As reported earlier, martyr Vu Dinh Doan’s diary finally reached its home. Holding his father’s souvenir, Vu Dinh Son said in tears that before passing away, his mother had asked him to tell the American veteran that though it was late, he had done what should be done, as his deed had partly helped heal the wound of the war.

We had taken down Son’s words carefully, hoping that they could warm up the heart of the distant US veteran, as his long-nurtured desire was coming true.

Pride

On the morning of September 21st, the Vietnam Military History Museum and relevant organs under the Ministry of National Defence, the General Department of Politics of the Vietnamese People’s Army organized a ceremony to return the items of martyr Vu Dinh Doan to his relatives in his native Cay village, Long Xuyen commune, Binh Giang district, Hai Duong Province.

A number of local officials, people and domestic and international reporters were present at the ceremony to show their love and respect to martyr Vu Dinh Doan, the heroic son of Hai Duong Province.

Addressing the ceremony, Vu Dinh Son said that they were deeply moved to receive their father’s souvenirs and through this small diary, they could further understand and have more pride in their father who had sacrificed his life for national liberation and reunification.

Vu Dinh Son further said that his father had left for the front when his elder siblings were still very small, he himself was a baby and his mother was pregnant with the youngest brother, so they could only imagine about their lovely father. Now, they are all very proud of their brave father who sacrificed himself for the national noble cause.

A brave man

In fact, less than 10 out of the 40 young volunteers from Hai Duong Province returned home after the resistance war. Some of martyr Vu Dinh Doan’s comrades-in-arms who attended the ceremony still recalled their memories of him.

Nguyen Quy Ba, alias Ba Thanh, who served in the army for 40 years, recalled that Doan was among the most energetic and resourceful youths of the village. He was eager and enthusiastic to join the army to fight foreign invaders, leaving behind his young wife and small children. The 81-year-old man, Nguyen Quy Ba, reminded us of what US veteran “Ira” Robert Frazure had shared with us in his email, that in the 1966 battle in Quang Ngai Province, Vu Dinh Doan and his three comrades had bravely sacrificed themselves for the safety of their unit, trying to block US troops’ pursuit. “Ira” Robert Frazure also commented that Vu Dinh Doan might have been the most valiant man he had ever met in his life.

The US veteran who has been struggling with cancer could not return to Vietnam to hand over martyr Vu Dinh Doan’s souvenirs to his relatives, though he would love to do it very much.

In his short letter to martyr Vu Dinh Doan’s relatives, he shared that it took him much time to return that diary. However, its eventual return helped ease his long-term burden because the diary could now return to the place where it belongs. He also expressed his regret at the death of martyr Vu Dinh Doan’s wife before the diary’s return.

Though the letter was quite short, it contained the US veteran’s confidences, and the torment of war that both the living and the dead had to suffer.

“Ira” Robert Frazure also asked the martyr’s relatives to take care of the diary, as he did for over 4 decades now, without knowing its content.

In fact, PBS had translated all the contents of the diary into English, but the translation had not reached him yet.

Finally, the diary has returned to its family, an integral part of the brave life of martyr Vu Dinh Doan for his relatives.

Reported by Vu Hung
Translated by Mai Huong

Source: qdnd.vn

Related:

Souvenirs awake (Part 1)

The martyr and a talking card (Part 2)

Confidences from the battlefield (Part 3)

Easing the pain of the war (Part 4)

Tears shed around the diary of martyr Vu Dinh Doan (Part 6)