Along with the beloved mainland, amidst the vast ocean, spring is also bustling on the beloved outpost islands of the Fatherland. Spring in Truong Sa is a warm Tet atmosphere of camaraderie, military-civilian love and full of love from the mainland. It is also the spring of Truong Sa standing tall and steady at the forefront of the wind and waves, ready to join the nation in entering a new era, an era of growth.
At the end of the year, ships to Truong Sa not only bring cakes, jams, fruits... but more importantly, the love, care and affection of the people of the whole country for Truong Sa.
Come to Truong Sa
In the last days of 2024, in the chilly weather, Ship HQ571 carried Tet gifts from the beloved mainland, traveling hundreds of nautical miles to reach beloved Truong Sa. After 2 days and nights of cutting through the blue sea waves, for the first time we saw Song Tu Tay Island appear right before our eyes. In the middle of the vast sea, Song Tu Tay shines, is majestic and incredibly beautiful!
However, due to bad weather and 4-5m high waves, our ship anchored in the sea off Song Tu Tay Island for 4 days. Perhaps that was also the most difficult waiting period for the entire working group, especially for us reporters. Because Truong Sa has never been closer to us. Everyone was eager and looking forward to the day they could set foot on the sacred land of the Fatherland's outpost. Peach blossoms, kumquat pots, and Tet food boxes sent from the mainland were also "anxiously" waiting to be delivered to the soldiers and people on the island.
Among the gifts sent to the officers and soldiers working in Truong Sa, we paid special attention to the paper cranes and letters from teachers and students on the mainland. The letters were written neatly and carefully, making everyone touched by the children's love and pride for their homeland's sea and islands.
Photographer Nguyen Thanh Hai, Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, shared that when he received information about the trip, he shared on social media about his plan to fold 500-1000 paper cranes to release at the Memorial Ceremony for Vietnamese Navy officers and soldiers who heroically sacrificed while protecting the sovereignty of the Fatherland in the Truong Sa archipelago. Surprisingly, after only 1 day, Mr. Hai received many messages from many units, organizations, and schools to support the urgent number of paper cranes.
“When I received the messages from the teachers, I was moved to tears. I was also very surprised when more than 5,000 paper cranes and 300 letters were sent. I hope that the paper cranes, the words, and the letters will bring warmth from the mainland to beloved Truong Sa, giving more strength to the cadres, soldiers, and people of Truong Sa to stand firm at the forefront, firmly protecting the sacred sovereignty of the Fatherland,” Hai shared.
"Pig gives dad Ti"
After many days of big waves, in the first days of the new year 2025, we were happy to receive the announcement that the group could go to the island. Canoes cut through the waves, taking groups of reporters and goods to the island.
The day the group’s ship arrived at the island was also the day Mr. Nguyen Thien An, an official of Song Tu Tay commune, Truong Sa district, Khanh Hoa province, received a Tet package from his wife and children sent from the mainland. While opening the package, Mr. An happily shared with us about the gifts his wife and children sent.
Holding several boxes of light bulbs in his hand, Mr. An confided: “The weather on the island is very harsh. The high salt content here causes electrical equipment to break down very quickly, so they have to be replaced constantly. Therefore, every time we send goods, in addition to some food and medicine, my wife is always very thoughtful, not forgetting to buy a few more light bulbs and batteries for me to use gradually.”
Flipping through the bottom of the box, Mr. An picked up a box wrapped in brown paper with the scrawled words "Gift from Pig to Dad Ti". Mr. An said that the day before, when he called home, his wife revealed that this year, their 5-year-old daughter had asked her mother's permission to break the piggy bank to buy shoes for her father this Tet holiday. "Recently, at my wife's house, I taught her to read. She learns very quickly. The words on the gift box were written by her own hand", Mr. An told us with tears in his eyes while holding the gift box.
Starting work on Song Tu Tay Island since June 2023, this year is the second Tet season that Mr. An celebrates Tet with the army and people on the island. That is also the time when Mr. An is absent from the traditional Tet meal at his family. To help him ease his homesickness and miss Tet on the mainland, the package that Mr. An's wife sent to the island this time, in addition to some food, medicine and supplies, will also include some Tet gifts such as watermelon seeds, sunflower seeds, a new calendar, etc. "The gifts from my family give me more motivation and strength to work confidently and confidently on the sacred islands of the Fatherland," said Mr. An.
Bringing Tet to Truong Sa
Colonel Do Hai Dang, Deputy Political Commissar of Brigade 146, Head of the working delegation, visited and wished the officers, soldiers and people on the islands of Truong Sa archipelago a Happy New Year. He said that despite the stormy conditions and complicated weather at the end of the year, the officers, soldiers of the working delegation and sailors on ship HQ571 upheld their sense of responsibility, overcame all difficulties and brought material goods from provinces and cities to send to the soldiers and people on Truong Sa archipelago to celebrate the New Year.
This year's Tet gifts are food products that represent the traditional Tet holiday of the Vietnamese people. Apricot branches, peach branches, and kumquat trees are carefully carried onto the train by officers and soldiers. The gift boxes are neatly arranged. From dong leaves, sticky rice, green beans, pork, pickled onions, cakes, candies, fresh flowers, fruit trays... to decorative lights and new year calendars.
Mr. Cao Van Giap, Vice Chairman of Song Tu Tay Commune People's Committee, was moved to share that every time Tet comes, the cadres, soldiers and people on the island receive a lot of affection from the mainland. The HQ571 train brings the traditional Tet atmosphere with meaningful gifts and words of encouragement from the mainland, which will help the soldiers and people at the forefront have more strength to overcome all challenges. The material and spiritual care of the Party, State and people of the whole country has encouraged and motivated the cadres, soldiers and people on the island.
Colonel Nguyen Huu Minh, Deputy Political Commissar of Naval Region 4, said that the activity of visiting and wishing a Happy New Year to Truong Sa on the occasion of the Spring of At Ty 2025 demonstrates the special attention of the Party and State; is the responsibility and deep heart of agencies, units, enterprises and people nationwide, together towards the land of flesh and blood far away, united for the cause of protecting the sea and islands of the Fatherland; joining hands to care for the increasingly adequate material and spiritual life of the soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district.
This is not just a cargo train, but also a journey filled with trust, love, admiration, and sharing of hardships from relatives and people across the country to the cadres, soldiers, and people in the land of Vietnam amidst the vast ocean.
Colonel Nguyen Huu Minh, Deputy Political Commissar of Naval Region 4
Performed by: Hoang Duong
Source: https://baodaknong.vn/xuan-ve-tren-truong-sa-ky-1-cho-tet-ra-truong-sa-241431.html
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