In early May 2023, from Cam Ranh International Port, we began our voyage to visit soldiers and people living and performing the duty of protecting the sovereignty of the beloved Truong Sa archipelago.
The first island we set foot on was Da Nam Island. To visit the island, we had to leave the big ship and travel by boat. In the middle of the vast ocean, the boat was like a leaf weaving through the waves, bringing the group to the island. There were times when the waves hit the side of the boat, splashing seawater on everyone, making everyone feel surprised and a little worried. That was how we saw how good the navy soldiers were.
When arriving at the island, at the sovereignty marker, a soldier holding a gun stood guard very solemnly, his eyes always looking forward where the sea was murmuring with waves. Although not assigned, each member of the group took the initiative to visit each soldier, looking for any soldiers from their hometown. And I was not immune to that feeling, but it was very different, the first soldier I met was just a handshake without having time to ask, then later found out that it was a fellow villager, that soldier was Ngo Duc Men from Tan Thuan commune, Ham Thuan Nam district. It was unbelievable that in the midst of the vast ocean, the first person to talk to was someone from my hometown; a feeling of excitement, mixed with a bit of pride, surged within me. I hugged Men tightly, the hug of children far away suddenly hearing the familiar voice of their homeland; at that moment, I could not control my emotions, my eyes suddenly stung, but I was afraid that my nephew would be sad again, so I quickly turned away and wiped them away. Looking back, Men's eyes were also filled with tears but he did not cry because his soldierly spirit did not allow it... Because time and travel plans did not allow the group to stay long, the working group left the island after more than 2 hours. The image of Men standing by the milestone waving goodbye is something I will never forget, it was like a message: Uncle, rest assured that you and your comrades will firmly protect our homeland's sea and islands.
Leaving Da Nam Island, we continued to Da Thi Island, Sinh Ton Dong, An Bang, Da Tay A, Truong Sa and DK1/9 Platform. On each island, the living conditions of the officers and soldiers are different; but one thing they have in common is that they are all very young, enthusiastic and determined to protect the sea and islands of their homeland. At the sea of Co Lin - Len Dao and Gac Ma islands, the working group stopped and held a memorial ceremony for the fallen soldiers; the ceremony took place very solemnly, nearly 300 white cranes and yellow chrysanthemum branches were released into the sea by each member of the working group and soldiers of ship 561 to commemorate the souls of the 64 soldiers who heroically sacrificed to protect the sea and islands, the sovereignty of the Fatherland. A member of the group shared that after the petals were released into the sea, no matter how high the waves are, how rough the sea is, these petals will gradually drift towards Gac Ma Island; It may be a coincidence of the ocean currents flowing through this area, but it also shows that Truong Sa is always in the heart of every Vietnamese person.
At the end of the voyage, the members of the delegation still had the feeling of floating with the undulating moments with ship 561, the sound of waves lapping against the side of the boat, the sound of the wind whistling with the fluttering sound of the national flag on the highest peak of the ship when night fell along with the sound of the ship's engine echoing in the middle of the ocean. The warm handshakes, affectionate glances at each other, tight hugs and gentle smiles exchanged from the moment they first arrived at the island, the rig and even when they said goodbye were so emotional, an overwhelming and full of affection between the members of the delegation and the officers, soldiers and people living on the islands was unforgettable.
The ship's whistle has sounded, the working group bids farewell to Truong Sa, the beloved rig!
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