This special voyage before the New Year 2023 brought us – reporters from all over the country – aboard ships of the Task Force of Brigade 146, Region 4 of the Navy, carrying with us the love and affection from the mainland, along with goods, necessities, flowers, gifts... imbued with the flavor of traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) to the officers, soldiers, and people on the Truong Sa archipelago – the sacred and beloved sea of our Fatherland!
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| Soldiers on Da Nam Island |
Reporters from Lam Dong Newspaper were arranged to travel on the ship KN490 to visit the northern islands of the Truong Sa archipelago, including Song Tu Tay, Da Nam, Len Dao, Co Lin, and Sinh Ton. We witnessed and felt the extremely sacred mission that the soldiers and people on the Truong Sa archipelago are undertaking at the forefront of the waves in the vast ocean to protect the country's sovereignty in the East Sea. The KN490 departed from Cam Ranh military port heading north to Song Tu Tay island. These trips to Truong Sa carry a lot of goods; sticky rice, mung beans, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, ornamental plants, flowers, gifts, cakes and sweets... representing the affection of the people on the mainland, bringing Truong Sa closer to the mainland, so that the soldiers and people on the Truong Sa archipelago can enjoy the atmosphere of the traditional Tet holiday as on the mainland.
In less than two days at sea, covering 318 nautical miles, the KN490 ship brought us to the waters of the Song Tu Tay island cluster in the northwest of the Truong Sa archipelago! For three days, Song Tu Tay island was clearly visible, but the waves were high and the wind strong. The fisheries patrol team used motorboats daily to explore and assess the situation, and they determined that it was not yet possible to approach Song Tu Tay island. On the fourth day, the head of the delegation, Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Tho – Deputy Political Commissar of Brigade 146, Region 4 of the Navy, decided to take the officers, soldiers, and reporters on board to Da Nam island (2.6 nautical miles from Song Tu Tay island) first.
During our trip to the islands, we found that Da Nam Island (part of the Song Tu Tay island cluster), as well as Co Lin and Len Dao islands (part of the Sinh Ton island cluster), were originally coral reefs (submerged islands). In the middle of the ocean, Da Nam Island was just a solidly built three-story house. Later, we learned that the structure of these submerged islands was similar... This building served as housing, work, living quarters, and combat support for the officers and soldiers. However, each island had a satellite telephone station, a meteorological and hydrological station, a satellite television station; fresh water, and solar power... meeting all daily living needs.
The material and spiritual lives of the soldiers on the islands have improved significantly. Each island has a library with books ranging from nearly 1,000 to over 2,500 titles and more than 20 different newspapers. The soldiers have the opportunity to grow vegetables in greenhouses and raise livestock using seeds and growing media supplied from the mainland. On each submerged island, the delegation only had two hours to meet, wish the soldiers a Happy New Year, exchange gifts, and provide food supplies... so the reporters had to seize every minute to learn about and document the lives of the soldiers before returning to the ship.
On Song Tu Tay Island and Sinh Ton Island, the delegation spent nearly a full day to better understand and experience the lives and work of the officers, soldiers, and people on the islands. Song Tu Tay is a raised island with an area of nearly 19 hectares at an altitude of 4 meters above sea level, and is the highest point of protrusion in the Truong Sa archipelago. Sinh Ton Island has an area of 13 hectares and is located 320 nautical miles from the mainland...
Both Song Tu Tay Island and Sinh Ton Island have lighthouses, temples, and schools, ensuring that the children of local residents receive an education at the appropriate age, helping fishing boats operating in the Truong Sa (Spratly) Islands navigate and determine their positions safely, and preserving the traditional culture of the nation...; at the same time, it affirms the obvious fact that "this sea is ours, these islands are ours," and fosters patriotism, a sense of responsibility, and determination to uphold the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands, protecting the land of the Fatherland...
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| The working group of Brigade 146, along with a team of reporters, on Sinh Ton Island. |
• MAINTAINING A STEADY POSITION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA
At each island outpost, we, along with the soldiers and local people, were greeted by unique tree species such as the Barringtonia acutangula, Terminalia catappa, Terminalia chebula, Terminalia catappa, Casuarina equisetifolia, and coconut trees... all sturdy trees that withstand the winds and sun of Truong Sa... Firm handshakes, open arms... blended with the atmosphere of an early Tet celebration on the remote islands. In the living room, trays of five kinds of fruit, sweets, and flowers were respectfully placed on the altar dedicated to President Ho Chi Minh and the ancestral altar. In the center of the hall stood a Barringtonia acutangula tree adorned with vibrant yellow apricot blossoms, lush and full, and twinkling lights made of seashells and snails; along with a red backdrop and gold lettering that read "Happy New Year!"... creating a festive atmosphere and welcoming the delegation...
According to residents living on the island, celebrating Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) in Truong Sa is complete and retains the traditional customs of the Vietnamese people, just like on the mainland. Everyone is busy cleaning their houses, preparing the five-fruit offering, decorating the apricot blossom tree in front of their house, and cooking traditional Tet dishes to welcome guests, the soldiers and officers on the island.
While organizing New Year celebrations, the soldiers on the island always maintain a high level of vigilance, strictly adhering to guard duty and combat readiness, determined to protect maritime sovereignty and islands in all situations so that the mainland can enjoy the Tet holiday with peace of mind. This is the sentiment expressed by Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc Nam, Deputy Political Officer of Song Tu Tay Island... Truong Sa is a frontline outpost of the Fatherland, the place that welcomes the earliest sunrise in Vietnam, and a place that always receives special attention from the mainland. All of these things have made Tet in Truong Sa warm and special, so that the soldiers can always stand firm, safeguarding the peaceful spring of the Fatherland.
“The islands are our home, the sea is our homeland!” For a long time, the islands have been “support points for fishermen venturing out to sea,” providing fresh water, fuel, medical care, and other necessities for fishermen… The Truong Sa archipelago has 10 medical clinics with more than 100 military doctors and medical staff. These military-civilian medical clinics on the island communes are comprehensively invested in and equipped with modern machinery, from X-ray machines, ultrasound machines, and anesthesia equipment… to data transmission systems and remote consultations… Although conditions on the remote islands are more difficult than on the mainland, the military medical staff on the islands continuously improve their knowledge, enhance their professional skills, and dedicate themselves to their profession. They master modern medical equipment, effectively handle difficult cases, and promptly save the lives of many fishermen.
"The ships arrive at Truong Sa during Tet" - that's the playful saying among the soldiers and people on the island. Truong Sa celebrates Tet earlier than the mainland for that reason!
Rescue and relief operations to assist fishermen in the sea area under their management have always been carried out promptly and effectively by the officers and soldiers of Truong Sa island district, contributing to enhancing the image of "Uncle Ho's soldiers - the naval soldiers" in the hearts of the people. Along with the Military Medical Station and the fishing village, the harbors on some islands in the Truong Sa archipelago, capable of accommodating hundreds of large fishing vessels, always serve as safe havens for fishermen from coastal provinces to exploit marine resources. The Fisheries Logistics and Technical Service Center in the Truong Sa archipelago performs the task of repairing and supplying fuel and fresh water to fishermen's vessels at the same prices as on the mainland...
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Reflecting on his trip to Truong Sa, the head of the working group, Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Tho, shared that for them, simple happiness is ensuring the absolute safety of the working group and soldiers at the island outposts. The organizational work is likened to ferrymen; no matter how many difficulties, how many storms and pressures they face, each time they safely welcome the working group and officers and soldiers from the islands back to the ship, and from the ship back to the mainland, the commanders and officers on board the KN490 are filled with joy.
As for us, returning to the mainland, we all carried with us a lingering nostalgia, like the waves of the sea, for the images of the soldiers and civilians on the Truong Sa archipelago; we remembered the flag-raising ceremonies, listening to the soldiers and civilians sing the national anthem beside the sovereignty marker, and shouting the oath to protect the peace of the sea and islands; we remembered the sound of temple bells echoing from the waves, and the children's songs sung by the Truong Sa group...
Trường Sa – two words that are dear and familiar, sacred and incredibly proud!
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