The circle of immortality in the middle of the ocean.

Amidst the vast expanse of the Truong Sa archipelago, there are coordinates not only marked on nautical charts but also inscribed in memory by the sacrifices and courage of the naval soldiers. For the members of Task Force No. 17 – including the delegation from Thai Nguyen province – the commemoration ceremony for the heroic martyrs who sacrificed their lives to protect the sovereignty of the Fatherland's sea and islands on the deck of the KN 490 ship was one of the most special and moving moments in their journey to the Truong Sa archipelago and the DK1 platform.

A moment of silence for the delegates of Task Force No. 17 in the Co Lin - Len Dao - Gac Ma sea area.

In May, the Truong Sa sea is a deep blue but full of sunshine and wind. After many days battling the waves, the KN 490 ship of the 955th Brigade, 4th Naval Region, stopped in the waters of Co Lin - Len Dao - Gac Ma. There was no ship's horn, no loud noises, only the sound of the waves and a solemn atmosphere enveloping the deck. Here, 38 years ago, 64 officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy bravely sacrificed their lives to protect the national flag, creating an "Immortal Circle" in the middle of the ocean.

As the memorial ceremony began, many delegates in the delegation turned their gaze towards the distant sea. In the vast ocean, a moment of silence took place in a sacred and respectful atmosphere. There were no specific gravestones, but this entire sea area was the resting place of these heroes. Words of remembrance echoed amidst the sea breeze, reminding us of the naval soldiers who fell defending the sovereignty of our nation's maritime territories. On the deck of the KN 490 ship, many delegates could not hide their emotions as they listened to the memorial speech read in the waters of Co Lin - Len Dao - Gac Ma.

Artist Quan Thanh, from the Hai Phong Association of Literature and Arts, shared that although he had heard about the Gac Ma incident many times through books and newspapers, only when standing in the middle of this sea did he truly feel the immense sacrifice of the naval soldiers of the past. Artist Quan Thanh said emotionally: "In the middle of the Truong Sa sea and sky, the emotions are difficult to describe. All distances seem to shrink. When I heard about the event where 64 soldiers sacrificed their lives to protect the national flag, I was truly moved and felt even more appreciative of their sacrifice."

Comrade Dong Van Luu, Vice Chairman of the Thai Nguyen Provincial People's Council, offered incense to commemorate the heroic martyrs.

After a moment of silence, the delegates gently released wreaths, paper cranes, and yellow chrysanthemums into the sea. The petals swayed and drifted away, carrying with them the feelings and gratitude of the mainland to the fallen heroes. That moment left many speechless with emotion.

Dr. Tran Van Tuyen, Deputy Director of the Thai Nguyen Department of Health, shared that attending the memorial ceremony right on the sea where the soldiers fell was a special experience in his professional life. “Standing in the middle of the ocean, witnessing the solemn memorial ceremony taking place right on the ship's deck, I felt even more strongly the sacrifice of the naval soldiers to protect the sovereignty of our country's sea and islands. It was a very sacred feeling,” Dr. Tran Van Tuyen shared.

More than just a ceremony of remembrance and gratitude, the event also provided an opportunity for delegates to deeply appreciate the value of peace and the responsibility of today's generation towards the homeland's seas and islands. Ms. Hoang Thi Ngoc Lan, Deputy Head of the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Department of the Thai Nguyen Provincial Party Committee, said that the memorial ceremony at sea evoked many special emotions in the delegates. “Standing directly in the sea where our heroes sacrificed their lives, I understand even more the hardships, losses, and silent sacrifices of naval officers and soldiers in fulfilling their duty to protect the sovereignty of our country's seas and islands.”

Ship KN-490 transported Task Force No. 17 to Truong Sa.

Sharing the same sentiment, Mr. Ha Sy Thang, Secretary of the Party Committee of Dai Tu commune, said that the trip to Truong Sa helped each official and Party member understand more deeply their responsibility towards the homeland's sea and islands. "Before, I knew about Gac Ma through newspapers and films. But standing in the middle of this sea, all the emotions became very real. I am even more grateful for the sacrifices of previous generations to preserve the sovereignty of our sea and islands today," Mr. Ha Sy Thang shared.

In Truong Sa, the sea is not just the sea; it has become an integral part of the nation's blood and flesh, a sacred memory of the homeland. The paper cranes and flowers released into the sea today will drift away with the waves, but the echoes of the commemoration ceremony will remain in the hearts of every member of the No. 17 working group.

In the middle of the blue sea stands a monument not built of granite, but forged from the courage and sacrifice of naval soldiers. And today, at the forefront of the waves, that spirit is still being carried on by naval soldiers who, day and night, firmly hold their weapons to protect the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland's seas and islands.

Thirty-eight years ago, on March 14, 1988, foreign naval forces, with numerous warships and modern weapons, unexpectedly attacked Vietnamese People's Navy officers and soldiers who were on duty protecting sovereignty on the submerged islands of Gac Ma, Len Dao, and Co Lin (Spratly Islands, Khanh Hoa province). They brazenly used military weapons to attack, sinking and burning three of our transport ships. To protect the territorial integrity of the Fatherland's seas and islands, our officers and soldiers fought bravely and unyieldingly, and 64 Vietnamese men heroically sacrificed their lives. In that battle, the image of Vietnamese People's Navy officers and soldiers standing in a circle, using their bodies to resist the enemy's modern weapons, determined to hold the national flag and affirm Vietnam's sovereignty at Gac Ma Island, has become the symbol of the "Immortal Circle."

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/quoc-phong-an-ninh/202605/vong-tron-bat-tu-giua-trung-khoi-31c1552/