"Here's the kid who used to fight with me over boiled sweet potatoes..." said Bui Dinh Nam, his voice trailing off, as he gently stroked the portrait of fallen soldier Bui Dinh Sau, wrapped in the national flag. His younger brother's portrait was one of 300 portraits of fallen soldiers restored and presented by the Hanoi Youth Union in collaboration with the Skyline group to families at the Vietnam Military History Museum on the evening of 12/12.

Bui Dinh Nam and his younger brother were born into a family of nine children in the former Ha Tay province, now Phuc Loc commune, Hanoi. Their childhood in the purely agricultural region during the subsidy era was marked by meager meals and shared roasted sweet potatoes gleaned from fields. On 30/4/1977, at just 17 years old, Sau volunteered for military service, joining the Vietnamese volunteer army on an international mission in Cambodia. He was killed in action on 5/1/1979, not yet 19, two days before Cambodia was liberated from genocide.

During basic training in Xuan Mai, Nam only visited his brother one time, traveling from Yen Bai. Unlike the years of the war against the US, before his departure, his younger brother told Nam to take care of their parents at home, promising to return after completing his duty. "The country was peaceful and unified then; young men going for military service didn't think about sacrificing their lives," Nam said, his voice dropping.

The only existing photo of fallen soldier Sau was a group picture with 6 friends from his school days, which the family brought for restoration. Even though the features weren't perfectly identical, the family accepted it, finding some solace for their longing. The fallen soldier was 19 when he died, and his remains were buried in Tay Ninh. For years, while working in Lam Dong, Nam regularly visited the cemetery to light incense for his brother. Recently, as all the siblings grew older, the family decided to bring the fallen soldier's remains back to their hometown for burial. The portrait was presented on the very night before the remains were brought back to Hanoi, which Nam described as a "complete reunion".

Bui Dinh Nam receives the portrait of fallen soldier Bui Dinh Sau. Today, the soldier's remains are being transferred from Tay Ninh to his hometown in Phuc Loc commune, Hanoi. *Photo: Hoang Phuong*

Not far away, more than ten members of fallen soldier Dang Xuan Dao's family also received his portrait. His three daughters, wearing red ao dai adorned with yellow stars (national dress of Vietnam), held their father's portrait. His two youngest daughters saw their father's face clearly for the first time in 58 years; they were too young when he left for military service. The only one who clearly remembered the fallen soldier's appearance was his eldest daughter, Dang Thi Hoa, now 68 years old. The fallen soldier's wife, Nguyen Thi Bich, 92 years old, no longer had enough eyesight to clearly see her husband's portrait.

"These eyes, this chin, it's so similar," the white-haired daughter quietly gazed at her parent's portrait. Previously, the altar photo was only a small black-and-white picture, cut from a group photo with 6 friends, yellowed and faded over time. Fallen soldier Dang Xuan Dao volunteered for military service in 1967, when the southern battlefield entered a fierce phase. He was killed in action in 1970, and his family still has not determined his burial place.

Relatives of fallen soldiers open portraits to 'reunite' with their loved ones, on the evening of 12/12. *Photo: Hoang Phuong*

In the stands, Bui Thi Tha continually wiped away tears as she received the portrait of fallen soldier Bui Xuan Hoa, her brother-in-law, on behalf of the family, to bring back to their hometown of Quoc Oai for veneration. Having become a daughter-in-law in 1985, she often heard her in-laws recount how Hoa had insisted on joining the army. Less than six months after enlisting, he was killed in action on the southern battlefield in 1972. His remains have not been found, with only a death notification sent to the family. "Having such a clear photo brings great satisfaction to the family; his parents must also be at peace," she said.

The project to restore portraits of fallen soldiers was launched by the Hanoi Youth Union in collaboration with volunteer groups starting in 2024. The portraits were primarily recreated from old, blurry, and faded photos, with only a few details remaining. To date, 659 portraits have been restored and presented; approximately 400 more are expected in the future, as a way for the current generation to preserve memories and pay tribute to those who fell for the nation's independence and freedom.

Hoang Phuong