The boat trip across the Ngan Sau River became a quiet moment in the life of a dedicated teacher, leaving behind tragic memories and an immortal soul in the middle of the Tang boat dock.
Fire in the needle pond
When I heard Associate Professor Nguyen Duy Tiep and Tran Huu Doan (from Ha Tinh) discuss ideas for a book about teachers, I urged them to get involved immediately, if it was late, it would not be in time. Since then, I have occasionally been informed by teachers and organized a draft of some articles.
The river of time passed quietly through the years, extremely cruel, sinking many events into forgetting. War, natural disasters, and enemy attacks; natural sunstorms as well as daily rain; life as a "spoiled bride", the work of archiving documents for cadres is not always smooth. Therefore, finding information about martyrs is a job like a "needle digger".
When coming to the old school, the management staff and teachers of the same period as the martyrs were either deceased or had transferred jobs. No records are kept. Coming to the traditional room, I was lucky to have a little name information, and the working time was already too lucky. When I came to my family, my relatives were gone; if I still remember, I would forget. For that reason, although planning steps to carry out and connect the network from the Provincial Former Teachers' Association (CGC) to the district and commune, the information collection work is not easy.
On May 20, 2025, after finding basic information about martyr Nguyen Huu Tu (1942 - 1967), hometown Yen Hoa, Cam Hoa commune, old Cam Xuyen district (in Ha Tinh province), former teachers of Vinh Linh High School, I, Mr. Tiep and Mr. Doan, connected with Mr. Dang Hoai Lieu (Chairman of the old Cam Xuyen District CGC Association) and Mr. Duong Van Lam (former Deputy Chief Inspector of the Department of Education and Training of Ha Tinh), went to the family of martyr Nguyen Huu Tu to burn incense and collect information for the article.
Welcoming us was Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan (born in 1989), who calls him the Four Martyrs. Mr. Nguyen Huu Thi (1909 - 1981) and Mrs. Le Thi Vuong (1908 - 1990) gave birth to 5 children (4 boys, 1 girl); father Nguyen Huu Tuan is the eldest son, martyr Nguyen Huu Tu is the fourth son.
Her parents and three brothers have passed away, leaving only her sister Nguyen Thi Lac (born in 1938) currently living in Minh Hoa village, Yen Hoa commune, Cam Xuyen district.
Mr. Nguyen Huu Tuan is currently the incense-ordoning person for his ancestors and uncle - martyr Nguyen Huu Tu. The relics of the uncle are nothing more than the worship photo and the national anthem plaque. The memories are also blurred, because when he passed away, Tuan had not been born.
To burn incense for martyr Nguyen Huu Tu and the paternal family Nguyen Huu, we were led by Mr. Tuan to the house of Ms. Nguyen Thi Lac - the third child, the fourth child of martyr Tu. I have high hopes of exploiting many authentic details from my grandparents.
At the age of 83, Mrs. Lac is learning to remember. When mentioning her younger brother, her tears flooded. Her memory of her biological younger brother was broken. We are patient, waiting, and inspiring you with the smallest details to remind you. And gradually, through many documents collected from different channels, the portrait of martyr Nguyen Huu Tu has gradually appeared...
Portrait of a martyr teacher
Martyr Nguyen Huu Tu was born into a revolutionary family. His father used to hold the position of Vice Chairman of the Commune People's Committee, his mother was in charge of the Commune Women's Union. The eldest brother is Nguyen Tam Nhuan (1928 - 1999), former Deputy Director of Ha Tinh Police.
In the memories of friends, the Four were clear, intelligent, and quiet. "Studying at level 1, level 2 for him. When I was in high school, I let him go to school, so I stayed at home to work to help my parents" - Ms. Lac said.
Quarterly of Phan Dinh Phung High School, Ha Tinh Town. Renting in Thach Dai commune. "I went to school smoothly, because my brother worked at the Police Department, taking care of everything from food to books and pens."
During his high school years, Tu studied with many famous teachers. Tu is passionate about studying, has natural talent, and wishes to become a teacher. Graduated from grade 10, Quoc Hoa, Vinh Pedagogical University. At that time, the whole Yen Hoa commune only had 2 university graduates - Tu and Nguyen Te Nhi - Mr. Dang Hoai Lieu said.
After graduating, Tu was assigned to Vinh Linh High School.
In 1964, losing heavily in the South, the US empire expanded the war of sabotage in the North, turning the Fourth Zone into a "bomb-pack fire pan". On July 13, 1967, the US bombed B52 on the Vinh Linh carpet. Students were evacuated to safe areas such as the old Tan Ky (Nghe An) and Thanh Hoa.
Mr. Tu was assigned to go to the station, preparing to bring 400 students to the old Tan Ky. The nearly 500km journey through the focus was fierce.
Mrs. Lac recalled: At around 9 - 10 am, Mr. Tu and his student Thien returned home by bicycle. Sleep overnight, eat breakfast the next morning and then leave. In the afternoon, the family was stunned to hear that they had both sacrificed.
The Four brothers handbook records: On September 21 (Lunar calendar) - August 18 (Lunar calendar), Mr. Tu and student Thien sacrificed at the Tang ferry terminal (old Duc Lang, Duc Tho, Ha Tinh province).
In 1967, the US released fish along the Lam River, La River, and Ngan Sau River. Canh Tang ferry - Duc Lang ferry terminal is a place of being held at sea.
Rain, rising water. Teachers and students carry bicycles down the boat. tornadoes, strong water, boats drifted into the floating area. The sound of the explosion splashed water. The boat disbanded. The bodies of the two teachers and students and the boat driver plunged into the river. Teacher Tu is forever 25, student Thien is 17 years old, "standing still on the shore for thousands of years".
People say: "Teachers are boat drivers...". But the fateful boat of master and student Nguyen Huu Tu made me think about an immortal symbol.
Nguyen Huu Tuan wiped away his tears of grief: "The family has built a grave for me, but it is just a wind grave!". We were quiet. Mrs. Lac adjusted the phone: "So much! Open teeth to eat sanxian!? Only love Cuc!.
I asked: "Who is Chuc, ma'am?". She replied: "Your lover Tu. Cuc - Mr. Thu's son".
Cuc falls in love with Tu. When they fell in love, Tu promised: "I will be a teacher, and you will be a teacher in the future. Let's work as boat drivers together, you guys!".
After Tu sacrificed, Cuc passed the entrance exam to become a teacher. Cuc understood: Even though Tu is no longer there, his soul still returns, accompanying him on the boat of knowledge...
