng blinked his eyes:
- This story is very amusing, only your grandfather knows it!
- Tell it to me then, grandfather! – Little Son said.
Mr. Chin smiled at his grandfather while Mr. Hue choked with laughter:
- Because he was emptying his bowels! It was a surprise attack!
Everybody laughed cheerfully, while Mr. Chin sat still. He thought: the story happened tens of years ago, however Hue can recount it clearly with his good memory. If he, Chin Cu, was told to recount it, he could not do it. He did not remember hundreds of fierce battles he had participated in over tens of years from north to south. For him, risking his life amidst rains of bombs and storms of shells was the ordinary task of a soldier, there was nothing great in it. He was only anxious for one thing: If he did not fulfill his duties, he would not deserve the titles of Uncle Ho’s soldier and escemplary Party member which he boasted to everybody:
- Enough has been said on combats and battles. This time, upon my return to my native village, I am overjoyed seeing that my family members, my friends and my fellow-villagers are well-off, every house has bicycles, motorcycles, television sets, cassettes… You have not forgotten either to upgrade our ancestors’ worship house, it is very good. My wife and I, who live far away, have not made our contribution to it. Today, I present you with our small share.
Then he took an envelop from his pocket and presented it solemnly to eldest brother Thieng:
- Please accept our token of gratitude on behalf of the family.
Mr. Thieng stood up and declared solemnly:
- I accept the token of gratitude presented by you and your wife.
Then he looked at everybody and said with emotion:
- Chin is a hero of the people’s armed forces. He has made sacrifices all his life for the people and the nation. In retirement, this “hero in a raw-fabric blouse” still works hard with his pigs, chickens tree garden and devotedly cares for his old and weak life companion. Chin is the pride of our family, an exemplary model for our children and grandchildren.
Mr. Chin interrupted:
- It’s enough, my eldest brother, you exaggerate. I am only an ordinary citizen making a small contribution to the national salvation war, who luckily survived and returned to my wife and my children. This is thanks to my parents’ and grandfathers’ virtues, the advises and assistance from the organization (the Party) and my team-mates. I am happy to survive and again meet my brothers, my children and grandchildren. I am very grateful to the kindness which my family members and my neighbours have shown to my wife and me at this memorable and touching meeting. I wish good health to everybody.
- The guests successively took place of Mr. Chin and his wife after shaking hands with them and wishing good health and longevity to them.
The meeting was over. The next day Mr. Chin and his wife would board a train in Vinh to go to the south. More than ten days had passed rapidly. Mr. Chin felt that he had omitted something during this pilgrimage back to his native place. He burned joss-sticks, put them in the incense-burner, then stood at attention respectfully in front of the ancestors’ altar. After a long separation from the native place of his ancestors for tens of years, he felt that he was already old and that during his trip back to his native village he had done nothing for its development like his contemporaries. He was very sad.
- My dear, why are you still standing there? Go to bed, we shall have to get up early tomorrow.
Mrs. Chin voice made him return to reality.
- My wife, I would like that tomorrow we shall stop at Do Luong first to visit your mother’s tomb before going to Vinh in the afternoon. Do you agree?
- Do as you please provided we would not miss the train.
He knew that his wife was then still angry with her mother who had abandoned her when she was a fatherless child because their family was very poor. Her mother disappeared in 1947, only in 1960 did people know that she lived at Do Luong with a second husband. In 1963, attending a training course for company officers at Do Luong, chin obtained a permission for his wife to join him at Do Luong. He made arrangements for his wife to met her mother at her step-father’s house. However, during these days’ reunification, the mother and the daughter were still indifferent to each other. According to Chin, this indifference was due to his wife’s stubbornness. Over many past years, he had done his best to reconciliate them, to arouse sacred sentiments between them. A letter now, a gift than sometimes some money were sent to her mother with this sentence: “From your daughter Trinh Thi Vuong”. He did not conceal them from her. Before sending something, he read this sentence to her. She did not say anything. That night, after he had made the proposal and that she had agreed, he felt at ease. And the feeling that he had omitted something was dispersed.
Mr. Chin approached his wife slowly:
- Does your leg still ache? Remember to take medicine before going to bed!
- He took his wife’s hand and shook it:
- Yes, people say that old persons are like children.
At 6h 15, train s1 stopped at Dong Hoi station. The two passengers sitting opposite Mr. Chin and his wife got off. Mr. Chin looked outside. Early sunshine spread on the cool station platform. Passengers who got on or off did not push each other like previously. After a period of twenty-one years he again took the transvietnamese Thong Nhat train. He found that life had changed very rapidly. People had become more beautiful and younger. Sitting on the mattressed seat which trembled with the train rhythmical movement, served devotedly by open-hearted train employees who provided him with rice and water, he believed totally in the nation’s renewal. For him, the meaning of sacrifices made by many combatants and civilians for national independence and the people’s happiness was evident everywhere and in everything. Joyful songs and music resounded to his ears…
- Dear Sir and Madam, are these seats 246 and 247?
A man and a woman stood in front of Mr. Chin, both dressed elegantly, the man wearing a white shirt European trousers and black glasses, holding a beautiful briefcase, the woman wearing European trousers, an elastic shirt and a big ringer on her finger. Both of them looked at Mr. Chin attentively. He nodded:
- You come from Dong hoi?
The man put his briefcase on the rack, took a net bag full of flowers and fruit from the woman and hung it on a hook. He sat down and answered cheerfully:
- Yes, my wife and I have just got on.
The man removed his glasses, looked at Mr. Chin. He half closed his eyes, looked pensive, tapped his forehead and stood up suddenly:
- Comrade Mr. Chin! Are you comrade Chin of d67? I am Minh Lui from Hai Phuong!
Mr. Chin looked astonishedly at the man from his head to his feet. He suddenly stood up and held the man’s hands:
- You are Minh Lui? Why are you here?
- My wife and I have just visited a friend who does business in Dong Hoi. We are now going to Saigon to see my younger brother. Is there Mrs. Chin?
- Yes, I have just returned to my native place, I am now going to Saigon, too. My family has settled there for twenty-one years.
- You are now the proprietor of a big ranch?
- You, Hai Phuong’s people, joke all the time! If all retired soldiers became ranchers, the nation would be rich!
Minh Lui turned to his wife:
- In spite of his small stature, Mr. Chin was a stubborn combatant. Under his command no soldier dared to neglect his duties. Study, training, meetings, combats were made rigorously in conformity with military rules. Especially, if anyone had affairs with girls, he was punished at once by Mr. Chin.
Mrs. Chin who could not help laughing, asked:
- And how many times were you punished?
The wife looked comically at her husband, murmured something to Mrs. Chin, then hid her smiling mouth with her hand. Minh Lui said to Mrs. Chin:
- Do not listen to my wife’s nonsense. I was very serious. If you do not believe me, then ask your husband.
Mr. Chin, his wife and the young woman broke in laughters at this clumsy and “military” self-defence.
Overjoyed by this unexpected and interesting meeting, they did not know that the train had departed. Rocked by the train rhythm, Minh Lui seemed to revive his past years. He had not expected that after ten years of separation he again meet his unit leader who had trained and helped him to grow up. He remembered clearly that by the end of 1967, when he was transferred to the regional engineers bureau, Chin was only a company deputy leader, assistant to the staff leader. However, to the judgement of combatants, he was very close to them. Before each battle, after listening to the reconnaissance report, he always surveyed and checked the battle-field. As if he remembered something. Minh Lui asked Mr. Chin hastily:
- There is one thing which has long preoccupied my mind and which i did not dare to ask you about.
- You probably mean the reconnaissance incident at Suoi Dia, don’t you?
- Yes. You still remember it?
- Why not? Your negligence nearly destroyed the whole unit.
- But why didn’t you take disciplinary measures against me?
- Yes. I punished you by training you to survey the battle-field carefully, to use the acute eyes and keen eyes of a reconnaissance soldier. This was the most concrete disciplinary measure to make you observant and intelligent.
Minh Lui remembered: in the battle which took place that year, company 22 approached the battle-field in the direction traced by Chin. If it had followed the direction proposed by the reconnaissance group, it would have fallen into the mine trap of the enemy. After the battle, chin only drew a lesson casually: the Saigon gang is very tricky, you must make attention that under buffaloes’ or oxen’s dung there are Claymore mines.
Minh Lui was startled and frightened by his faulty negligence. He silently thanked his leader who taught him an elementary lesson to a reconnaissance soldier, which would enable him to economize his fellow- combatants’ blood.
Minh’s wife peeled an apple while listening to the two men’s talk. Seeing that her husband sometimes frowned his eyebrows and looked pensive and sometimes smiled to himself, she knew that two former soldiers are reviving their numerous memories. She put yellow and aromatic pieces of apple on a plastic box lid and said solemnly:
- I invite Mr. Chin and Mr. Chin to eat apple. I bought this apple at Dong Hoi.
Minh Lui took two of apple and handed them over to Mr. Chin and Mrs. Chin:
- Please eat them for my pleasure.
- Ah! You remember the way of speaking of southerners!
- Yes, Mr. Chin, how could I forget it?
Minh’s wife looked at Chin, then asked her husband:
- Is he Bay Chin, hero of the armed forces?
- Yes, the hero who walks on his naked feet and my unit leader during the resistance war against the Americans.
- Excuse me, Mr. Chin. I imagine that a hero or a general is a very imposing man. However, you look like an old peasant.
- It is true, my husband is always peasant. I invite you to come to my house in the south and you will see that this is true.
Minh Lui looked sidelong at his wife and said:
- We are ourselves peasants. My wife means that you are a simple and gentle hero.
Mrs. Chin laughed cheerfully:
- This does not matter. My invitation is sincere.
Minh’s wife, repairing her blunder, answered hastily:
- Once arriving in the south, we shall pay visit to you.
The train lunged forwards in sunshine or against winds, leaving behind yellow plains or numerous houses behind bamboo fences and green gardens. There were no more devastated scenes caused by last year’s century floods thanks to the affection and assistance from the population nationwide and also thanks to the self-reliance, hardship sharing and difficulty overcoming spirit of the population of central Viet Nam provinces. From the train Chin did not recognize former places, especially in Vinh Linh area, where he and his comrades once fulfilled the task of protecting the border security. Places and things had changed strangely after 42 years, while he, an old soldier who during this period risked his life to participate in hundreds of battles, killed many enemies, burned many tanks and armoured vehicles, destroyed thousands of bombs and mines and was granted tens of medals, still remains a peasant like other peasants who walked on their naked feet, completely satisfied with each good harvest. Now retired and settled in Tri An area with his children and grandchildren, he is satisfied with his old age. For this reason, during his return to his natal lace this time 25 years after national reunification, he was very proud of his military career and very happy!
- Mr. Chin, I know that during the 9-year war you combated the French in Laos. Is it true? Minh Lui asked, interrupting his thoughts and bringing him back to reality.
- Why do you know?
- Do you forget the story of wild banana trees which you often told to us?
- Ah! I remember. This story made me and my comrades controvert incessantly: Was this an intelligent stratagem, or was it that difficulties taught cleverness?
- It is exact. I still remember now that Phat, from An Hai, Hai Phuong, did not believe you, he said that you invented this story. Where could you find so many wild banana trees to put on barbed wire fences for our troops to go through?
- This is a true story about my unit carrying out an attack on a battalion of Europeans and Africans stationed at Ban Bung, at five kilometers from Tha Khet. Of the three attacking spearheads, two penetrated inside, the third was barred fiercely by their 12.8 mm heavy machine gun. Our blasting charges demolished the last bared wire fences which arrested my attack spearhead. I suddenly remembered that there was a cluster of wild banana trees on road 12, which was not far. With the commander’s consent, six combatants rushed out and returned with 12 bananas trees. We assembled them into six pairs, put them on the barbed wire fences for our assault group to lunge ahead, followed by our troops which penetrated victoriously.
- You are very intelligent and present-minded.
- You exaggerate. At that time, everybody only thought of a way to cross those miserable barbed wire fences. I thought of the pond bridge at home. Without bamboo or reeds, people make pond bridges with banana tree trunks. And wild banana trees were numerous at that place. So, I made the proposal.
- You are too modest to find such a solution was very difficult then. You deserved to receive a third-class military exploit medal after that battle.
- So, according to you, was it an intelligent stratagem?
- It was certainly an intelligent stratagem.
- Why?
- Because… difficulties taught cleverness!
Chin broke in laughter. He thought of combatants of battalion 67, who were his age when he participated in the anti-French war resistance. They were intelligent, agile and also prankish and mischievous. He thought of Phat, Phuong, Minh, Hoang, his fellow-combatants who fell in fierce battles. All of them deserved to be heroes. He asked Minh:
- Have the remains of Phat, Phuong, Minh and Hoang been transferred to their native places?
- In 1990 Binh Den and I made a trip and found the tombs of Phuong, Minh and Hoang. We have not found Phat’s tomb.
Chin silently wiped his tears with his handkerchief. Many of his team-mates passed away without any trace left. That day, sitting on this Thong Nhat train, he felt that he heart ached acutely like each time he listened to the rubric “Search for fellow-combatants” on the radio or television screen. These messages and this picture told him that they had not returned to their native places.
The train lunged forwards in the night, blowing a long pressing whistling. In sleeping-car no.6, the four passengers, two old and two young, made a sound sleep. They might be considered to be a two-generation military family. They spent their young years to contribute their small parts in the grandiose war for national independence, freedom and reunification. Under the trembling electric light and rocked by the rhythmical swinging of the train which lunged forwards in the night, the face of each member of this military family looked very lovely. They were enjoying a warm and peaceful sleep. Yes, they were lucky and happy soldiers.
Chin and his wife arrived at their house exactly on 30 April of the 25th anniversary of the South liberation and national reunification. The Party Committee, the authorities and neighbours came to their house to wish them good health and happiness. Children and grandchildren gathered to hear news about their native places in the north. Mr. Chin and his wife lived their most peaceful and happiest days.
- Excuse moi, is this Mr. Chin’s house?
- Mr. Chin went out hastily:
- Hello, my friends! Come in!
Minh Lui and his wife, holding bags and packages in their hands, looked ground, astonished:
- Is this all your property, Mr. proprietor?
- Hole your tongue! I am a proprietor?
- Why not? Living in this large basalt area, in the middle of the town and right at the foot of a big hydro-electric, you are too honest!
- You mean that I am silly? But come in and wash your faces, hands and feet first.
Minh Lui and his wife went into the house. The house had 3 compartments. The middle one was built completely, the others were made of ordinary forest wood. The furniture consisted only of a wooden table, wooden chairs, a dusty 78 motorcycle and an old television set. For him, in time of war or peace, the most important thing was the duties assigned by his superiors. If he did not fulfil them, he was faulty with the Party, his fellow-combatants and the people. As benefits, he considered that a house and a garden were enough for him and that he was better than many of his fellow-combatants.
- Mr. Chin, since 1975 to the year you retired what did you do?
- I distintered bombs and mines, built a new economy zone, formed a regular coast guard unit for the military zone, assumed the functions of deputy director of management board of the hydro-electric works and was head of the works guards. Minh Lui shook his head:
- You live in such a house with so many important positions?
Chin laughed and passed a cigarette to his fellow-combatant:
- Do you advise me to rob?
- It is not a matter of robbing. This is your right which you must claim to.
- You know, for forty years’ combats and building forces, I had only one preoccupation, which was to fulfil the duties of a combatant, an official. I did not give attention to anything else.
- They gave you the garden and built the house for you?
- No. It was with our own money and our efforts. My wife and I did not ask for anything.
- You are satisfied with your situation?
- Entirely satisfied. Compared with my parents and grandparents who did have nothing, I am already happy having land, a garden and a house. Isn’t it a change in my life?
- If such is your viewpoint, I have nothing to say.
Mrs. Chin and Minh’s wife went into the house each with a basket full of ripe mangoes. Minh’s wife said, out of breath:
- My dear, go out and admire their splendid mango-trees!
Mr. Chin chose the ripest mangoes and put them in a dish:
- Eat as many of them as possible . They are our wealth. While eating, Chin asked Minh Lui:
- Are your younger brother and his wife fine?
- They are perfectly fine. He combated in division, and disappeared after the liberation. Only in 1980 did he write to us, saying that he was married and had two children. His wife is a Vietnamese of Chinese origin living in district 10. They are now owners of two mini-hotels in Pham Ngu Lao street, district 11, Ho Chi Minh city.
- My congratulations to your younger brother’s family. You and your wife are owner of a stone quarry on Voi mountain and your younger brother is a hotel owner. It is a wonderful change of the market mechanism.
While eating, Minh and his wife talked cheerfully. Other persons might be hurt by Chin’s words, but Minh Lui, who knew that Chin was not envious of others’ success, only said jokingly:
- You are proprietors of a mango garden, too!
Everybody laughed heartily at his joke. Minh’s wife turned to Chin:
- How many medals do you have?
Chin answered slowly:
- Because I see none on the wall.
- They are dusty, so I put them away.
The two military families, who had met on the train the other day, saw each other again in a friendly atmosphere. Chin’s children and grandchildren considered Minh and his wife their ole acquaintances. Neighbours also came to make acquaintance with the northern guests. Minh and his wife were very touched. For a long time they had not lived in such a warm and sincere familiar atmosphere, very different from the busy and suffocating life in cities. Minh Lui said frankly to Chin:
- I wish my family lived a peaceful life like yours.
- How could you and your wife, traders, used to urban existence, live in the quiet countryside?
- I avow, business is very tiring. It gives a lot of money, a comfortable house, but the husband and the wife live apart, the children are influenced by their bad friends. My wife and I are always anxious that disasters could happen at any moment.
- Then, you and your wife will move here and live with us.
Although he said so, chin knew that Mimh Lui could only live with him for three days at the most. Unexpectedly, he and his wife stayed at his house for half a month although Chin was busy all day long with the Party and the association affairs. They were at home in full only at night.
- Mr. and Mrs Chin, how much do you pay me and my wife as wages?
Mrs. Chin explained:
- Minh and his wife labour very well. The two of them have weeded half an acre of your garden cleanly. What do you intend to do?
- I shall give them half of my garden.
Minh’s wife laughed:
- Do you joke or speak seriously?
- I do not joke. Half of the garden is yours. I am only afraid that you do not dare to give up your urban life.
Minh Lui put the glass of water on the table:
- I shall give up this busy life. But I shall never take your land.
- My land?
- Yes, it is yours.
Mrs. Chin, suddenly remembering something, turned to her husband:
- This morning, while you were at the training course, a journalist came and said that he wanted to meet you.
- I have met him.
Minh Lui asked hastily:
- What is the matter, comrade?
Chin lighted the pipe, inhaled a long breath, then answered calmly:
- They want to write an article about me.
Minh’s wife applauded excitedly:
It is very well, Mr. Chin! Your life deserves to be printed in a book.
Chin shook his head and answered slowly:
- I made war to defend my country like many others. Many of them , sacrificing their lives and making more contributions than me, did not return to their families. I was lucky to survive and come back to my wife, my children and my native village. I consider myself extremely happy. Being previously a landless peasant and a poor labourer, educated by the Party, participating in two long wars, I have had only a vow: “Being faithful to the nation, dutiful to the people, fulfilling any tasks, overcoming any difficulties and vanquishing any enemies” which Uncle Ho, the people’s old father, taught us.
- Mr. Chin was very touched by her husband’s words. Nobody understood him better than her. Whether he was a general or a hero, he was only a simple peasant, and after many years which separated the husband combating in the south from his wife waiting for him in the north, he still survived to return and live faithfully with his wife and his children. She smiled at this thought:
- Anyhow there is something to write about you!
- What is it, Mrs. Chin?
- About Chin Cu from Xuan Thanh, Nghi Xuan district, Ha Tinh province who once…
Everybody in the house broke in laughters, especially Minh Lui’s wife who could not help laughing.
Remembering something, she asked:
- Mr. Chin, why was my husband called “Minh Lui?”
- You will ask him this night and you will know.
Minh Lui’s wife did not understand anything. Seeing that everybody held their sides with laughters, she blushed and laughed, too.
One more night of the merry soldiers’ families.
T.T.G