For every soldier, setting foot on the sacred Truong Sa Islands is a great aspiration and honor. Especially for an officer and instructor like myself, accustomed to teaching at military schools, that longing is even more intense. The recent voyage to Truong Sa with Task Force No. 4, comprising officers and students from military schools and several agencies of the Ministry of National Defense , not only realized a dream of my military career but also brought me many surprising and emotional experiences.

My baggage for the island, besides the affection from the mainland, was the burning hope of reuniting with acquaintances, especially comrades who had shared the same school – the Signal Officer School (Signal Corps). Amidst the crashing waves of the open sea, a reunion with an old friend is incredibly precious. However, despite diligently searching and inquiring at various islands, I still hadn't found anyone I knew. Just when I thought the trip would end without any reunion, fate intervened when I least expected it.

Mr. Pham Vu Bao and Major Le Dinh Cuong.

Under the scorching afternoon sun of Truong Sa Island, after the emotional and warm atmosphere of the meeting between the delegation and the officers, soldiers, and people on the island, I suddenly heard a loud call from behind: "Cuong!" The voice, with its Khanh Hoa accent, startled me and made me turn around. A familiar face appeared before me, his skin tanned dark by the sun and sea breeze, but his smile remained as bright as ever, surprising me greatly. He hurried forward, hugged me tightly, his voice choked with emotion: "Cuong, is that you? I've been staring at you for a while now, not daring to recognize you." At that moment, I was overwhelmed with emotion and exclaimed: "Oh, it's Bao!"

That was Pham Vu Bao – my older brother, four years older than me, from the same village of Xuan Son, Van Ninh district (now Van Hung commune, Khanh Hoa province). Childhood memories flooded back of afternoons spent playing football in the village field, and actively participating in local Youth Union activities. Since I enlisted, our short leave periods haven't been enough for us to reunite. Almost 20 long years have passed since we last saw each other.

Mr. Pham Vu Bao (in the blue shirt) with civil servants, residents, and soldiers on Truong Sa Island.

The unexpected reunion after two decades in such a special place brought us indescribable emotions. The two brothers sat close together, enthusiastically reminiscing about their hometowns and inquiring about each other's current lives. Bao recounted that he volunteered to serve on Truong Sa Island in 2023 and has been a civil servant there ever since.

Through his heartfelt words, I understood even more deeply: On the remote islands, it's not just the soldiers guarding the sea and sky with their guns, but also the civil servants and people on the islands who are facing countless challenges and hardships day and night.

The salty air of Truong Sa has gradually seeped into his very being. Spending Tet holidays far from the mainland doesn't make him feel sad or lonely, because here, the close bond between soldiers and civilians, the mutual support and respect, has become a solid foundation for them to work together to protect the sacred seas and islands of the Fatherland.

Officers, soldiers, and people on Truong Sa Island gathered at the pier to bid farewell to the No. 4 working group.

Leaving Truong Sa Island as night fell, the bright lights on the pier blended with the resounding songs of defense sung by officers, soldiers, and civilians bidding farewell to the delegation. The ship cut through the waves and gradually moved away, leaving me with a powerful surge of emotion. That moment helped me to further understand the silent yet immense sacrifices of those who are steadfastly clinging to the sea.

Goodbye, sir, goodbye to the officers, soldiers, and people on the island. We secretly promised each other a reunion to continue the unfinished stories. And I am sure that, after this trip, the stories about love for the homeland, about the silent sacrifices on the front-line islands, will make my lectures at school more authentic, vivid, and deeply inspiring to future generations of students.

    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/van-hoa/doi-song/tieng-goi-than-thuong-giua-truong-sa-1038671