Memories of working in Truong Sa

Truong Sa 571 ship at Cam Ranh Military Port.

When I received the information that I would be joining the provincial delegation to visit and encourage the soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district and the DKI/18 platform, I was both happy and worried; happy because my dream of going to a remote island would come true, worried because I would get seasick after a long trip to sea. Moreover, the topic of Truong Sa had been widely publicized by journalists and reporters from central to local press agencies. Therefore, what to write and how to work to complete the assigned tasks made me worried. Fortunately, my colleagues in the same agency encouraged me and shared experiences from reporters who had been to Truong Sa, so I was confident to "pack up and go" on the road.

Traveling more than 1,000 km by road and air, we and the delegation of Son La province arrived at Cam Ranh Military Port, Khanh Hoa province to join the delegation No. 20 of the Ministry of National Defense to visit and encourage the soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district and DKI platform.

CQ boat takes officers and reporters to Da Dong B island.

During the 7-day cruise, our delegation will visit the islands: Song Tu Tay, Sinh Ton, Co Lin, Da Dong B, Da Tay A, Truong Sa and DKI/18 platform. At exactly 8 o'clock, after 3 long whistles, the Truong Sa 571 ship of Naval Region 4 left Cam Ranh Port, taking nearly 200 delegates to visit Truong Sa and DKI platform. On the wharf, hundreds of officers, soldiers and relatives waved goodbye to the ship carrying the warmth of the mainland to Truong Sa. Leaving Cam Ranh Bay, the naval ship glided on the water. Standing on the deck, the air of the ocean, the salty taste of salt and the sea breeze brought a feeling of elation. Laughter echoed throughout the ship, the whole delegation eagerly awaited the moment of setting foot on the sacred islands in the middle of the Fatherland's ocean.

Son La Newspaper reporter working in Truong Sa.

During the voyage, we lived in a military environment, all activities took place on time and according to the command of the ship commander. "Wake up ship, wake up ship, wake up ship..." - the command of the Truong Sa 571 ship commander rang out at 5 am every day. That was when I started a new day with my equipment ready. We and some colleagues were usually the first to arrive at the islands and the last to leave. Because we only had about 2 hours to visit the soldiers and civilians on each island and platform. Therefore, only by leaving early would we have enough time to fully record the precious moments of life, the thoughts and feelings of the soldiers and civilians on the remote islands and the feelings of the delegates in the working group.

The most touching moment was when we worked at the flag-raising ceremony on Truong Sa island. The ranks were neat, the soldiers and people on the island sang the national anthem in harmony with the sound of the waves, the red flag with a yellow star fluttered on the sovereignty marker. In the solemn and sacred moment, the 10 oaths of honor and 12 disciplines of the Vietnam People's Army were read loudly and firmly by the island's officers. The marching groups took turns passing the stage to the majestic, proud and proud sound of military music.

Officers, soldiers and people of Truong Sa island bid farewell to Working Group No. 20.

During that trip, I experienced a range of emotions. It was the feeling of pride when standing at the flag salute on Truong Sa island, the quiet moment at the incense offering ceremony to commemorate the heroic martyrs in the Gac Ma sea area; or the feeling of surprise before the lush green vegetable gardens growing in the harsh sun and wind on the submerged islands, floating islands, and oil rigs. I was impressed with the young soldiers, only eighteen or twenty years old, with tanned skin but always smiling, holding their guns tightly, their bright eyes always looking out to sea. Then there were the humming voices in the classrooms on the floating islands, the children playing under the banyan trees, the storms, or the pagodas that always rang with bells, which were spiritual support for our soldiers and people on the remote islands... Truly, there are many beautiful things that can only be clearly felt when seen directly, but one thing is that love for the homeland and pride are things that everyone will feel.

The images of officers, soldiers and people on the islands smiling and excitedly welcoming the working group made us feel more deeply about the love between the army and the people here. And every time the Truong Sa ship left the island or the platform, the words "The whole country for Truong Sa, Truong Sa for the whole country", "The mainland loves Truong Sa, Truong Sa loves the mainland"... always echoed. Along with that, the song "Forgetting oneself for the people" and many revolutionary songs were sung majestically by those who were guarding the islands and the delegates on the ship in response. I have never felt so fully aware of the love between the army and the people, of the love for the homeland. It was pure, profound, enough to arouse the deepest and most intense emotions in everyone's heart. And that moment of farewell was like a special emotional memory that would last a lifetime, impossible to forget.

For journalists like us, this trip is not only a duty but also a journey of patriotism, responsibility and pride. In each article and each photo, the reporters have contributed to conveying stories about Truong Sa, about the brave island soldiers, about the love of the sea and islands of the Vietnamese people, reviving the love and responsibility of each Vietnamese child for their beloved Fatherland.

The delegation of Son La province took photos at Da Tay A island.

The 7-day voyage at sea and on the islands was not long, but it was enough for my colleagues and I to feel the hardships and sacrifices of the soldiers on the remote islands. No matter the circumstances, they always had a strong will and steadfast faith to fulfill their noble duty, firmly protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland. Returning to the mainland, every time I looked at the photos and videos of Truong Sa, my heart was filled with emotions, and many dear memories came back. That was also the inspiration, urging me to express my thoughts and feelings in each article about Truong Sa.

Source: https://baosonla.vn/van-hoa-xa-hoi/ky-niem-tac-nghiep-o-truong-sa-Zd4sdCBNg.html