Delegates felt more clearly the resilient spirit and iron will of the soldiers at the forefront.
The journey to visit the outpost islands in the Central region not only left memorable memories but also was an opportunity for delegates to feel more clearly the resilient spirit and iron will of the soldiers at the forefront.
As is customary every year, on the days leading up to the Lunar New Year 2025, the Naval Region 3 Command organized a delegation to visit and extend New Year greetings to the soldiers and civilians on the two outpost island districts of Con Co (Quang Tri) and Ly Son (Quang Ngai). The Ho Chi Minh City delegation was also present on this meaningful visit.
Warm hearted island
Con Co is an island district on the front line of the Fatherland. The island has a particularly important position, being the dividing point, the southern gateway of the Gulf of Tonkin, and an outpost protecting the national territorial sovereignty.
After 12 hours of travel, the KN390 ship of the Naval Region 3 Command arrived at Con Co Island. Amidst the vast sea and sky, Con Co appeared in a deep blue. The red flag with a yellow star fluttered on the flagpole – a symbol of inviolable national sovereignty.
Naval Region 3 Command presents gifts to fishermen at Ly Son fishing port. Photo: MINH THUAN
It took more than an hour for the naval officers and soldiers on board to transfer all the goods and Tet gifts to the transit ship to bring them to the island. However, due to the big waves, the ship commander decided to implement plan 2, not bringing people to the island but instead offering Tet greetings online right at sea.
Members of the Youth Theater's shock art troupe expressed regret at not being able to directly meet and interact with soldiers and civilians on the island, but were still very excited to prepare performances to send to the people and soldiers via the online system.
Eagerly looking forward to welcoming her father after months of separation, Nguyen Thi Be and her daughter, teachers at Hoa Phong Ba Kindergarten (Con Co Island), were disappointed when her husband could not join the working group on the island. Contacting us by phone, Be said that her husband is soldier Tran Hoang Nam, working at Regiment 351, Naval Region 3.
Ho Chi Minh City delegation presents Tet gifts to soldiers and residents of Con Co Island. Photo: MINH THUAN
Miss Be is from Vinh Linh district and has been working in Con Co since 2017. In 2019, she and Nam got married. Now, the couple has two sons, 5 and 2 years old. The youngest child has to be sent to his grandparents to take care of because she alone cannot take care of him. “It is right in front of our eyes but it is so far away. The couple and their children can only see each other through the phone screen like every day. The baby keeps crying for his father, I have to coax him for a long time to stop.”
On behalf of the delegation of Ho Chi Minh City participating in the voyage, Mr. Pham Minh Tuan, Permanent Vice Chairman of the City Fatherland Front Committee, expressed: "Although we did not go directly to the island, we feel the difficulties and hardships of the people as well as the forces stationed on the island. We hope that all levels, sectors, localities, and people across the country will always pay more attention, show affection, and responsibility to contribute to building the island."
Mr. Vo Viet Cuong – Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Con Co District – affirmed that the army and people of Con Co Island District greatly appreciate the sentiments and sharing sent by the working group. The meaningful gifts and sharing from the mainland and the people of Ho Chi Minh City warmed the hearts of the people here.
Military-civilian solidarity
Leaving Con Co, the ship headed south towards Ly Son Island. On the morning of January 11, the ship arrived at the island. The weather was now more favorable so the whole group was ordered to “get off the ship and go to the island”.
Ly Son is located on the sea route from North to South, the gateway to Dung Quat economic zone, playing an important role in the sea defense of the Central region.
After offering incense, visiting the martyrs' monument of Ly Son district and visiting the Hoang Sa Fleet Exhibition House, the delegation performed the flag-raising ceremony at the National Flagpole of Ly Son island.
Ms. Trinh Thi Thanh, Vice President of the Ho Chi Minh City Women's Union, joined soldiers of Radar Station 550, Ly Son Island in wrapping banh tet. Photo: THANH TRANG
At Radar Station 550, Regiment 351, Region 3, the delegation organized cultural exchange activities, wrapped Chung cakes, and gave gifts to the military, civilians, and forces on duty on the island. The atmosphere was bustling when the delegation brought fresh chrysanthemums, kumquat pots, and dong leaves from the mainland to the island, to the soldiers of Radar Station 550.
The voyage left many deep impressions on the members of the delegation. Ms. Nguyen Thi Xinh, Director of Thuan Xinh Company, was moved: “My son is currently a final year student at the Army Officer School 1. I am proud that he is following in the footsteps of his father and brothers and I am honored to set foot on the sacred islands of the Fatherland. Not only did it leave memorable memories, but it was also an opportunity for the delegates to feel more clearly the resilient spirit and iron will of the soldiers at the forefront of the storm.”
The Youth Theater's shock troupe is always present to serve the soldiers and civilians on the islands. Photo: MINH THUAN
Over the past 50 years, Naval Region 3 has always received close attention, leadership and direction from the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, and regularly and directly from the Party Committee and the Naval Command; the attention, care and love of the people of the whole country. With the motto "the mainland towards the distant islands", especially actively responding to the campaign "For the homeland's sea and islands - For the frontline of the Fatherland", in the past 10 years, Naval Region 3 Command has coordinated to organize more than 300 delegations of provinces and cities in the Central coastal region, businesses, organizations, individuals inside and outside the military..., with more than 3,500 delegates visiting, giving gifts, encouraging officers, soldiers and people on Con Co and Ly Son islands; Supported the construction of dozens of projects, equipment, and necessities to serve the cultural and spiritual life of officers and soldiers of Naval Region 3 Command, with a total cost of nearly 30 billion VND.
Rear Admiral Nguyen Dang Tien, Political Commissar of Naval Region 3, affirmed that this working trip to visit and wish the officers, soldiers and people on the islands a Happy New Year is a vivid demonstration of the solidarity and close relationship between the Party Committee, the government and the people of the whole country with the Navy in general, and the army and people of Con Co and Ly Son island districts in particular. "I believe that the delegates present today, with their deep love for their homeland, the sea and islands, will wholeheartedly join hands and hearts with the officers and soldiers of Naval Region 3 to protect every inch of land and sea of the beloved Fatherland," Rear Admiral Nguyen Dang Tien expressed.
During this voyage, the Naval Region 3 Command received nearly 500 million VND; nearly 230 gifts (each worth 1 million VND); more than 40 books, newspapers, and magazines; 200 wall calendars; 500 desk calendars to give to soldiers and civilians in the two island districts of Con Co and Ly Son.
In addition, on Ly Son Island, the Naval Region 3 Command organized the program "Vietnam Navy as a support for fishermen to go offshore"; presented 15 gifts including: round buoys, life jackets, national flags, 1,000 meters of mooring rope to fishermen at Ly Son fishing port, with a total value of more than 150 million VND.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/mang-tet-ra-dao-tien-tieu-196250118204042981.htm
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