War veterans who used to be stationed on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago held a ceremony in the central city of Da Nang on March 13 to commemorate 64 soldiers of the Vietnamese navy who died on duty 34 years ago while defending the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on March 14, 1988.
A war veteran lit incense to remember 64 naval soldiers who died on duty 34 years ago while defending the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. (Photo: VNA)
Da Nang (VNA) – War veterans who used to be stationed onthe Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago held a ceremony in the central city of Da Nang on March 13 to commemorate 64 soldiers of the Vietnamese navy who died on duty 34 years ago while defendingthe Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on March 14, 1988.
The veterans and the fallen soldiers’ families offered incense and then released rafts with flowers on Han River in memory of the soldiers.
Head of a liaison committee forTruong Sa veterans Nguyen Van Tan said among the fallen soldiers in the Gac Ma battle, nine were from Da Nang and one from neighbouringQuang Nam province.
Tan stressed that their bravery sacrifice will be remembered forever and that they have madethe Vietnam People’s Navy’s history more glorious.
The event aims to not only pay homage to the soldiers wholost their lives in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty but also inspirepatriotism among young people, said Colonel Hoang Duy Lap, former commander ofthe navy’s Engineer Regiment No.83 who directly fought in the battle at Truong Sa in 1988.
Dong A University took the occasion to present ten giftpackages, worth 1 million VND (43.71 USD) each, to families ofthe fallen soldiers in Quang Nam and Da Nang./.
Over 500 veterans who joined the battle to defend Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago met in a gathering in Tuy Hoa city, the central province of Phu Yen, on March 14 on the occasion of the 31st anniversary of the Gac Ma naval fight.
Whenever March comes, people across Vietnam turn their hearts to Gac Ma Reef of Truong Sa archipelago, a sacred territorial part of the Fatherland, to pay tribute to officers and soldiers who heroically fought until their last breath for the country’s maritime sovereignty.
Rear Admiral Phan Tuan Hung, Deputy Commander of the Naval Force, recently led a delegation to visit soldiers and officers on mission on islands of the Truong Sa archipelago, the central province of Khanh Hoa, and organised a ceremony to commemorate fallen soldiers in battle to defend Co Lin, Gac Ma and Len Dao reefs 33 years ago.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on March 12 offered incense in commemoration of naval soldiers who sacrificed their lives while safeguarding Gac Ma Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago (March 14, 1988).
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A war veteran lit incense to remember 64 naval soldiers who died on duty 34 years ago while defending the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago. (Photo: VNA)
