August is also a time mark that left a strong impression in my military life when I participated in the fiercest battle and won the victory, destroying the Thuong Duc district headquarters at the Thuong Duc front, Quang Da in 1974. Before this campaign took place, in mid-July 1974, I met comrade Hai Manh, then Commander of Military Region 5, when he came to direct and assign tasks to Regiment 66, Division 304.

That day, comrade Chu Huy Man emphasized: "The enemy used the Thuong Duc base as a springboard to launch operations to encroach on our liberated areas, they sabotaged the signed Paris Agreement. Therefore, we must destroy this base to smash the enemy's sabotage plot. In this campaign, the main force is the 66th Regiment, which attacks and destroys the Thuong Duc district headquarters. You comrades must win both militarily and politically . Militarily, we must destroy and capture all enemy troops and take control of the base. Politically, we must expand the liberated area from Thuong Duc to area B, Dai Loc, liberate 13,000 people, create great confidence among the people, and enhance the fighting strength of our main force. After Thuong Duc falls, the enemy will surely frantically send forces to reoccupy, we must prepare to maintain the liberated area".

Comrade Chu Huy Man (fourth, from left) inspects and monitors the Liberation Army's attacks on Da Nang City (March 1975). Photo courtesy

That day, when directly handing over the liberation flag to Regiment 66 and assigning the task of planting it on the top of Thuong Duc base, Chief Chu Huy Man kindly said: "This is the trust of the Party Committee and the people, the Quang Da Military Region entrusted to you comrades!".

After that mission assignment, from July 29 to August 7, 1974, Regiment 66 fiercely attacked and won a complete victory, annihilating and capturing all enemy troops, planting the flag of the Liberation Army in the center of Thuong Duc district, expanding the liberated area of ​​Dai Loc district. After that resounding victory, Regiment 66 continued to march and fight. After participating in the liberation of Da Nang, the Regiment quickly entered the liberation of Saigon on the historic day of April 30, 1975. After the day of total victory, I and Regiment 66 performed our international duty on the Cambodian battlefield... I thought that in my life it would be difficult to meet again the battle-hardened general-commander Hai Manh, who had military talent, sharp political vision, and virtue.

In September 1982, I was sent to complete my bachelor's degree at the Military-Political Academy (now the Political Academy) on Party building and state administration. After graduating, I was assigned to the Department of Party and Political Work Research (CTĐ, CTCT) under the Office of the General Department of Politics. I will always remember meeting comrade Hai Manh again at the Party cell meeting of the CTĐ, CTCT Research Department on the afternoon of October 2, 1983. At the end of the meeting, he approached me and said: "You are from the same Nghe An province? You are still young and have grown up and developed in combat. You must study hard and work hard to progress! So which battlefield did you mainly fight in?" - "Yes! I fought for many years in the Quang Tri battlefield. In May 1974, the General Staff transferred me to the 66th Regiment, 304th Division to reinforce Military Region 5 to destroy the Thuong Duc base in Dai Loc, Quang Da" - "Oh! What did you do at that time?" - "Yes! I was the Political Commissar of Battalion 9, Regiment 66". He thought quietly for a moment and said: "In that campaign, Regiment 66 completed its mission excellently, achieved many resounding victories, but we also suffered great losses".

Hearing the chief care and share about the old memories, I was filled with joy and emotion. At that time, I was so happy and excited that I wanted to tell him loudly that I was present when he came to assign tasks and give instructions to Regiment 66 that day. But then I hesitated and did not dare to say it, thinking to myself, working near the chief, I would have many more opportunities to be close and talk more.

During my working period at the General Department of Politics, I was elected to join the Party Committee of the Research Department of the Vietnam-Laos War and Military Strategy. The Department has two divisions, one division mainly studies the Vietnam-Laos War and Military Strategy in the Army. The second division focuses on compiling a summary of the Vietnam-Laos War and Military Strategy in the Vietnam-Laos fighting alliance, under the direct direction of comrade Chu Huy Man, consisting entirely of senior colonels who had experienced the battles from the Southern and Western periods. Due to the nature of the work, and also working in the same party division, we had a lot of contact with comrade Chu Huy Man and felt that he was always dedicated to his work, had a gentle and virtuous personality, and was close to his comrades and subordinates. As a cadre who had made many contributions to the Lao revolutionary cause, he was extremely devoted to the summary of the Vietnam-Laos War and Military Strategy in the Vietnam-Laos fighting alliance and always mentioned his deep affection and respect for the Lao people and army.

In the following years at the General Political Department Office, Comrade Chu Huy Man, Director of the General Political Department, also participated in the Party Cell of the Department, always demonstrating a democratic and straightforward atmosphere. He was rarely absent and always maintained a democratic and egalitarian style, often listening to reflections from reality, requests that needed to be resolved, and opinions from subordinates. Comrade Chu Huy Man calmly analyzed and explained in detail, clearly and convincingly, so he was always respected and admired by everyone for his sharp, comprehensive thinking, firm grasp of reality, flexibility and creativity. In daily life, although he held a high position, he lived a very simple lifestyle, his daily meals were also very frugal, always including dishes such as shrimp paste, fish sauce, pickled eggplant from Nghe An, etc.

In early 1988, due to the fact that my wife and I had been separated for many years, our children were still young, and the travel back and forth was difficult and time-consuming, I applied for a transfer to work in Military Region 4 and was approved by the head of the General Department of Politics. In Military Region 4, I held many positions and had many opportunities to serve General Chu Huy Man during his visits and work.

At the end of September 1988, a major flood occurred in Nghe An province. Through torrential rains, I accompanied General Chu Huy Man and the leaders of Military Region 4 to visit the people and soldiers and to grasp the situation of flood prevention, control and recovery. Still as agile as when on the battlefield, the General went directly to the place where the flood was deep and caused the most damage. In Nam Dan district, he and the members of the delegation held a meeting right on the Ta Nam dike in the midst of vast silver water, giving specific and practical opinions, all for the sake of people's lives, no one must go hungry, lack clean water, and pay attention to protecting the environment after the flood...

I will always remember the image of the General when he visited the people directly, saw an old man with his shirt off, he approached to inquire and learned that all the family's clothes and belongings had been swept away by the flood. The General immediately took off the shirt he was wearing and put it on the old man. Little did old man Chin Nam know that the person who had just given him the shirt was General Chu Huy Man!

During that trip, the General reminded the leaders of Military Region 4 Command to promptly grasp the list of soldiers whose houses were flooded to provide timely support when the water receded for the soldiers on leave to visit and support their families. I will always remember the touching detail when, at the beginning of the lunch at Brigade 414 in the flooded area, the General called me over and said: "Tinh, please come in and borrow some clean plates for me!". I quickly ran to get them even though I didn't understand what he meant, then the General said: "Tinh, please spread the food out there, save it for the brothers and sisters serving"...

General Chu Huy Man was like that, all his thoughts and actions were for his compatriots, comrades, and teammates, expressed in the most ordinary and mundane things, and he received in return all the respect, trust, and admiration that cannot be described.

Major General HOANG TRONG TINH, former Deputy Political Commissar of Military Region 4

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/80-nam-cach-mang-thang-tam-va-quoc-khanh-2-9/nho-anh-hai-manh-843623