Vietnam awards posthumous Defense Medal to soldier Cao Tuấn Anh for heroic rescue

On 7 August 2026, a landslide struck a defence‑construction site in the Bạch Long Vĩ area of Hai Phòng, Vietnam. Private Cao Tuấn Anh, then a lance corporal in the 2nd squad of the 17th Engineer Battalion, rushed to the scene and pulled fellow soldier Nguyễn Bình Nguyên out of the collapsing area. Despite immediate medical treatment, Cao Tuấn Anh succumbed to his injuries at 10:55 a.m. that day.

The President of Vietnam signed a decree on 8 August 2026 awarding Cao Tuấn Anh the third‑class National Defense Medal posthumously. The Hai Phòng Military Command promoted him to sergeant, and the Central Committee of the Ho Chi Minh Youth Union granted him a commendation. Born on 21 October 2006 in Vĩnh Thịnh, Hai Phòng, he enlisted in February 2025 and joined the Communist Party in May 2026. His actions have been highlighted as an exemplar of revolutionary heroism and comradeship within the People’s Army of Vietnam.