Practicing for the naval parade, in preparation for National Day.

To die for the Fatherland, to live for the Fatherland

Ship 571 of the 4th Naval Region sped through the waves. This was the sixth day of an 18-day voyage carrying the 4th Naval Region's delegation and over 50 journalists to visit officers, soldiers, and civilians performing their duties in the Truong Sa Archipelago. As evening fell, shimmering rays of sunlight fell upon the vast, endless sea. In front of the ship, seabirds soared and swooped, and dolphins occasionally leaped from the waves, performing their free and joyful dances in the open sea.

Every day, after dinner, most reporters gather at the bow of the ship to admire the scenery. Not everyone has the opportunity to visit Truong Sa, so we cherish every minute and every second of the journey. Besides our work, we never miss the chance to capture the majestic natural beauty of the Truong Sa islands, a solid shield protecting our national sovereignty .

But today, all of that has "taken a backseat." Amidst the majestic sound of the waves, everyone, along with the naval soldiers, is focusing their attention on the sacred task of making wreaths of fresh flowers and folding paper cranes, preparing for the memorial ceremony for the 64 heroic martyrs who bravely fell and lie buried in the waters of Co Lin, Len Dao, and Gac Ma in the Truong Sa Archipelago, with the spirit of "Fighting to the death for the Fatherland."

Thirty-six years have passed since that historic day of March 14, 1988, but the image of the Vietnamese People's Navy soldiers standing in a circle, resolutely defending the national flag against enemy fire, remains standing here, becoming the symbol of the "immortal circle." Their unwavering will is a steel shield at the forefront of the waves, ensuring the protection and preservation of the nation's sovereignty.

The yellow chrysanthemums, red roses, and white lilies, carefully preserved after days of sailing through stormy seas, remained fresh and began to be woven into pure wreaths. The origami cranes—symbols of peace —also gradually filled the space under the tender hands of the workers.

From historical documents, and like all Vietnamese people, we are familiar with the heroic Battle of Gạc Ma; in that battle, 64 soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives. Now, setting foot on the sea that embraced them, feeling the waves mingling with the sacred spirits of the heroic martyrs, a wave of emotion surges through each of us. There are tears of emotion and gratitude that cannot be held back, silently falling.

Journalist Nguyen Khac An ( Nghe An ) shared: When he received the assignment to report from the Truong Sa Archipelago, he was deeply moved because he was about to "meet" his close friend from school days - martyr Le Ba Giang, one of the 64 martyrs who perished in the Gac Ma battle. After decades of separation, he could now send a handful of soil from his hometown into the sea waves to warm his friend's heart. "Now, I can directly tell the martyr: Your family, hometown, and friends always remember and are proud of you," said journalist Nguyen Khac An.

The oath to protect the sea under the flag.

Following in the footsteps of the marching song

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tho, Deputy Commander of Brigade 146, Region 4 of the Navy, gently arranged each chrysanthemum and rose, and recounted in a low voice: "Every time the naval ships bring delegations from all over the country to visit the officers, soldiers, and people performing duties in the Truong Sa Archipelago, before going to Co Lin and Len Dao islands, they always perform this sacred memorial ceremony."

Lieutenant Colonel Tho and his comrades have lost count of the number of times they have carried out the task of preparing and organizing memorial ceremonies right on the ship. But each time, the emotion, love, and gratitude for their fallen comrades who sacrificed themselves for the Fatherland remain deeply ingrained in their hearts; it fuels in each officer and soldier the determination to excellently fulfill the tasks entrusted by the Party and the People; following in the footsteps of their forefathers, overcoming all hardships and challenges; and working together to firmly protect the sovereignty of the Fatherland's seas and islands.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Tho said: "With that determination, during the years of performing duties in Vietnam's seas and islands, 13 soldiers from the DK1 platform bravely sacrificed their lives in peacetime, including 9 martyrs who forever rest in the depths of the sea, amidst storms. Most recently, in December 2023, Captain Nguyen Tai Thi, Deputy Commander of the DK1/12 platform, and Captain Do Tung Linh, Political Officer of the reinforced ship 202, also perished in the open sea."

A break during training for officers and soldiers of the 5th Naval Region.

To honor the immense sacrifices of countless heroic martyrs, naval officers and soldiers performing duties in Vietnam's seas and islands, especially in the Truong Sa Archipelago – a solid shield protecting national sovereignty – who have readily sacrificed much of their personal happiness, standing firm amidst the waves and winds, day and night guarding the sea and sky; providing support for fishermen to venture out to sea, engage in production, and develop the economy. At the same time, they serve as living landmarks at sea, working together to safeguard national sovereignty over the seas and islands.

In 2023 and 2024, the forces under and in coordination with the 4th Naval Region carried out maritime missions, guiding fishing vessels in and out of harbors and lagoons to take shelter from storms, ensuring safety on over 20,000 occasions; and conducted rescue, relief, and emergency medical services in nearly 200 cases on the islands of the Truong Sa Archipelago.

From 2022 to 2024, the Truong Sa Island Medical Center provided medical examination and treatment to nearly 4,500 patients; including successfully rescuing nearly 150 patients (including fishermen in distress at sea, transferred from other islands); and successfully performing nearly 200 surgeries, including many major surgeries for necrotic appendicitis.

According to information from the Navy, most recently, on August 12th, the medical station on Da Tay Island provided timely initial emergency treatment to fisherman Tran Van Ty (from Binh Thuan province) who suffered an accident while deep-sea diving, experiencing decompression sickness and symptoms of muscle pain and weakness in his limbs. Ship 937 of the 129th Naval Squadron then transported Mr. Ty to the Truong Sa Island Medical Center for emergency treatment, restoring his health and life.

The night before the memorial seemed to shorten, filled with overwhelming emotion. The morning light rose early. Beneath the vibrant red national flag proudly fluttering in the Trường Sa sea and sky, on the deck of ship 571, officers, soldiers, and all the reporters looked up, solemnly saluting, silently calling the names of the heroic martyrs by the name of the country. Amidst the gentle lapping of the waves, a new day dawned peacefully.

Quynh Anh - Hoang Nguyen

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/chinh-polit-xa-hoi/bien-gioi-bien-dao/ten-anh-da-thanh-ten-dat-nuoc-157149.html