Former female volunteers in Truong Son trail

In 1965, Tran Thi Thanh Huong from Ky Bac commune, Ky Anh district, Ha Tinh province joined the volunteer youth force when she was 17 years old. Huong recalled it took her and her comrades nearly two months to travel through rugged terrains to reach the battlefield in Laos. Huong said life was so hard then. The soldiers lacked food and necessary things. In the rains of bombs from the enemy, Ms. Huong and her comrades still cleared the roads to transport logistics to the southern battlefield. Huong recalled her time in the West of Truong Son range. Many of her comrades had fallen: “One comrade from Ha Tinh province was shot dead by the enemy when she brought porridge to our unit. Before she passed away, she had showed her care for other comrades”.

Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Huong remembers her fallen comrades (Photo: baodanang.vn)

Former volunteer youth Hoang Thi Luu from Cam Le district, Da Nang city, said the bombs and death could not prevent their fighting spirit. During the day, Luu helped clear the road for Vietnamese soldiers advancing from the north to the southern  battlefields, but at night time, she taught her comrades how to read and write. Whenever receiving letters from family, they read together and cried a lot. The memory of her fallen comrades always lingers in Luu’s mind: “45 years have passed since Vietnam was totally liberated, the remains of many fallen comrades are still in the mountains and the areas near Road No9-Southern Laos. Many sacrificed their lives for national independence,” Luu said.

During peace time, former volunteer youth have continued to contribute to national construction and development. At the age of 73, Tran Thi Thanh Huong is now Deputy Director of Phu Thai Group Joint Stock Company, branch in Da Nang. She actively takes part in former volunteer youth’s activities. Hoang Thi Luu is now a member of Da Nang city’s Former Volunteer Youth Association. Despite her advanced age, Luu works hard to raise funds for the search of  the remains of her fallen comrades. Former Vice Chairman of Da Nang city’s Volunteer Youth Association, Le Van Huan, said: “We remember their glorious past and their good deeds today.  Former volunteer like Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Huong and Ms. Hoang Thi Luu continue contributing to constructing and developing the homeland”.