Mr. Duoc and his own photo

A Vietnamese war veteran, who is believed to be dead for 40 years, suddenly reappeared in his hometown.

Veteran Phan Huu Duoc from Tu Tien Village, Tien Minh Commune, Tien Lang District, Haiphong City made a reappearance that shocked his family and villagers.

Duoc’s father died fighting against the French and his younger brother had already joined the war against the US so he was not obliged to do military service. Although he was going to married, he voluntarily joined the army.

However his application was refused by the authorities. Later, he changed his name to Pham Van Duoc to forge his personal papers. He also took his 10-year old nephew to stay with a commune official to express his desire to be a soldier.

He joined up in 1967 as a volunteer. In December 1970, he joined a division in Thuy Nguyen District, Haiphong City. After 1972, he joined transport unit operating between Cambodia to the southern region of Vietnam through the Mekong River.

“In the dry season of 1973 while I was commanding the Ship 47 run through Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia, the enemy bombed us. Me and two other comrades fell into the river. We were later saved by a Vietnamese Cambodia named Hieu,” Duoc said.

After  reunification in 1975, Hieu sent Duoc to the southern region of Vietnam in the hope of finding of someone who could help find his family. However, Duoc did not remember anything about his family except for the time he lived in Cambodia due to extensive war wounds. He became homeless at the age of 26. He drifted to the Samat rubber plantation in Tay Ninh Province where he was worked as a cleaner. After that, injuries in his legs resurfaced.

At a cold and rainy night in 2000 when he was lying on the pavement, a worker at the farm, Dao, took the now 51 year-old veteran to his house to take care of him.

During the time living in Dao’s family, he followed Tai, Dao’s son, to Cambodia to collect rubber latex. The hard work tired the old soldier. During those days he continuously spoke during his fevers saying that “I am Mr. Cau’s younger brother in Tien Lang District, Haiphong.” Based on these words, Tai contacted Phan Xuan Bien at the Naval High Command who is fromTien Lang District so that he could help look for the man’s relatives.

On March 9, 2013, when attending a party wedding, Bien’s farther, Mr. Cu, called Phan Huu Loi, telling him that his uncle Phan Huu Duoc was still alive.

After contacting Mr. Bien and his son, Loi urgently went to HCM City, while Tai arranged to take Duoc to An Suong Station in the city so that the two could meet.

Family reunion

The war veteran returned his hometown in rumpled clothes and a pair of discoloured shoes to a warm welcome from family and villagers.

Every day, elderly people come to his house to remind him of the past, including his old friends. This has helped him gradually recover his memory.

One of his old friends is Nguyen Ngoc Diem who was also a comrade of Duoc. After the article about Duoc’s return was published in Dantri, he recognised him despite the great changes in his face.

Speaking with Dantri/DTiNews reporter, Diem showed photos he took with Duoc at the Na Sa Che battlefield or Chum Pheng. He phoned some other comrades and they visited their old friend.

Nearly two months after his return, villagers praised thoughtful care of two nephews Phan Huu Loi and Phan Huu Loc for his uncle despite their difficult living condition.

They wish their uncle had a health insurance card for medical check-up and treatment. They plan to take him to hospital to check his uncle’s injuries.

Doan Xuan Thi, Vice Chairman of Tien Minh Commune, said the case of Phan Huu Duoc was reported to the district’s Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs. The information about Mr. Duoc was almost defined true according to local authorities.

The commune’s authorities will carry out the necessary procedures to provide Mr. Duoc with a birth certificate and identification card.


Mr. Duoc besides his tomb


His injuries

An old photo about Duoc (who is standing) while he is still a soldier


Mr. Diem and Mr. Duoc (in white T-shirt)

Dantri/DTiNews supports the war veteran


Dantri/DtiNews Editor-in-chief Pham Huy Hoan (in red T-shirt) grants VND10 million to Mr. Duoc

After the story about the veteran was published on Dantri, the newspaper Editor-in-chief Pham Huy Hoan went to Haiphong City and provided VND10 million (USD476) from the Compassionate Hearts Charity Fund for him.

By Thu Hang

Source: dtrinews.vn