HUFLIT VETERANS: Brave in Wartime, Devoted in Peace

Throughout the long history of nation building and defense, the Vietnamese people have repeatedly confronted wars against foreign invaders to protect the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of the Fatherland. Historians estimate that the time Vietnam has lived in peace is less than the time it has endured war. Therefore, more than any other nation in the world, we deeply understand the value and cherish peace.

Among the members of the Veterans Association who have worked at the University, there are comrades who fought in both the resistance against the French and the resistance against the Americans, such as: Distinguished Teacher, Chairman of the Founding Council, former Secretary of the Party Committee, former Chairman of the Board of Directors, former Rector – Professor Huỳnh Thế Cuộc; and the late People’s Teacher, Professor Dr. Sc. Bùi Khánh Thế – former Vice Rector of the University. Beyond these two exemplary figures, on this historic April 30, 2025, the HUFLIT Party Committee Office would like to introduce a few notes about three veterans of the University who directly participated in combat, contributing to the nation’s great victory – the victorious Spring of 1975.

*Teacher Nguyễn Hồng Tuyên, born on December 19, 1944 in Tân Kiên, Hóc Môn, Ho Chi Minh City, into a family with a revolutionary tradition. In October 1954, he and his family relocated and studied under the socialist system in the North. From 1963 to 1968, he was a student at Hanoi University of Technology; in September 1968, he graduated and was retained as a lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Hanoi University of Technology. In October 1970, he enlisted in the army. After training and professional courses, his unit marched on foot from the North along the length of the country, traversed the Trường Sơn range into the South, engaging in many battles in the role of a political warfare officer. During the 1975 Spring general offensive, his unit fought in the Southeast region, in the suburban area of Saigon. During the Hồ Chí Minh Campaign and after the liberation of the South and national reunification, he participated in military administration in Saigon – Gia Định, and directly interrogated officers of the Saigon regime’s army to extract information useful for maintaining security and order in the months following the liberation. From May 1975 to April 1976, he served in Regiment 343 under General Department II, Ministry of National Defense, and was promoted to the rank of colonel. He holds the distinction of being the veteran with the highest rank and longest service period (38 years) among the Veterans Association members of the University. In December 2008, upon leaving military service, he did not rest but immediately joined in building and developing HUFLIT, holding responsibilities in the University’s Board of Directors over several terms. In November 2022, he was awarded the 50-Year Party Membership Badge. Currently, he is the Vice Chairman of the University Council.

*Teacher Phạm Văn Boong, born August 25, 1953 in Vĩnh Bảo, Hải Phòng; enlisted July 5, 1971. After training and professional coursework, from December 1971 to September 1974, he served as an officer in the Signal Corps, 6th Division, Military Zone 7, fighting in the Southeast battlefield. In the victorious 1975 Spring Campaign, his Signal Unit of the 6th Division took part in military administration in Saigon – Gia Định. From July 1975, he served in the Signal Division under the Đồng Nai Provincial Military Command; by December 1976, he was discharged to attend university. After leaving the military, completing his degree, he pursued an educational career — from August 1983 to 2013, he taught philosophy at universities such as Nong Lam, and the Social Sciences & Humanities University of HCMC. In March 2022, he was awarded the 50-Year Party Membership Badge. Currently, he is Ph.D., a lecturer in the Department of Political Theory at the University.

*Teacher Lê Đình Tự, born August 10, 1957 in Thuận Thành, Bắc Ninh. Responding to the “Lay down your pens, enlist for battle” movement (in the North at the time), in October 1974 he volunteered to enlist. After four months of training and combat training, in February 1975 he became a soldier in Regiment 165, Division 312 (Corps 1) participating in the 1975 Spring general offensive. As a principal corps, the unit traveled by mechanized vehicles from the North into the South, traversing via Laos, reaching Kon Tum, and by early April marching by foot down to Bình Dương. Overcoming isolated units of the Saigon regime, on the night of April 29 into early April 30, 1975, he participated in the assault on Phú Lợi sub-district, Bình Dương district, liberating Thủ Dầu Một city; then defended National Highway 13 (toward Saigon), coordinating with other units of Division 312 in seizing the Saigon regime’s General Headquarters. Between April 30 and May 8, 1975, he and his unit conducted military administration and maintained order in the suburban areas of Saigon adjacent to Bình Dương. On May 9, 1975, he and his unit participated in a victory parade in central Saigon – Gia Định. Subsequently, he continued military administration duties. In July 1975, by order of the Ministry of National Defense, Division 312 marched north and he served in units K834, Troop 762 under the Technical Department, People’s Army of Vietnam. In January 1981, he was discharged to return to academic pursuits; he earned his university, master’s, and doctoral degrees in the former Soviet Union (later Russia). From October 1989 to July 2014, he worked at Nhân Dân Newspaper, the Ministry of Finance, Diplomatic Academy, and the Party Committee Office under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; from August 2014 to present, he is a Ph.D. and full time lecturer at the University. In May 2024, he received the 30-Year Party Membership Badge.

Recalling the arduous years of resistance, the members of the Veterans Association currently working at the University always feel proud of having given their youth for the independence and freedom of the nation. Returning to civilian life, the “soldier’s spirit” still runs strongly in their hearts, becoming the motivation to continue stepping forward on new “fronts,” tirelessly contributing to the mission of education, training the young intellectual generation of Vietnam — the future of a civilized, prosperous country.