Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Thi Tuyen was born on February 20, 1946 in Nam Ngan ward, now Ham Rong ward, Thanh Hoa province; residing at 310 Truong Thi, Hac Thanh ward.
Hero Ngo Thi Tuyen passed away at 9:18 am on July 4, 2026 at her home. The burial ceremony of the female hero at Cho Nhang Cemetery, Thanh Hoa province took place on July 5.
Ngo Thi Tuyen's name is associated with April 1965, when Ham Rong bridge became the "fire coordinate" in the war of destruction in the North. This is a vital traffic location, of strategic significance in the line of supporting manpower and resources from the northern rear to the southern battlefield.
According to documents from the National Museum of History and Ham Rong Ward People's Committee, on April 3 and 4, 1965, the Nam Ngan - Ham Rong area was fiercely attacked by the US Air Force. On April 4, 1965, after participating in hunting down the US paratrooper pilot, female militia soldier Ngo Thi Tuyen continued to swim to the naval ship to transport bullet casings ashore, supplying ammunition to the ship while the aircraft were still circling above.
When the air defense battlefield needed urgent ammunition reloading, the 19-year-old militiawoman, small in stature, leaned on her shoulder and carried two boxes of 37mm artillery shells attached together, weighing a total of 98kg, across the dike, and brought them to the riverbank to promptly reinforce the fighting troops. The National Museum of History records that she was about 1.4m tall and weighed 42kg, but carried more than twice the weight of her body.
During two days of fighting on April 3 and 4, 1965, soldiers and people in the Nam Ngan - Ham Rong area and Thanh Hoa soldiers and people shot down and burned 47 US aircraft, protecting Ham Rong bridge. With particularly outstanding achievements in combat and combat service, Ngo Thi Tuyen was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces on January 1, 1967.
When she was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, she was only 21 years old and was the first woman in the North to receive this noble title. In her revolutionary life, she was awarded two Third-class Military Exploit Orders, Uncle Ho's Badge and three times had the honor of meeting President Ho Chi Minh.
After the country's reunification, she continued to study and work at Thanh Hoa Provincial Youth Union, then transferred to the Military Command of Thanh Hoa town and the Military Command of Thanh Hoa province. In 1998, she retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
She used to hold the position of Deputy Head of the Policy Department, Political Department of Thanh Hoa Provincial Military Command; was awarded many noble awards and titles such as the Order of Military Exploit, the Third-class Resistance Medal against the US, the Medal of Glorious Soldier, the Medal of Determined to Win Military Flag, the 60-year Party Membership Badge and many other commemorative medals.
Not only a symbol in the war, Hero Ngo Thi Tuyen is also remembered by comrades and neighbors as a simple, humble, and dedicated woman. People living next to her house said that what many people remember most is not only her achievements, but also her harmonious, frugal lifestyle, enthusiasm for the common work and always willingness to help everyone.
On the morning of July 5, a delegation of leaders of Thanh Hoa province led by Mr. Le Duc Thai, Secretary of Thanh Hoa Provincial Party Committee, came to pay respects and share condolences with the family of Hero Ngo Thi Tuyen. Provincial leaders expressed deep condolences for her passing, and at the same time hoped that the family would continue to promote revolutionary traditions and educate children and grandchildren to follow in the example of previous generations.
The passing of Hero of the People's Armed Forces Ngo Thi Tuyen closes the life of a special historical witness of the land of Ham Rong - Nam Ngan, but the image of a small female militia soldier, carrying two 98kg ammunition boxes on her shoulders in the rain of bombs, is still there as a symbol of patriotism, resilience and the qualities of "heroic, indomitable, loyal, and capable" of Vietnamese women.
