Continuing the story of our forefathers, we will protect the southern continental shelf and seas of our homeland.

More than three decades have passed, but the event of the DK1/6 platform in the Phuc Nguyen cluster being destroyed by a storm in December 1998 remains a tragic milestone, leaving an unhealed sense of loss for generations of soldiers stationed on the DK1 platform.

Weekly flag-raising ceremony at the DK1 offshore platform.

A tragic milestone in the 1998 Faith storm.

In the memories of the officers and soldiers stationed at the DK1 offshore platform, the story of Typhoon Faith (Typhoon No. 8) in 1998 remains vivid.

In early December of that year, Typhoon Faith swept through the southern continental shelf, where the DK1 platforms stood proudly in the middle of the ocean. Violent waves rose, with walls of water tens of meters high crashing against the Phuc Nguyen A (DK1/6) platform. Amidst the stormy seas, the officers and soldiers of the DK1/6 platform remained steadfast, enduring the harsh natural disaster, diligently reinforcing and securing every steel joint with the unwavering resolve of "as long as there are people, there will be platforms."

Family members of Martyr Vu Quang Chuong

But the destructive power of nature that day was far more intense than anticipated. With wind gusts reaching levels 12 to 13, swirling waves threatened to engulf the entire platform. Despite last-ditch efforts, the storm was too fierce, and the DK1/6 platform was completely destroyed by the waves. Three officers and soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives while still defending national sovereignty .

In the midst of the storm, the life raft that the officers and soldiers of DK1/6 clung to was quickly swept away by the raging waves. In that moment of life and death, Captain Vu Quang Chuong and Warrant Officer Le Duc Hong were swept away by the waves and gradually sank into the sea. Warrant Officer Nguyen Van An, after hours of struggling with the storm, was exhausted. Before being swept away, he left his comrades a final, short, heartbreaking message, but one that perfectly captured the spirit of a DK1 soldier: "Hoan, I'm exhausted. Tell the others to uphold the unit's traditions!"

Family members of Martyr Vu Quang Chuong.

The commander of the DK1 Battalion visits the families of fallen soldiers.

At that moment, amidst the howling wind and crashing waves, the young soldier perished without having had the chance to see his firstborn son, who was only one month old... He passed away with his backpack still containing the letters he hadn't yet sent back to the mainland.

A single sentence, a single moment, but it forged the steely spirit, iron will, and courageous character of the soldiers stationed on the offshore platforms—men who, even clinging to a single steel beam amidst a storm, never forget their duty, their comrades, and especially their oath of loyalty to their sacred homeland.

After the storm subsided, the HQ 606 ship, after three days of searching in extremely dangerous conditions, reached the scene and rescued six surviving officers and soldiers of DK1/6. However, three of their comrades had forever rested on the continental shelf of their homeland, the place where they dedicated their youth, their lives, and their faith to protecting and preserving...

DK1 stands firm at the forefront today.

The courageous spirit of the three martyrs Vu Quang Chuong, Le Duc Hong, and Nguyen Van An during Typhoon Faith in 1998 has become a symbol of bravery, an invaluable spiritual legacy, and has forged the unwavering resolve of generations of officers and soldiers at the DK1 offshore platform to "never leave the battlefield."

All three comrades were posthumously awarded the Order of Military Merit. In particular, the martyr, Captain Vu Quang Chuong, Commander of the DK1/6 offshore platform, was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces in 2013. This was not only an expression of gratitude to him personally, but also a recognition of the unwavering loyalty, indomitable spirit, and unparalleled courage of the heroic soldiers of the DK1 Battalion.

Officers and soldiers maintain equipment on the DK1 offshore platform.

After the devastation, Phuc Nguyen has revived strongly. From the sacrifices of those who perished, a new spirit has been ignited. Today, the Phuc Nguyen cluster has a new generation of sturdy offshore platforms, ensuring greater safety for soldiers to live, train, and be ready for combat.

Currently, the DK1 Battalion has 15 sturdy, interconnected steel-structured platforms, serving as strategic outposts on the southern continental shelf. These platforms provide observation, control, and early warning systems, as well as crucial support for fishermen venturing out to sea. The strategic significance of this was profoundly summarized by the late Admiral Giap Van Cuong, Commander of the Navy: "If the mainland is the house, then the continental shelf is the yard. Anyone wanting to enter the house must pass through the yard, through the platform. We must be determined to firmly hold this place."

After more than 36 years of construction, development, and growth (1989-2025), the DK1 Battalion (Naval Region 2) has become one of the core forces in managing and firmly protecting the sovereignty of the southern continental shelf of the Fatherland.

The offshore platforms maintain 24/7 vigilance, monitoring multi-level targets, promptly handling complex situations, and proactively coordinating with Fisheries Surveillance, Coast Guard, and Border Guard forces, contributing to maintaining security, safety, peace , and stability in the strategic sea region rich in natural resources—the gateway to the fertile Mekong Delta.

Rescuing fishermen is a heartfelt command for the soldiers stationed on the offshore platforms.

In recent years, the DK1 platform has truly become the "eyes and ears" of the Navy and maritime law enforcement forces; observing, detecting, and monitoring tens of thousands of targets in the area, reporting to command centers at all levels for timely and appropriate response to situations, preventing any unexpected incidents.

The officers and soldiers of the DK1 platform truly serve as a solid support for fishermen venturing out to sea; successfully rescuing nine fishing vessels in distress, assisting hundreds of fishermen in need at sea; providing fresh water, food, necessities, fuel, and medical examinations and medicine to thousands of fishermen and over 400 fishing vessels. In particular, in April 2020, the DK1/11 platform rescued 30 fishermen from the fishing vessel QNA 95654 TS who were in distress while fishing at sea, and was awarded a special commendation by the Ministry of National Defense .

Perched precariously in the middle of the sea, looking up at the sky and down at the vast, boundless ocean, the will of the soldiers on the DK1 platform remains unwavering. "Storms may bend the steel of the platform, but they cannot bend the will of the DK1 soldiers," a saying from their predecessors, has become a reminder of the unwavering spirit that every soldier on the platform cherishes.

And that spirit continues to be persistently upheld by the officers and soldiers of DK1 today through discipline, responsibility, and unwavering determination in all circumstances.

Training and combat readiness on the DK1 platform.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Trung Duc, Political Officer of the DK1 Battalion, affirmed: "We always remember the sacrifices of previous generations. For the soldiers of DK1, the offshore platform is our homeland, our comrades, our country, and also a promise to the people. The offshore platform is a symbol of honor and unwavering determination; it is a benchmark for each officer and soldier to reflect on themselves and strive to fulfill their assigned tasks well. From that meaning, each person always clearly understands their responsibility to firmly protect each offshore platform, each part of the sovereignty that they are safeguarding day and night."

Despite the many hardships, difficulties, and sacrifices that still remain, with the tradition of a unit twice awarded the title of Hero, the soldiers of the DK1 offshore platform today are still united, working together wholeheartedly, continuing to write the "story of peace" of their forefathers in the new era, determined to firmly protect the southern continental shelf of the Fatherland.

NINH CO - THE DAI

Source: https://nhandan.vn/viet-tiep-cau-chuyen-the-he-cha-anh-bao-ve-vung-bien-them-luc-dia-phia-nam-to-quoc-post930044.html