Clad in the familiar green of veterans and having chests adorned with the silent narratives of medals, these soldiers are instantly recognizable as survivors of the nation’s stretched resistance. Yet, for these men, the gleaming metal speaks not of individual triumphs, but of shared hardship and the unwavering hope for a unified Vietnam, etched in the memory of comrades standing shoulder to shoulder.
On a train bound for HCMC for the grand April 30 celebrations, three veterans – Bui Cong Thinh (born 1952 in Quang Binh Province, 4/4 wounded soldier), Mai Huu Tuoc (born 1948 in Hanoi, 4/4 wounded soldier), and Pham Ngoc Ky (born 1952 in Thanh Hoa Province) – could not suppress the stirring emotions of their shared youth, fighting and marching southward together.
Bui Cong Thinh recounted their shared brave youth, their journey together from the North Central provinces of Quang Binh, Thua Thien-Hue, and Quang Tri, all the way to the southeastern heartland and Saigon itself. Their shared history encompassed participation in pivotal campaigns, from the liberation of Hue and Da Nang to the landmark Ho Chi Minh Campaign.
While familiar with returning to HCMC or revisiting historical sites and former battlegrounds that bore witness to their youthful struggles, this particular journey held a distinct significance. The 50-year milestone imbued the city with a unmistakable sense of heroic history, where even a quiet alleyway seemed to vibrate with a blend of joyous anticipation and profound national pride.
“Though I've returned to HCMC many times since the South’s liberation, this homecoming stirs an indescribable emotion within me”, shared Bui Cong Thinh. “My family and those around me worried about my age and the long journey, but I insisted that as long as I could travel, I had to. To reunite with my brothers-in-arms, to embrace them as we once stood, side-by-side, facing life and death. Back then, we marched south with unwavering faith in the nation’s unification, envisioning a free and unified Vietnam under an open sky.”
Some North-South promises now lie silent within the embrace of the motherland, alongside the brave souls who fell so that today’s trains and buses can traverse a free nation. Today, people from all corners of Vietnam converge on the city named after Uncle Ho, drawn by the powerful spirit of the April 30 celebrations.
Sharing this deep emotional current, strangers who met accidentally on a train heading towards the grand festivities in HCMC found themselves forging unexpected bonds. 68-year-old Vo Quoc Trinh from Binh Dinh Province was one such individual.
He recounted, “We only met on the train. Some wearing a yellow-starred red shirt, others with a national flag on their hat or carrying a flag – and just like that, we formed a little group. We're heading to HCMC to witness the military parade, the march-past, and the artillery display. Some had hotels booked, others are staying with friends, but this morning, we all agreed to meet at Bach Dang Wharf at 4:00 a.m. for the rehearsal. Everyone is incredibly excited!”
Under the sky of freedom these days, with sacred and heroic spirit of the nation, even fleeting connections between strangers blossomed into shared narratives of peace across the S-shaped land.
Welcoming a small group of tourists from New Zealand to HCMC with the simple yet meaningful gift of crimson national flags, 36-year-old freelance tour guide Phan Huy Han explained, “There are only five in this group, and it's their first time in the city, arriving right during this grand celebration. So, I gave each of them a handheld flag to immerse themselves in the city's heroic atmosphere. I've also tailored their itinerary to include historical sites. They seem genuinely surprised and delighted to see the national flag displayed everywhere. One of them even joked that you are a nation deeply in love with its flag.”
Observing the rehearsal in the morning of April 27, 27-year-old Jenny from New Zealand exclaimed with enthusiasm, “The way you wave your flags creates such a powerful and heroic atmosphere. You express your love for your country so intensely. This is my first time in Vietnam, and to be here during this anniversary celebration is a memory I will never forget."
The story of peace is not a distant relic of history, but a sacred and immutable value woven into every moment of the present.
