Overseas Vietnamese Commemorate Fallen Soldiers in Gac Ma Battle

On July 5, the Delegation of overseas Vietnamese in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), led by Tran Duc Hien, deputy chairman of the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs in HCMC came to offer incense at the memorial of the soldier Gac Ma, in Khanh Hoa province.

Overseas Vietnamese delegation in Ho Chi Minh City offers incense at the memorial site of Gac Ma soldier, Khanh Hoa province.

This is one of the contents of the program that overseas Vietnamese delegations visit officers and soldiers of the Navy Region 4, Submarine Brigade 189 and talk with the topic "The journey of overseas Vietnamese to their homeland's seas and islands," attracting 35 overseas Vietnamese from the US, France, Germany, Australia, Japan, and Thailand.

They will visit the Gac Ma soldier memorial site, visit the Naval Region 4 Command, and participate in a seminar with the theme "The journey of overseas Vietnamese to their homeland's seas and islands".

They will also work with the Submarine Brigade 189, visit and give gifts to the children of officers and soldiers of the Navy Region 4 and the Submarine Brigade 189.

At the Gac Ma soldier memorial site, the delegates offer incense to commemorate the merits of 64 soldiers who died in the event on March 14, 1988.

The delegation also listened to tour guide Tran Nguyen Thao Trang explaining the legal bases for sovereignty over Hoang Sa (Paracels) and Truong Sa (Spratly) islands. She also mentioned the heroic fighting of the navy soldiers, especially the sacrifice of 64 young soldiers, leaving countless sorrows in the hearts of people all over the country.

At the underground exhibition area, which holds artifacts related to the lives and families of the Gac Ma martyrs, the delegates also heard touching stories about the soldiers.

The story of the soldier Tran Van Phuong is quite inspiring. Tragically, he was killed in action but still held the national flag tightly in his hand, the mutual support of his comrades during the battle, the promise of a husband to his wife, and a father to his children that has not been fulfilled for the sacred duty to the Fatherland.

The delegation listen to tour guide Tran Nguyen Thao Trang.

Nguyen Thai Hong, head of the Liaison Committee for Overseas Vietnamese in Laos-Thailand, said that when visiting the Gac Ma soldier memorial site, and listening to the narration, they admired the brave fighting spirit of the soldiers, many of them were unarmed, but still did not back down from the enemy.

35 years have passed, since the historic event on March 14, 1988, the bodies of many Gac Ma martyrs are still lying in the cold sea.

After all these years, the graves partly comforted the souls of the deceased, reminding the younger generation to always remember the martyrs, who sacrificed their lives to protect the sovereignty of the sea and islands.

When the overseas Vietnamese commemorate and offer incense at their grave, they are emotional.

Lao-Thai expatriates joined the delegation.

The sacrifice of the martyrs is the sacrifice of the people who love the country. The remote island is part of our homeland. Like our compatriots, even though we are abroad, we always look to our homeland.

Soldiers show their love for the country by protecting the sea and islands of the homeland. Our expatriates show their love for the country by preserving the national cultural identity.

When the country calls, we are always there, ready to accompany the homeland.

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