War veterans pay tribute to the 64 Gac Ma soldiers. Photo: Da Nang newspaper

A ceremony was held in the central city of Da Nang on March 12 to commemorate 64 naval officers and soldiers who bravely sacrificed their lives 35 years ago while defending the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) on March 14, 1988, VNA reported Sunday.

War veterans who used to be stationed on the Truong Sa and families of the martyrs spent a minute of silence to commemorate the fallen soldiers. They also offered incense and then released rafts with flowers on Han River in memory of the combatants.

The ceremony is held annually to commemorate the 64 fallen soldiers who died defending Gac Ma Reef in the Spratly archipelago on March 14, 1988. Photo: Da Nang newspaper

Head of the liaison committee for Truong Sa veterans in Da Nang, Nguyen Van Tan, said among the fallen soldiers in the Gac Ma battle one March 14, 1988, nine were from Da Nang and one from neighbouring Quang Nam province.

Tan underlined that the Gac Ma battle showed the Vietnam People’s Navy soldiers' braveness and their willingness to sacrifice for the protection of national sovereignty over seas and islands.

The event aimed to not only pay homage to the soldiers who lost their lives in safeguarding the country’s sovereignty but also inspire patriotism among young people, said Duong Dinh Lieu, Vice President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Da Nang city.

At the ceremony, leaders of Dong A University also took this occasion to present ten gift packages, worth VND 1 million (USD 42.24) each, to the families of the fallen soldiers in Quang Nam and Da Nang.

Every year, commemorations for Vietnamese martyrs are being hold nationwide as a way to help their next generations to learn more about the homeland’s history, seas and island sovereignty and national protection.

The veterans and the fallen soldiers’ families offered incense and then released rafts with flowers on Han River in memory of the soldiers. Photo: Da Nang newspaper

A leader of Dong A University presents gift packages to the families of the fallen soldiers in Quang Nam and Da Nang. Photo: VNA

War Veterans and Residents Pay Tribute to Fallen Soldiers in Gac Ma Battle War veterans and residents on March 13 night released lanterns into Ha Tinh sea in commemoration of naval soldiers who sacrificed their lives while safeguarding ...

Overseas Vietnamese in Thailand Pays Tribute to Martyrs at Gac Ma Island The Vietnamese Association of Udon Thani province on March 14 held a ceremony to commemorate 64 soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy who died while ...

Overseas Vietnamese Honors Fallen Soldiers on the Anniversary of Johnson South Reef Skirmish 1988 - 2022 Overseas Buddhists living in German and Japan hold ceremonies for the fallen heroes protecting islands, seas on the occasion of the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary.