Female major next to the portrait of martyr Gac Ma: 'My father died when I was still in my mother's womb'

This morning (March 14), at the Gac Ma Soldier Memorial (Cam Lam District, Khanh Hoa Province), people quietly offered flowers and incense to commemorate the 64 Vietnamese Navy soldiers who sacrificed their lives.

Also attending the memorial service was Ms. Truong My Hoa, former Vice President - President of Vu A Dinh Scholarship Fund, Head of the Club "For Beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa". The delegates reviewed the history of heroic examples of protecting the sacred islands of the Fatherland.

Former Vice President Truong My Hoa offers incense in memory of 64 Vietnamese naval soldiers who died. Photo: Xuan Ngoc

When arriving at the memorial site, the delegations also visited the display of relics related to the martyrs and ancient maps affirming Vietnam's sovereignty over the two archipelagos of Truong Sa and Hoang Sa.

Hundreds of people came to the Gac Ma Soldier Memorial in Khanh Hoa. Photo: Xuan Ngoc

Among the crowd, Major Tran Thi Thuy (working at Brigade 146, Naval Region 4 Command) was moved next to the portrait of her father, martyr Tran Van Phuong. Her father passed away when Thuy was still in her mother's womb. The portrait of her father in Thuy's heart is a fragment of memory told by her mother, relatives and comrades of her father.

Every March, she goes to the Gac Ma Memorial to remember her father and his comrades who sacrificed their lives to protect the sovereignty of the islands.

"Pride in my heroic father was kindled in me since childhood. When I grew up and joined the army, my love for the sea and islands grew even stronger," Thuy shared.

Ms. Tran Thi Thuy sadly sits next to the portrait of her father, martyr Tran Van Phuong. Photo: Xuan Ngoc

Major Nguyen Tien Xuan (working at Naval Region 4), son of martyr Nguyen Mau Phong, could not hide his emotion. He shared that he was a soldier who had been to Truong Sa, passing by the place where his father had sacrificed his life. Every time like that or when looking back at the relics of his father and comrades, he felt very proud.

Major Nguyen Tien Xuan and former Vice President Truong My Hoa at the Gac Ma Soldier Memorial Site. Photo: Xuan Ngoc

According to the Management Board of the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Site, since its inauguration, the memorial site has welcomed more than 2,700 delegations, with approximately 600,000 visits. Many delegations have chosen the memorial site as a "red address" to admit party members; commend and honor students, cadres, and union members; and give gifts to those in difficult circumstances in the locality.

Panoramic view of Gac Ma Memorial in Khanh Hoa. Photo: Xuan Ngoc

The Gac Ma soldiers memorial area has an area of over 20,000m2, with a total investment of nearly 130 billion VND, and has been in operation since 2017. Standing out in the vast sky, the Gac Ma soldiers' monument - the heart of the memorial area - stands tall and proud with the red flag with a yellow star fluttering in the dark blue sky.

The monument, named “Those who lie on the horizon”, depicts the image of 64 brave sons. Before their sacrifice, they stood together in an immortal circle in front of the bayonets and bullets of the enemy, determined to protect the national flag, surrounded by the vast waves of Truong Sa.

In the early morning of March 14, 1988, China sent missile frigates and soldiers to attack and invade the Gac Ma - Co Lin - Len Dao reef cluster (Truong Sa archipelago), sank two transport ships HQ 604 and HQ 605, massacred 64 soldiers and illegally occupied Vietnam's Gac Ma reef.

Vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nu-thieu-ta-ben-di-anh-liet-si-gac-ma-cha-hy-sinh-khi-toi-con-trong-bung-me-2380629.html