Son Recounts Life of Hoang Cam, Inventor of Legendary Smokeless Stove

Hoang Thu, the eldest son of Hoang Cam, the inventor of the Vietnamese People's Army's legendary "smokeless stove," shared memories of his father's life.

Thu described his father as a diligent and quiet man who was dedicated to improving the lives of soldiers and civilians during difficult times for the nation. He summarized his father's life with the word "devoted."

When asked about the Ministry of National Defense's proposal to posthumously award Hoang Cam the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces, Thu expressed happiness but emphasized that his father's true legacy was his character. He remembered Hoang Cam as a model father who lived by the simple teaching: "Father does this, son, watch and learn."

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devoted

Hoang Cam joined the army in 1947 and was assigned as a quartermaster team leader. Witnessing casualties from enemy aircraft attacks during the Hoang Hoa Tham campaign inspired him to invent something to reduce military losses. He developed this idea during the Hoa Binh campaign (1951-1952). Observing smoke rising from a cooking fire, he conceived of a stove that could cook during the day without attracting enemy aircraft. He experimented by digging a stove with smoke channels near a stream. The resulting stove effectively dispersed smoke, making it difficult for enemy planes to spot cooking soldiers.

In October 1952, the unit named the stove after its inventor. The "Hoang Cam stove" became well-known among soldiers during the resistance wars against France and the United States. For this achievement, Hoang Cam received the Second Class Independence Medal. He reported his success to Ho Chi Minh at the first National Congress of Heroes and Emulation Fighters on May 1, 1952, and received a wristwatch from Ho Chi Minh as a spoil of war.

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Father does this, son, watch and learn.