April 1996, I was dispatched on a working trip to Spratly Islands to visit and offer gifts to soldiers there. The then Song Be Youth League and HQ of Vietnam Marine organized a delegation of 54 members gathering at Cam Ranh Bay in Khanh Hoa before starting up.
Joining up with soldiers on the islands
We spent two days travelling on the ocean and on the third day of the trip we were welcome by the most enthusiastic soldiers there.
The surrounding was so strange to us. On the major island, everything as so scared that we only have 8 liters of water for day. And, the worse of all, the soldiers there was lacked of relative care. They knew but kept on their duties in a bid of protecting the sacred homeland.
The writer stands for photo at a landmark of Da Tay island in 1996
The first night there was impressive with art performances and laughter with amateur artists. The show extended to midnight.
By early morning of the next day, the soldiers there brought back seafoods to cater us after we had dispatched vegatable seeds and bags of soil for vegetable garden to come.
Fifteen days were like a breeze on the major island of Spratly Islands. We felt more sentimental on visiting places and viewing the landscapes. All those days through, we sang songsand listened to stories of soldiers who sacrificed themselves to protect the islands against invasion of the Chinese on islands of Gac Ma, Co Lin, and Len Dao. The conflict on March 14, 1988 was painful when 64 officers and soldiers of our force were killed in action.
The joy of receiving letters from hometown
Leaving the islands, heading home, we admired the sacrifices to protect the home land.
Reported by Minh Nghia – Translated by Vi Bao
