Vietnam-Laos International Martyrs Cemetery, in Anh Son town, Anh Son district, Nghe An province. (Photo: WVR/Quoc Khanh)

In the streams of visitors, there are groups of veterans and relatives of martyrs from many localities throughout the country.

Memories of a Veteran

Veteran Vi Duc Cuong is 76 years old, residing in Luc Da commune, Con Cuong district, Nghe An province. He confided: "Every year on the occasion of the 27th of July, I come here to look for the names of my comrades to see if their remains have been repatriated back to the country". He caressed each grave, then silently looked faraway with his tearful eyes.

Vi Duc Cuong was a soldier of Company 24, Independent Regiment 866, who had fought in Laos from 1965 to May 1974. He remembered that during the fiercest period, from 1969-1970, in the rainy season, his comrades did not have enough weapons, ammunition and food, but the enemy had helicopters come to rescue and supply. So most of his forces had to retreat to the Vietnam-Laos border in Nong Het and Ky Son, Nghe An.

On the Xiengkhuang Front at that time, American soldiers had one battalion, mainly to protect the American advisor forces and the Vang Pao headquarters in Longcheng district, present-day Xaysomboun province.

Vang Pao bandits were the main targets of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers. In 1969, the enemy forces mobilized 50 battalions to attack the field of Chum, so the Pathet Lao government had to evacuate the people of Xiengkhuang province to Nghe An. At that time, only Vietnamese volunteer soldiers had remained there.

During the period from 1965 to 1974, soldier Vi Duc Cuong fought mainly on the front of the Xiengkhuang Chum Field. He said "Every battle, I always tried to fulfil the task, from the stage of reconnaissance to the end of the battle." With many outstanding achievements in combat, in 1970 he was awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces right at the front.

Veteran Vi Duc Cuong in the Vietnam-Laos International Martyrs Cemetery looked for the names of his comrades. (Photo: WVR/Quoc Khanh)

The old veteran recalled: “The battle of Meuang Sui was the fiercest battle that I ever fought, because it was located inside the Front Command Center of the Royal Lao forces, and two days walking distance from the front line on our side."

"And the second major battle was against the Training Center of the Vang Pao forces in Meuang Cha, Bolikhamxay province. There, we had to march on foot for a week. This was the training school of Vang Pao, specializing in training platoon and squad officers."

According to the 866th Regiment Liaison, the Vietnam People's Army established the 866th Regiment on August 26, 1966, under the nickname “August and 1966”. The Regiment was formed from groups of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers on international duty in the Northern Laos front, with the core being the 7th Battalion of the Northwest Military Region and the 924th Battalion of the 4th Military Region.

During the ten years of serving international duty in Laos, the Regiment’s battalions fought in the rugged mountainous area and had very difficult logistics. Meanwhile, the enemy were mobile regiments with strong support from the US and Thailand.

However, the 866th Regiment still stood firm at the front. In the last stage of the resistance war, the Regiment fought in key defense areas with mountain tunnels on the top of Phu Tang, Phu Keng in Xiengkhuang; side by side with friendly units including the 335th, 316th, and 312th Divisions, combined with units of Tank, Artillery, Special Forces, Engineers and Pathet Lao forces gradually defeat the enemy, firmly hold the battlefield, helping Pathet Lao completely liberate the Plain of Jars plateau - Xiengkhuang in the year 1975.

People of Anh Son district greeted the convoy carrying martyrs repatriated from Laos. (Photo: WVR/Quoc Khanh)

With particularly outstanding achievements, Regiment 866 was awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces by the President. The State of Laos awarded the Order of Issala First Class. The 24th Special Forces Company and soldier Vi Duc Cuong were conferred the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

The resting place of nearly 11,000 heroic martyrs

The soldiers who were buried at the Vietnam-Laos International Martyrs Cemetery in Anh Son district are all soldiers who have lived and fought on the battlefields of Laos.

In the immense smoke of incense and constant streams of people coming to offer incense, Mr. Nguyen Van Ngoc, Head of the Management Board of Vietnam-Laos International Martyrs Cemetery said that the cemetery was built on an area of ​​nearly 7 hectares, where about 11,000 heroic martyrs have been rested in peace, who were Vietnamese volunteer solders and experts, from 47 provinces and cities across Vietnam. Among the martyrs' graves, there are more than 3;500 graves engraved with names; the remaining nearly 7,000 graves have not been identified.

During the visit to offer incense to martyrs at the Vietnam-Laos International Martyrs Cemetery, Lao Ambassador to Vietnam Sengphet Houngbounyuang expressed his emotion: "Coming here, I understand more about the great sacrifice of Vietnamese heroic martyrs, volunteers and experts. They have sacrificed for the revolutionary cause of our country, Laos.

I have even more responsibility to act as a bridge for the Lao people, especially for the young Lao generation, to always remember with gratitude that the martyrs have spared their lives for our lives today."

Ambassador of Laos Sengphet Houngbounyuang offered incense to martyrs at the Vietnam-Laos International Martyrs' Cemetery. (Photo: WVR/Quoc Khanh)

The Ambassador emphasized: "On behalf of the Lao Party, Government and people, I accepted the assignment as Ambassador to Vietnam and vow to contribute to promoting the great relationship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, the two Governments and the people of Laos and Vietnam to be increasingly sustainable.

On this occasion, I would like to express my eternal gratitude for the great sacrifice of volunteer soldiers and veterans who have sacrificed their lives for their Fatherland as well as for the Lao revolutionary cause.”

Every person among those who come to this cemetery has their own feelings, but they all want to say from the bottom of their hearts that they will forever remember with gratitude to the heroic martyrs, and to join hands to keep the achievements brought by the martyrs’ sacrifice.