To write the song of soldiers who are protecting sea and islands

Embarking on a voyage, KN491 Ship, which carried delegates to visit soldiers on duty and people living in Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago, stopped running and anchored about 1,000 meters off the islands. Soldiers had lined up orderly, prepared for the ceremony to welcome the delegation to the islands...

Nguyen Loc Ha (second, from left), Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of Binh Duong Provincial delegation, visits, encourages and presents gifts to soldiers on Phan Vinh B Island (Truong Sa Island district, Khanh Hoa province).

Truong Sa in the hearts

Today's generation of navy soldiers has been continuing the heroic tradition of the elders, the mighty courage of Uncle Ho's army. Soldier Tran Hoang Trung, born in Nha Trang City (Khanh Hoa province), enlisted in 2021, currently on duty in An Bang Island. He said that despite being admitted to Nha Trang University, Trung decided to reserve the results and volunteered to join the army with an aim to serve the country. "In 2021, I wrote a voluntary application for enlistment. After a training course, I was assigned to perform my task on the islands, felt very honored and proud as contributing my youth to the country. In the beginning, I was like a fish out of water, but with the help of the head and comrades, I quickly adapted to the work and environment here on the island. Today, being visited by officials and receiving gifts from the mainland, my team and I are very excited and happy," Trung said.

Similarly, soldier Pham Nhu Dat, born in Hung Yen province, is currently on duty in Truong Sa Lon Island, enlisted in 2021, said: "Being a navy soldier has been my dream since childhood. And when I became a soldier on Truong Sa Islands, the pride is greater, and the more I want to stick and contribute to the islands. Each soldier in Truong Sa Lon Island in particular and the Spratly Archipelago in general always unite, share responsibilities, consider the island as our home, teammates as brothers, and strive to successfully complete the tasks. We vow to protect the sovereignty of Fatherland sacred sea and islands".

Politician Nguyen Van Truong, who was born Bac Ninh, is on duty on Tan C Island, said that since he was in high school, he has loved the image of Uncle Ho’s soldier, who wears a five-pointed star glistening on his hat. It was his love that motivated him to go to military school. The great honor for him was to be assigned to the Spratly Islands, Truong Sa district, Khanh Hoa province. The physical and cultural life of the island soldier still have difficulties, but it is an honor and pride. But soldiers always have high determination. "The name Truong Sa is very sacred to me, like my own heart, which is also the blood vessel flowing in my soul to add motivation so that my comrades and I on duty on Toc Tan C Island in particular, on the Spratly Islands in general are more solid to protect the sacred sovereignty of the national sea and island," said politician Nguyen Van Truong.

Soldier's glory

As visiting Phan Vinh B Island, Nguyen Loc Ha - Member of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, Vice Chairman of Binh Duong Provincial People's Committee, Head of the provincial delegation including representatives of Central ministries, departments, branches, provincial leaders, and businesses – gave an emotional speech. In his speech, Nguyen Loc Ha looked back on a heroic story of martyr Nguyen Phan Vinh (from Dien Bàn district, Quang Nam province), the captain of an unstoppable ship transporting weapons to the South along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. He decided to stop at this island to shelter the ship from a storm and save his comrades. He died heroically in an unbalanced battle with American warships. The resilience of Captain Nguyen Phan Vinh and his teammates has become immortal.

On behalf of the provincial delegation, the Party Committee, the government, army and people of Binh Duong province, Nguyen Loc Ha expressed deep feelings and gratitude to all cadres and soldiers on duty here; wished all soldiers here good health, to follow traditions of the elderly, uphold solidarity, good training, high combat readiness, build comprehensively strong, exemplary units, successfully complete the mission assigned by the Fatherland and the people: to guard sea and islands, protect the homeland, and be a solid mainstay of fishermen.

This is also the common desire of the delegates when visiting Spratly Archipelago. The soldiers here always cultivate pride, high determination to firmly protect the sovereignty of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland. Nguyen Khoa Hai, Director of Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Binh Duong Province, a member of the delegation, said: "For a long time, we have been looking forward to visiting the Spratly Islands of the Fatherland. Today it is an honor to set foot on the islands, we are so touched as seeing firsthand activities and daily life of soldiers here on the island. All showed the strong unity between the army and people. In particular, cultural works on the islands, such as Uncle Ho Memorial House, Martyrs Memorial, Sinh Ton Dong Pagoda, Truong Sa Pagoda... are special cultural works of Truong Sa island district, giving officials, soldiers and people here an image of the mainland and a spiritual support that help them overcome all difficulties, thunderstorms and protect the sovereignty of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland."

After the visit to the Spratly Archipelago this time, the delegation was able to witness daily-life activities, to talk with soldiers on duty on the islands, helping us to have a better understanding of their lives. The more difficult the conditions are, the stronger the national pride is and the more determined they are to protect the sovereignty of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland. We are always proud of the resilient soldiers who are willing to sacrifice themselves for the Fatherland. They continue to inspire patriotism in us, help us to be more aware of the sovereignty of the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland...

Reported by Do Trong – Translated by Ngoc Huynh