The story of the "all-seeing eye" at sea.

Lighthouses on offshore platforms, including the DK1 platform, and especially Radar Station 590 on Con Dao Island (Ho Chi Minh City), are known as "all-seeing eyes" of the sea. These "all-seeing eyes" not only play a crucial role in safeguarding the nation's maritime sovereignty but also guide ships safely, warn of dangers from shoals, and help fishermen feel secure venturing out to sea.

Báo Đồng Nai•08/05/2026

Con Dao Special Zone as seen from Radar Station 590.

To ensure these "eyes" of the sea never go out, the officers and soldiers on duty at radar stations and lighthouses silently stay at sea day and night, dedicating their youth with a spirit of always striving to complete their assigned tasks well in all circumstances.

Protecting maritime and island sovereignty

Radar Station 590 is a unit under the command of Regiment 251, Region 2 of the Navy, stationed on the summit of Mount Thánh Giá in the Côn Đảo Special Zone. It is one of the important coastal radar stations of the Navy, performing tasks of observing and managing targets at sea and in the low-altitude air, promptly reporting to command centers at all levels, preventing any passive or unexpected situations, and contributing to maintaining the sovereignty of the nation's seas and islands. Perched high on the mountain, shrouded in mist year-round and enduring cold weather, the officers and soldiers of Radar Station 590 steadfastly remain, silently observing the sea and sky, keeping their "all-seeing eye" always clear.

According to the officers and soldiers of Radar Station 590, in the past, when the Con Dao Special Zone was still undeveloped, the facilities and living conditions at the radar station were very limited. The road to the station was a steep mountain path, making travel and transportation of food and supplies extremely difficult. Now, the radar station has received investment in modern facilities, and the material and spiritual living conditions of the officers and soldiers have improved significantly compared to before. However, they still face harsh weather conditions, especially during the rainy season when it becomes even more dangerous due to strong winds and frequent lightning strikes.

The officers and soldiers at Radar Station 590 include some who have only been working there for a few years, and others who have been with the station for nearly 30 years. But they all share the same qualities of Uncle Ho's soldiers: they are not afraid of difficulties and hardships, and they always wholeheartedly fulfill their assigned tasks.

Captain Pham Van Than, Head of Radar Station 590, said: “Despite the difficulties of being stationed on a remote island, with harsh weather conditions affecting the work and lives of the soldiers, we always strictly obey orders from all levels and units, maintaining a strict combat readiness duty regime; proactively developing specific duty and work plans, especially during holidays and Tet; ensuring the correct and complete personnel on duty, and the duty crew always being aware of their combat positions and determined to protect the Fatherland.”

Alongside their combat readiness duties, the unit also develops plans to organize recreational activities, ensuring a good cultural and spiritual life, and paying attention to the welfare of military personnel so that each soldier can work, train, and successfully complete their assigned tasks with peace of mind.

To effectively fulfill their assigned duties, first and foremost, each officer and soldier must deeply understand the crucial position and role of managing and protecting maritime and island sovereignty. From there, they must always maintain a high level of vigilance and be ready to successfully complete their assigned tasks in all situations. “We always proactively study, research, and improve our professional skills and expertise, our ability to master weapons and technical equipment, especially modern equipment, ensuring early, remote, and accurate detection of targets. Each officer and soldier must strictly adhere to the unit's military discipline, maintain internal unity, and closely coordinate with other forces stationed in the area, contributing to building a strong and comprehensive unit,” shared Captain Pham Van Han.

The lighthouse was designed on top of the DK1 offshore platforms – a location advantageous for illumination. Photo: Binh Nguyen

A solid foundation for fishermen.

Not only are naval forces the core force in protecting maritime sovereignty and islands, but they also serve as a source of moral support and a solid foundation for fishermen at sea. The Navy closely integrates propaganda with the organization of activities to support and assist the people in disease prevention and control; disaster prevention and mitigation; search and rescue; and organizes public relations activities, fraternal ties, exchanges, forums, seminars, visits, and exhibitions on the themes of the sea, islands, and the navy.

With the motto "reaching the people when they need us, not waiting for them to request our presence," naval officers and soldiers in the seas of the Fatherland, at fishing logistics service centers, fishing villages, clinics, service clusters, economic , scientific and technical centers, especially onshore radar stations and offshore platforms, are always ready at all times and in all places to support, assist, and protect the lives of fishermen. In particular, the work of educating fishermen about their responsibility to protect maritime sovereignty and islands and to comply with the law is always emphasized. Typical examples include programs such as: "The Vietnamese Navy as a support for fishermen venturing out to sea and staying at sea"; "The Navy sponsoring fishermen's children," which have been implemented for many years, clearly demonstrating this spirit.

Among them, the lighthouse on the DK1 platform is also considered the "eye of the sea," not only supporting and guiding ships and boats, assisting fishermen in venturing out to sea, but also affirming the sovereignty of the Fatherland's seas and islands. Ensuring these lighthouses never go out is due to the silent sacrifices of the officers and soldiers of the DK1 platform, including those who directly guard the lighthouses.

Lighthouses are designed on the roofs of the DK1 offshore platforms – a location advantageous for illumination. Mr. Do Van Loi, Head of the DK1/12 Offshore Lighthouse Station, shared: Due to the salty seawater and strong winds on the offshore platforms, which easily damage machinery and equipment, regular inspection, maintenance, and servicing of the equipment must be carried out. Previously, before the investment in a solar power system, the lighthouses had to use generators, and lighthouse keepers had to be on duty all night to ensure stable lighting. Now, the lighting systems of these lighthouses are designed with sensor lights, using solar energy, ensuring a 24/7 power supply even in rainy weather, which is of great significance in fulfilling the task of protecting the sea and islands of the Fatherland. The fact that the lighthouses never go out amidst the vast ocean waves is always associated with the silent sacrifices of generations of naval officers and soldiers.

Colonel Pham Tien Dung, Deputy Chief of Staff of Naval Region 2, assessed: In 2025, the Naval Region 2 Command was evaluated by the Naval Command as having successfully and excellently completed its tasks. This result is largely due to the significant contributions of Radar Station 590, the units stationed in the Con Dao Special Zone, and the DK1 offshore platforms. Every piece of information from these "all-seeing eyes" at sea helps the Command Headquarters and relevant agencies to successfully fulfill their nhiệm vụ of protecting the sovereignty of the nation's seas and islands.

Le Quyen

Source: https://baodongnai.com.vn/dong-nai-cuoi-tuan/202605/chuyen-ke-ve-mat-than-tren-bien-5b04900/