That year, soldier Dao Van Phe and his teammates went through a 2-month training course in Thai Nguyen, then received an order to support the Quang Tri battlefield. Recalling his youth, the soldier now old, just repeated, "I miss his comrades very much", "I am very close to his comrades", " how many of my comrades have passed away in the Truong Son range and the Quang Tri battlefield"... then bowed his head to wip his tears.
Colonel Dao Van Phe was former Deputy Director of Department 25 (General Department II), Ministry of National Defense. In 2000, he was an employee of the leadership of the Center for Intelligence Science Research of General Department II, Ministry of National Defense. Colonel Dao Van Phe retired in 2006.
Recently, he was invited to advise on the war film "Red Rain" about the war in Quang Tri, a film produced by the People's Army Cinema.
On the eve of the 80th Anniversary of the August Revolution and the 80th Anniversary of the National Day on September 2, Lao Dong Newspaper reporters would like to tell readers a story told from Colonel Dao Van Phe's memories of his journey with his teammates "triping along Truong Son to save the country" and the years of fighting at the Quang Tri battlefield.
Cut along Truong Son to save water
I (General Dao Van Phe) enlisted in the army while working as a mine worker. After 2 months of training in Thai Nguyen, my teammates and I received orders to fight.
On January 24, 1968, we started traveling from Tuyen Quang to Thanh Hoa. Those are the days before Tet, we have 3 days off at people's homes. Many comrades have gone to the streets to take photos and send them to their families as souvenirs. Personally, I thought that sending photos to my family during the war was a "tive", so I decided not to take photos.
After Tet, we learn to fire live bullets, throw throwinguuettes, detonating... then prepare to go to the B (to the South to fight).
Preparing to leave, I was appointed as Deputy Sub-captain of the B40 Firepower Battalion. We need 2 sets of long clothes, tang, hammocks, raincoats, 1kg of salt, 1 water bottle, 1 wooden hat, 1 small shovel for digging offices, 1 bag containing rice and each comrade is given 2 sets of soap to wash clothes.
Regarding weapons, we were given 1 B40 khau set and 3 bullets in the iron case. I was a deputy platoon leader and had to carry a rice cooker.
It turns out that each of us soldiers had to carry about 32 - 36kg of armored soldiers on the way.
From Thanh Hoa, we walked to the South. Daytime trips, sleeping at night at houses along the road, or sleeping in a hammock in the forest.
We went through the forest in Nghe Tinh province (old). Going forever, you can go to Quang Binh (old), then join the connecting road of Group 559.
When at home, we imagine Truong Son road as a high, long mountain top with forest. When I set foot on Truong Son road, I realized that it was a complex traffic system with many crossroads, stretching thousands of kilometers from North to South.
My teammates and I have set foot on the trail of the majestic Truong Son range. Every 15 - 20 kilometers, there is an intersection station, which is the place to welcome units traveling from the North to the South, and at the same time welcomes war invalids from the South to the North.
During those years, they traveled on the intersection in large numbers, groups entering and exiting the village were like stuck. The disabled soldiers went to the North and met us to encourage them: "The battlefield is in great need of comrades".
Between the teams going to battle and the company of war invalids returning to the North, we called each other, asked each other questions, and shouted loudly: "Is there anyone in Thanh Hoa?" "Is there anyone in Hung Yen?"... We found our compatriots, shook hands to encourage each other, in the true atmosphere: "There is a happy time when the whole country goes on the road", "S cutting along Truong Son to save the country/ But our hearts are open to the future".
It was hard, hard, crossing the mountains and forests, but we were very determined. There are many anecdotes written in Truong Son. There are rocks that are eroded 20 - 30 times because of the soldiers' footsteps. I am proud that my footsteps have also been placed on the rocks, steep slopes, mountain crevices... along with so many generations that have passed Truong Son during those years.
According to the original plan, our 246th Regiment supported the Southeast region, but the situation of the B5 front (Quang Tri) became increasingly complicated, so my unit was ordered to return to the battlefield of Khe Sanh front, Quang Tri in June 68.
The battlefield is green
Our generation, when going to the battlefield, are all very young, eighteenth and twenty, in the middle of the blue spring. In the starting luggage, we carried the biggest emotion, which was not afraid of death. Fighting for oneself, fighting for your green age.
In 1968, without dry food, we ate roasted rice to fight. In June 1968, we were assigned to destroy the enemy at peak of 689. This is an important peak to protect Ta Con airport, the US tries to defend, but we are determined to fight. If the US loses peak of 689, Ta Con airport will be left unused, forcing the US to withdraw from the strategic area of Khe Sanh.
I fought in Quang Tri until the end of 1969, until 1970 - I graduated from Northern School. During the years of fighting in Quang Tri, I had countless unforgettable memories.
Standing between the lines of life and death, when faced with constant danger, when standing in that battle, people suddenly become extraordinary.
I always remember a memory, when I defeated the enemy at the peak of 300 Dat, I went to find a teammate - Mr. Hai. When I found Hai, he was shot by an American helicopter with two carcasses cut across his waist and suffered a fracture of his spine, causing a lot of blood. I gave Hai a preliminary commitment, when Hai woke up, he told me, "Comrade, return to the platoon, the platoon really needs comrade, if you save me, both of them will die. I was seriously injured, just leave me here. I just said, I would never leave him, live together, die together.
Then, I carried Hai through the rain of bombs and bullets running through the forest. After nearly 2 hours, I took Mr. Hai back to the gathering place.
It was not until Mr. Hai was taken to the battalion's surgical station for emergency treatment that I suddenly thought, why could I be so healthy, carrying my teammates with 2 AK guns, bombs... but ice in the forest in the rain of bombs like that! When put in the fierce context of the war, we were like given more strength.
Recently, I was invited by the film crew of "Red Rain" for further advice when they worked on the 81 day and night battle to protect the ancient citadel of Quang Tri in 1972, I am very passionate about the words of writer Chu Lai - author of the script for the film "Red Rain":
"There must have been bloody rains - red rains in Quang Tri and all over the places during those years, to have a blue sky today".
I look at the blue sky and miss my teammates.
