Women in a man ' s world . Thanh Hoa , North Vietnam : Tran Thi Hue ( 20 ) , right , leader of the Tran Thi Hue unit of the Peoples ' s Militia , instructs her charges . An orphan since childhood , Miss Hue is also in charge of a team of an agricultural production co-operative and is a leading youth organisation member . She leads 39 girls and women between 17 and 27 years of age . Their tasks are numerous . They tend the Thanh Hoa province during air raids , render first aid to the wounded , assist the soldiers by bringing them ammunition and food , and , if the need arises , take the place of the wounded or slain soldiers on the battlefield . 16 January 1966