Dong Thap Presents Bronze Portrait Bust to Family of People’s Armed Forces Hero Tran Minh Phu

(DTO) On the afternoon of October 12, the Dong Thap Provincial Military Command held a ceremony in My Loi Commune, Dong Thap Province, to present a bronze portrait bust to the family of Major General Tran Minh Phu, a Hero of the People’s Armed Forces and former Deputy Commander of Military Region 9.

Attendees included Colonel Huynh Van Be, a Hero of the People’s Armed Forces, former Member of the Party Central Committee, former Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee and former Commander of the Ben Tre Provincial Military Command; Vo Thanh Hao, former Secretary of the Ben Tre Provincial Party Committee; Colonel Nguyen Van Hoa, Political Commissar of the Dong Thap Provincial Military Command; Colonel Nguyen Thanh Long, Deputy Director of Military Hospital 120 under Military Region 9; and leaders of the local Party Committee and authorities of My Loi Commune.

Major General Trần Minh Phú (1930-2003), a Hero of the People’s Armed Forces and recipient of the 55-year Party Membership Badge, was born in Chau Hoa Commune, Giong Trom District, in the former Ben Tre Province, a region with a rich revolutionary tradition. He became politically aware at an early age and joined the revolutionary movement. At just 17, he was honored to join the Communist Party of Vietnam. Throughout his military career, he held numerous positions, from soldier, platoon political officer and platoon commander to deputy company commander, company commander, deputy battalion commander, battalion commander, deputy regiment commander and regiment commander. He later served as Deputy Commander and Commander of Infantry Division 8, Deputy Commander of Front 979, Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of Front 979, and ultimately Deputy Commander of Military Region 9. He stood as a prominent example of a generation of commanders who rose through the ranks amid the fierce battles of the two resistance wars against French colonialism and American imperialism.

Throughout his revolutionary career, Tran Minh Phu was associated with resounding victories on Southern Vietnam’s battlefields, particularly in the Mekong Delta. The history of Military Region 8 records his bold and flexible military tactics in key battles, including the ambush on the Go Cong road on January 3, 1962; the attack on Thien Ho District Subsector in Hau My on April 10, 1964; and the campaign to liberate the Vinh Kim area in late 1964.

His military career reached its pinnacle during the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign in the spring of 1975. As Commander of Infantry Division 8, he led his unit in the southwestern offensive from April 27 to 30, 1975, destroying or dispersing three enemy battalions, destroying 89 military vehicles, shooting down one aircraft and capturing numerous items of military equipment. These achievements contributed to the complete victory of the Vietnamese people.

Beyond his battlefield achievements, Tran Minh Phu’s military vision and leadership were also reflected in his efforts to build strong, well-rounded units. Notable examples include Dong Thap 1 Regiment and Battalion 261, two distinguished units that were each twice awarded the title of Hero of the People’s Armed Forces by the State.

Presenting the portrait bust to his family not only honors his outstanding contributions throughout the revolutionary struggle but also expresses profound gratitude to a steadfast and indomitable communist soldier who devoted his entire life, and sacrificed his blood and strength, to his hometown, national liberation and the building of the country.

By CONG THANG - HA NAM
Translated by ANH DUC