During the historic days of April, the delegation of the People's Police College I, Ministry of Public Security, consisting of 10 comrades, was honored to represent the school's staff and students to participate in a voyage to Truong Sa archipelago and DK1 Platform with the delegation of the Ministry of Public Security on Ship 561 of the Vietnam People's Navy.

The trip was not simply a sightseeing trip, but also a journey to learn about history, culture and efforts to protect national sovereignty. Above all, it strongly aroused the spirit of national pride in every Vietnamese citizen who set foot here, including the school staff and teachers.

Working delegation of People's Police College I, Ministry of Public Security at Song Tu Tay Island.

During the entire journey at sea, we seemed to be following in the footsteps of the soldiers who, 50 years ago, in difficult and deprived conditions, overcame all hardships to liberate the Truong Sa archipelago. During the entire journey, each time we set foot on the islands: Song Tu Tay, Sinh Ton, Co Lin, Da Dong A, Da Tay B, Truong Sa, DK1 rig, and witnessed with our own eyes the lives of the officers and soldiers, my heart was constantly filled with emotion, and I seemed to melt into the four verses of the poem "Love Poem of a Soldier" written by poet Tran Dang Khoa when he arrived at Truong Sa:

Perhaps I also see what poet Tran Dang Khoa saw every time he looked into the eyes of the navy soldiers here, in their minds and hearts there is only the Fatherland, only the sacred mother Vietnam reigns. How beautiful, how proud!

Right now, having set foot on the mainland, the emotions of the islands during the past voyage are still intact in me and the working group.

After more than a day at sea, Song Tu Tay was the first island we set foot on during the voyage, and also the first place where we expressed our first feelings of pride when setting foot on one of the important island points, where the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland is protected. Just 3 short hours on the island, the emotions settled in the eyes of each member of the working group. Here, looking out at the vast ocean, we were filled with pride in the history, culture and efforts of previous generations, those who fought and protected every inch of land and sea.

We arrived at Sinh Ton Island early the next morning, in the brilliant sunset, the sea shimmering with silver waves, in the distance the lighthouse bobbing up and down beckoning, welcoming the group were warm smiles, friendly handshakes, close comrades who, because of their duty, had to leave home to come to the sacred place of the Fatherland.

No one can compare to the island soldiers, under the hands of the soldiers, through countless hardships they have turned Sinh Ton Island, the place at the forefront of waves and winds, into a cool green park in the heart of the East Sea.

Colonel, Dr. Dong Thi Hong Nhung, Vice Principal of the school with students on the island.

Here, we heard the crisp laughter of children coming from the classroom, heard the distant bell of the temple, the sound penetrated into the subconscious, settling in the heart when we lit incense sticks in gratitude, commemorating before the stele with the names of 64 heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the Truong Sa sea during the event on March 14, 1988.

Perhaps the memorial service for the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the cause of protecting the sea and islands has left us with unforgettable impressions. Tears fell when remembering them. Moved with pride. Tragic yet glorious.

In that sacred atmosphere, the sea was strangely calm as if to say, the sea had sheltered and protected the souls of the soldiers who had fallen here. In that moment, I felt like I was living fully with national pride. Mr. Tinh, Mr. Toan, Ms. Nga, Ngoc Ha, Ms. Thanh, Ms. Huong… all the comrades in the working group of the People's Police College I and I cried. What could I say at that moment in the middle of the ocean when all words were redundant before the noble sacrifice of the fallen soldiers.

The image of the legendary HQ 505 burning into a deadly flame to protect Co Lin Island is always imprinted in the memory of the Vietnamese people. Co Lin was resilient in the past, Co Lin today always holds her gun firmly, guarding the sky and the sea. The cool sea breeze still blows on the island like the love of the homeland...

Dong A and Tay B rocks, two indomitable submerged islands. Because the islands are small, the members of the delegation could not set foot on all of them, but everyone felt the hardships of the submerged islands. The sacrifices and resilience of the soldiers here truly make us take off our hats in admiration.

Their familiar, simple, yet quiet and resilient images on submerged islands like Da Dong have become a symbol of spiritual strength and fierce patriotism, and a source of pride for the Vietnamese people. They are silent heroes who do not need to show off but have achieved great feats, deserving respect and gratitude from everyone.

No trip in my life has left me with such a strong emotion as when I set foot on Truong Sa Island. I felt most clearly the sacred beat of patriotism, the indomitable will and the silent sacrifice of the children who are day and night protecting the sacred sovereignty at the forefront of the wind and waves.

As soon as the ship arrived at the island, my heart sank - the red flag with yellow star fluttered brightly in the blue sky, with two rows of officers and soldiers guarding the sea of ​​the Fatherland, resounding with strong greetings and warm smiles. I was speechless before the bravery of the soldiers, before their bright eyes, filled with faith in noble ideals - despite facing storms, harsh sunlight, and all kinds of deprivation all year round.

Standing in the middle of the island, looking out to the ocean, I felt like I could feel the sacred spirit of the mountains and rivers present here. Each wave hitting the concrete embankment was a beat of the heart of the Fatherland, reminding me of my responsibility, my pride, and above all, my never-ending faith in the strength of national unity.

As soon as we set foot on the island, I was overwhelmed by the majestic beauty of the land in the middle of the ocean - where the red flag with yellow star flutters proudly in the sun and wind. Meeting the navy soldiers and the people living on the island, the friendly smiles, the tight hugs and the joyful eyes that always shine with hope and happiness of the children who follow their families to the island and the sea. Although life is still full of deprivation and far from the mainland, everyone's face is radiant with smiles, eyes shining with faith - a light that spreads to the bottom of my heart, resilient and indomitable like the square-fruited banyan and maple trees on the island.

When visiting Truong Sa Pagoda, a sacred place in the middle of the ocean, I could not help but be moved by the sound of the temple bell echoing in the vastness of the sky and water. The moment I lit incense before the Buddha statue, I was silent, my heart turned to my ancestors, to the soldiers, to the fishermen who died protecting this sacred land. It was a profound spiritual moment that made me feel small, humble and infinitely grateful.

But perhaps the moment of saluting the flag on the island was the moment that made my heart tremble the most. When the national anthem resounded in the vast ocean and sky, I seemed to hear the call from the motherland, from every wave, every gust of wind. Tears fell from my eyes - not because of sadness, but because of a pride that could not be expressed in words. I clearly felt: Truong Sa is the flesh and blood of the Fatherland, and every Vietnamese child has a part of the responsibility to preserve and protect this beloved sea and island.

The visit to DK1 platform was a special journey, bringing me many deep and unforgettable emotions. As the ship gradually approached the platform amidst the vast blue water like a mirror, I was filled with pride and emotion. DK1 platform appeared majestic and defiant, defying both time and space. When we set foot on the first steps leading to the platform, schools of fish of all kinds surrounded the base of the platform as if to welcome us.

When I set foot on the platform, I felt more clearly than ever the hardships that the soldiers were going through, from the simple, harsh living conditions to the longing for the mainland and their loved ones. In particular, although the platform was more solid, it still had to be on guard against the big storms of the East Sea. But above all, there was the steel spirit and optimistic smiles of the people here. Looking at the lush green vegetable beds that the comrades planted, cared for and took advantage of the limited water resources, I admired even more their will, determination and optimism - the soldiers who were day and night guarding the sovereignty of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland, amidst the storms, winds and loneliness at the forefront, leaving me with a strong impression of their resilient spirit and indomitable patriotism. Here, the love for the country truly became greater than ever.

The end of the sacred journey has brought me deep, intense and unforgettable emotions. Each island I set foot on has a story, a special mark of patriotism, of the will of the Vietnamese people in the middle of the ocean. I met brave soldiers, courageous citizens - people who have spent their youth with the sun and wind of Truong Sa. Although living far from the mainland, in harsh conditions, their eyes always shine with faith and optimism. The tight handshakes, the ordinary stories but imbued with love for the Fatherland, the songs about the homeland sung in the middle of the ocean always make my heart beat faster.

When the red flag with yellow star flutters in the vast sky and the national anthem resounds in the middle of the ocean, I feel the invisible power connecting the mainland with the sea and islands, connecting the heroic past with the hopeful present. I was moved when visiting the pagodas on Song Tu Tay and Truong Sa islands... - places that are not only spiritual places for people and soldiers, but also symbols of the Vietnamese soul in the middle of the ocean. The sound of the pagoda bells, the lingering incense smoke mixed with the sound of the waves, made my heart quiet in sacredness and infinite gratitude.

The trip left me with sincere feelings about a resilient yet familiar Truong Sa, about ordinary yet extraordinary people. I realized that Truong Sa is not only a sacred territory, but also a part of the flesh and blood in the heart of every Vietnamese person. Suddenly, the poignant yet very familiar lyrics of the song “Far Away Island” resounded in my mind:

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/ky-su/giua-menh-mong-bien-troi-to-quoc-824480