Outstanding water special forces soldier and 3 special missions
In early April 2025, we went to our home and met veteran Pham Duy Do (born in 1950) - a special forces soldier who held the position of Company Commander of Company 1, Battalion 19, Special Forces Regiment 116 of the Southeast region - an elite unit, making many glorious achievements in the years of fierce resistance. Although he has turned 75 this year, Mr. Do still looks quite healthy and agile. Next to the small house in Tran Lam ward, Thai Binh city, we heard him confide and tell us about his extremely difficult but also heroic military life.
Born and raised in the poor land of Thai Binh, rich in revolutionary traditions, Mr. Do was early enlightened with revolutionary ideals and joined the special forces. With a brave and resourceful spirit, he participated in many fierce battles and achieved many glorious feats.
Mr. Do recalled that during his military career, he himself was assigned to especially important and difficult tasks three times, but was also very honored and proud.
The first time, in 1971, Mr. Do participated in a drill to serve Prime Minister Pham Van Dong and General Vo Nguyen Giap to welcome Cuban leader Fidel Castro and Polish General Secretary.
At this exercise, Mr. Pham Duy Do and his teammates demonstrated special surface water combat techniques such as swimming across the Red River, approaching Gia Lam airport and performing special combat situations.
The performance was so impressive that Cuban leader Fidel Castro himself went to the scene to shake hands, praising the spirit and talent of the Vietnamese special forces soldiers.
Less than a week later, Mr. Do was assigned a second special mission to protect and guide 24 Lao and Cambodian students who had just graduated from Vietnam's medical schools to return home from Truong Son.
With a noble sense of responsibility, he and his 9 water commandos overcame countless difficulties and hardships for nearly 5 months, ensuring absolute safety for the student group.
After completing the second special mission, veteran Pham Duy Do did not return to the North but continued to fight in the Southeast battlefield. He and his teammates directly reconnaited and studied important enemy targets such as Long Binh bomb depot, Army Corps 43, Armored School, Dong Nai Bridge, Nuoc Trong battlefield airport...
At the end of 1973, Mr. Do was assigned a third special mission. Senior General Tran Van Tra directly assigned him and two outstanding fighters, Do Duc Toc and Le Huy Hoat, to penetrate Saigon, research and draw a map of the Dinh Doc Lap battle as well as neighboring targets.
This is an extremely dangerous and complicated task, requiring courage, intelligence and a high sense of responsibility. With the help of the inner-city revolutionary establishment, we have disguised ourselves as ambushors, approached the warlord to collect information and draw detailed diagrams. The brothers used the underground sewer system to secretly investigate important targets. After nearly half a month, we have completed the mission, providing important and valuable intelligence for the historic Ho Chi Minh campaign, Mr. Do recalled.
Simple, modest veteran in real life
After years of fighting and hard work and heroism, in 1983, Mr. Pham Duy Do returned to his hometown to rest and lose strength and enjoyed the level 2/4 disabled soldier regime. Despite many difficulties in life, Mr. Do always maintains the qualities of a special forces soldier, living a simple, sincere, and humane life and continuing to contribute to the community.
Mr. Tran Xuan Trieu - Head of the Veterans Association of Group 4, Tran Lam Ward, Thai Binh City - said: “Despite making many glorious feats, Mr. Pham Duy Do is always humble and simple. He once refused to propose to the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, yielding to that noble honor to his teammates who sacrificed or were seriously injured. Always maintain the quality of Uncle Ho soldier, living gratitude to his teammates and neighbors. ”
Mr. Pham Ngoc Hong, a neighbor who also works with Mr. Pham Duy Do's Veterans Association, commented: "Comrade Do's stories of achievements are always a great source of encouragement for the younger generation to follow and study".
