"If I’m still alive today, it's thanks to two things: the people, and the loyalty of my comrades," Colonel Nguyen Van Tau - also known as Tu Cang - began his story.

Commemorating April 30: A new era

Fifty years after the historic victory that ended the Vietnam War and reunified the country, Vietnam once again stands at a milestone, entering a new era of national development.

On this occasion, VietNamNet presents a special series titled "April 30 – A New Era," sharing powerful memories and lessons from witnesses and heroes of the era, such as former spies, resistance fighters, political prisoners, and members of the student and urban resistance movements.

The origins of a legendary spy

Colonel Nguyen Van Tau was born on October 30, 1928, and became widely known by his alias Tu Cang. He joined the revolution in 1945 with the Vanguard Youth movement and served in military intelligence during the French colonial era. After gathering experience and training in the North, he returned to the South in 1961 and was appointed commander of the H63 spy network in May 1962.

In 1971, the H63 intelligence group - under Tu Cang’s leadership and including famed agents like Pham Xuan An (Hai Trung), Nguyen Thi My Nhung (Tam Thao), and courier Nguyen Thi Ba - was honored as a Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

In 2005, Tu Cang was awarded the title Hero of the People's Armed Forces for his extraordinary contributions to national defense and intelligence work.

In the shadows of Saigon: Stories of survival and solidarity

Tu Cang credits the support of the people as a decisive factor in the survival and success of intelligence agents. While in rural bases, they had forests and bunkers. But in the cities, it was the people who sheltered, fed, and protected them.

One unforgettable refuge was the home of Mr. Nguyen Dang Phong and Mrs. Dao Thi Tu at 136B Gia Long Street, just steps from the Independence Palace. Despite the high risk, the family welcomed Tu Cang and even involved their daughters in the resistance. One daughter, Tam Thao, became a top-level spy working as a secretary to an American naval advisor. Another served as a liaison, and a third joined technical reconnaissance in the war zone.

Another time, hiding after the Tet Offensive, Tu Cang stayed at the home of a poor laborer. As enemy propaganda blasted warnings about harboring “Viet Cong,” he found the woman of the house trembling in fear, clutching her children. Sensitive to her distress, he voluntarily left the next morning - “When the people are suffering, we must not make them bear more.”

Elsewhere, at 113 Co Bac Street, a planned safehouse was compromised after a fallen soldier was found carrying the address. Tu Cang approached the area unknowingly but was saved by a silent warning from a neighboring woman who sat on the pavement pretending to sew but was in fact watching out for him.

“As intelligence officers, we protect our people - not just our comrades.”

A razor’s edge between life and death

Tu Cang shared painful memories of fallen comrades - those who were captured and never betrayed their network. In one case, he was prepared to detonate a grenade to avoid capture and protect the safety of key intelligence assets like Pham Xuan An.

His approach to leadership was clear: lead by example, educate consistently, and be prepared to sacrifice. “When I trained my men, I told them to inscribe these words in their hearts: ‘Consider yourself dead.’”

Despite the immense pressure and threat of death, his men remained loyal. One was brutally tortured in prison, but drew strength from a single coded message from his mother: “Uncle Tu sends his regards.”

Historic roles in final battles

Colonel Tu Cang was also the Political Commissar of the 316th Special Forces Brigade, tasked with capturing Rach Chiec Bridge in the decisive Ho Chi Minh Campaign.

On April 27, 1975, the brigade fought outnumbered - 70 soldiers against over 2,000 enemy troops with tanks, ships, and helicopters. After days of fierce fighting and heavy sacrifice, on April 30, at 5 AM, they launched a final assault. By 6:30 AM, tanks from Brigade 203 crossed the bridge and advanced toward Independence Palace.

Tu Cang later recalled the honor of entering Saigon aboard a seized enemy jeep, then reuniting that night with his wife and meeting his 3-year-old grandchild for the first time.

Now 97 years old, Colonel Tu Cang remains mentally sharp and deeply reflective. “I think… my life has been something quite extraordinary,” he mused. From a young pork vendor to the chief of a legendary spy ring, from near-capture to near-death, his life has been defined by courage, sacrifice, and an unbreakable bond with the people he served.

Ngan Anh – Khanh Hoa
Transcribed from the account of Colonel Tu Cang