Lieutenant Trần Văn Tùng, born 1987 in Vũ Thư district, Hưng Yên, died while saving a stranger from the Trà Lý River on the morning of 12 September 2024.
At about 9:40 a.m., after completing a duty, he noticed a young man preparing to jump from the Bo bridge in Trà Lý ward. Tùng intervened, persuading the man to abandon the act, but the individual suddenly leapt into the river. Tùng, shedding his uniform, dove in to rescue him; both were swept away by a strong current.
A search involving roughly 200 officers and numerous assets along the river recovered Tùng’s body at 18:05 on 13 September, about 350 metres downstream of the bridge, and the victim’s body later that night.
The Ministry of Defence honored Tùng’s self‑sacrifice by promoting him from lieutenant to captain and awarding him the Heroic Medal, a decision presented by senior officers of Military Region 3 on 14 September. President Nguyễn Xuân Phúc personally conferred the medal.
His funeral, held at his family home in Hong Phong village, combined military rites with local customs. Despite heavy rain, comrades, local officials, and villagers attended, including a delegation led by Lieutenant General Lương Văn Kiểm, commander of Military Region 3.
Tùng’s wife, an accountant, and his two children—a second‑grade daughter and a four‑year‑old son—received condolences. Neighbours recalled him as gentle, helpful, and well‑liked in the community.
Among his belongings was a reward envelope for his daughter’s academic achievements, underscoring the personal loss felt by his family and the broader community.