During the voyage to DK1 in early 2025, a solemn and moving memorial ceremony was held at the DK1/18 Phuc Tan cluster for the martyrs who sacrificed their lives while fulfilling their duty to affirm and protect the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland's sea and islands in the southern continental shelf. Surprisingly, the sea, which had been rough and windy for many days prior, suddenly became calm, and the sky was clear. When informed that the ceremony was about to begin, all members of the delegation quickly arrived, dressed in neat and solemn attire.
Lieutenant Colonel Trieu Thanh Tung, Deputy Chief of Staff of the 2nd Naval Region Command, solemnly stepped forward to preside over the ceremony. His deep, moving eulogy silenced everyone with its heroic and tragic stories of naval soldiers on the sacred waters of the Fatherland. How could one not admire the noble sacrifice of the officers and soldiers of the DK1/3 platform in the Phuc Tan cluster when a storm exceeding level 12 struck on the night of December 4th and the early morning of December 5th, 1990?
At that moment, Lieutenant Tran Huu Quang upheld his role as the Party branch secretary, encouraging his comrades to stay close and support each other in battling the raging waves. Facing imminent death, he gave his personal lifebuoy and his last piece of dried food to the weakest soldier, sacrificing his own life for his comrade, and then peacefully passed away.
Memorial ceremony for the martyrs of the DK1 offshore platform. |
The delegates were also deeply moved as they remembered the heroic sacrifice of the officers and soldiers of the DK1/6 platform in the Phuc Nguyen cluster before the ferocity and brutality of Typhoon No. 8 in late December 1998. Despite the platform tilting and shaking violently, they persevered, maintaining communication with the Command Center, calmly, bravely, and resolutely battling the raging storms in the pitch-black night with the spirit of "as long as there are people, there is the station," determined to hold on to the end. But human strength has its limits. The platform collapsed, and all nine officers and soldiers were thrown into the sea.
Captain Vu Quang Chuong, Commander of the DK1/6 offshore platform, Professional Warrant Officer Le Duc Hong, and Professional Warrant Officer Nguyen Van An sacrificed their lives, forever becoming one with the waves of the ocean. It is even more heartbreaking that Nguyen Van An's passing leaves immeasurable grief for his young wife and newborn child who never had the chance to see his father's face. The unwavering efforts of Warrant Officer Le Duc Hong to maintain contact with the mainland when the platform collapsed are also remembered. He passed away forever, only managing to send his final farewell to the mainland via radio...
"The sacrifices of these heroes have become a beautiful and shining symbol of the heroic qualities of naval soldiers in the new era." Colonel, Deputy Head of Political Affairs, Command of Naval Region 2 |
Upon arriving, everyone was deeply moved and couldn't hold back their tears. They observed a moment of silence to the tune of "The Souls of Fallen Soldiers," commemorating the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives and rest forever at sea. Each person released branches of flowers and paper cranes, carrying messages of gratitude and hopes for peace …
Sharing about the heroic tradition of DK1, Colonel Vu Duy Luu, Deputy Head of Political Affairs of the 2nd Naval Region Command, said that on July 5, 1989, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers (now the Prime Minister) issued a directive on the construction of an "Economic-Scientific-Service Cluster" on the southern continental shelf of the Vung Tau - Con Dao special zone (abbreviated as DK1). With the order, "At all costs, we must protect the sacred continental shelf of the Fatherland," the naval soldiers of the 171st Naval Brigade urgently boarded ships and set sail to defend the country's sovereign waters. Implementing the directive of the Ministry of National Defense on organizing forces to take over and station on the offshore platforms, the Navy decided to establish the DK1 Management Framework.
From 1989 to 1991, seven offshore platforms were constructed. However, due to rough seas and limited experience in platform construction, two platforms collapsed. From 1992 to 1998, the Ministry of National Defence and the Navy decided to build 13 more platforms. Simultaneously, the DK1 Management Framework was upgraded to the DK1 Battalion, under the direct command and control of the 171st Naval Brigade. During this period, after prolonged use and exposure to the elements, the platforms deteriorated, and three collapsed. In response, from 2010 to 2017, the Ministry of National Defence and the Navy decided to upgrade and build 14 more platforms.
The soldiers stationed at the DK1/21 offshore platform always hold their weapons firmly for the peace of the Fatherland. |
Thirty-six years have passed since the first DK1 platform was established, and today, 21 DK1 platforms have become solid landmarks affirming national sovereignty in the East Sea. Generations of officers and soldiers of the DK1 Battalion, Naval Region 2 Command, have set aside personal feelings and the great ambitions of their youth to be present and perform their duties on these platforms on the southern continental shelf. These soldiers have clearly demonstrated their unwavering determination, unafraid of hardship and sacrifice, always steadfastly holding their ground, defending the landmark and the nation's forward sovereignty. At the moment between life and death, they have shown boundless loyalty to the Party, the Fatherland, and the People, determined to hold their ground to the end, accepting sacrifice to successfully complete their mission.
The DK1 platform stands proudly like a steel fortress, a symbol of the unwavering will and indomitable spirit of the Vietnamese people. The sacrifices and losses of previous generations for the cause of protecting the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland's seas and islands serve as a reminder to the hearts of today's soldiers on the platform of the heroic tradition and noble ideals of living for the Fatherland and the People.
As shared by Senior Lieutenant Le Xuan Quy, Political Officer of the DK1/21 platform: “We are always proud to be serving at this frontier landmark of our nation's sovereignty. The officers and soldiers on the platform remain steadfast in their ideology and determined to fulfill all tasks.”
Or, as Lieutenant Nguyen Trung Duc, Squad Leader of the DKI/21 offshore platform, believes, youth is meant to be dedicated, and one should never ask what the country has done for them. "Everyone can rest assured, we are always ready to protect our homeland's seas and islands, with the motto 'as long as there are people, there is an offshore platform' to ensure peace for the country and its people," Lieutenant Nguyen Trung Duc conveyed to the mainland.
Minh Chi
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/an-ninh-quoc-phong/202507/tuong-niem-giua-trung-khoi-29f1a67/
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