Every medal and shoulder board carries the imprint of a life of service and the pride of those who served in the Vietnam People’s Public Security and Vietnam People’s Army. Inspired by these objects, one Buddhist monk has spent years collecting and preserving such memorabilia, hoping to nurture a love of history and patriotism among younger generations.

Venerable Thich Thanh Toan, a member of the Executive Board of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha in Vinh Long Province and resident monk at Vien Giac Pagoda in An Hoi Ward, Vinh Long Province, began collecting military memorabilia in 2023.

The journey began when a retired Navy Rear Admiral gave him a set of Rear Admiral rank insignia. Treasuring the unusual gift, he placed it in a small glass display cabinet at the pagoda. As more people came to see it, expressing curiosity and a desire to learn about the stories behind the objects, Venerable Thich Thanh Toan decided to expand the display into a collection dedicated to preserving historical values and spreading a spirit of patriotism throughout the community, particularly among young people.

“From that initial connection, I continued to earn the trust of many commanders, officers and soldiers who entrusted their memorabilia to me for safekeeping. After about three years, I have now built a relatively comprehensive collection,” the monk said. “Family tradition nurtured my love for history and the military, inspiring me to preserve the memorabilia associated with earlier generations.”

Every day, Venerable Thich Thanh Toan spends about an hour looking after his collection.

He carefully cleans each pair of shoulder boards, rank insignia, commemorative medal and other item on display.

Even though the artifacts are kept in an enclosed room, dust can accumulate over time without regular cleaning and preservation.

Stories from his own family helped instill his love of history from an early age: his father served in the Navy and fought on the Cambodian battlefield; his grandfather lived through both the resistance wars against the French and the Americans; and his uncle served as Deputy Chief of Staff of Military Region 9 and retired with the rank of Colonel.

Beginning with the rank insignia of a retired Navy Rear Admiral, Venerable Thich Thanh Toan’s collection has grown to more than 500 artifacts representing various forces, including the Army, Public Security, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard.

Behind every uniform, rank insignia and commemorative medal lies a story of a soldier’s journey of service.

What matters most is not the number of objects, but the trust and respect of the officers and soldiers who have entrusted a part of their life stories and memories to the collection.

The greatest challenge has not been finding artifacts, but earning the trust of those willing to part with them. Some journeys have covered thousands of kilometers, with meetings devoted simply to listening and sharing stories.

Every object handed over brings not only happiness, but also a responsibility to preserve the memories and sacrifices of generations past.

One of the moments that moved the monk most came when a former Navy conscript, who had held the rank of Senior Sergeant, visited to donate memorabilia from his years of military service. The young veteran initially hesitated, believing his belongings were too modest to be worthy of the collection.

Responding to his hesitation, Venerable Thich Thanh Toan told him: “Without soldiers, how could there be generals?” Every piece of memorabilia, he said, deserved equal respect.

Every artifact in the collection is treasured, regardless of its size or perceived importance, because it represents not only the effort involved in building the collection but also the trust and confidence of those who donated it. All the items have clear provenance and are accompanied by handwritten notes or signatures from their donors detailing when, why and under what circumstances they were given.

One particularly notable item is the uniform of Lieutenant General Pham Tuan, the first Vietnamese and the first Asian to fly into space. With permission, Venerable Thich Thanh Toan had the uniform faithfully recreated according to the original. Once completed, it was personally signed by Pham Tuan.

The collection exists solely for preservation, education and public viewing. Visitors may see and touch the artifacts, but they are not permitted to take anything outside the exhibition room.

“These are priceless keepsakes. They are not here to be bought, sold or exchanged, but to be preserved and to tell the stories of an era,” he said.

Inside an exhibition room measuring less than 12 square meters, hundreds of medals, badges, commemorative items and wartime artifacts are carefully preserved.

Inspired by his grandfather, who served as an officer in the Chemical Corps, Le Tran Phuc Nguyen, a student living in Go Vap Ward, traveled nearly 18km to visit the collection.

Particularly impressed by the rank insignia and ceremonial cap of a Public Security Major General, Nguyen left even more determined to pursue his dream of becoming a student at the People’s Police University.

Venerable Thich Thanh Toan believes that a Buddhist monk is also a citizen of his country. Drawing on a Buddhist tradition of standing alongside the nation - from monks who once “shed their robes and donned battle dress” to those serving their communities in peacetime today - he sees preserving wartime memorabilia as a way to express gratitude to the country, spread patriotism and serve the community.

To mark the 79th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - July 27, 2026), Venerable Thich Thanh Toan’s room has officially become an exhibition space named “Sacred Flame of Dong Khoi.” Its doors remain open to history enthusiasts and anyone wishing to learn more about wartime memorabilia.

Tuan Hung