A ceremony to commemorate the fallen soldiers in the Gac Ma Island battle in the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on 14 March 1988 took place the city on Thursday.

A replica of ship HQ 604 created by war veteran Tran Van Tien

The annual event was organised by the Da Nang Liaison Committee for the Truong Sa Archipelago’s ex-soldiers who joined the army between 1984 and 1988.

On behalf of witnesses who fought in the battle, Col Hoang Duy Lap, former commander of Navy Engineering Regiment No 83, recalled his unforgettable memories of this historical event, and expressed profound gratitude to the soldiers who laid down their lives for the nation’s territorial integrity and its sovereignty. He also affirmed that their sacrifice is always a bright example for Viet Nam's younger generations.

Mr Nguyen Van Tan, Head of the Liaison Committee, said 10 out of the 64 Vietnamese naval soldiers onboard the boat HQ 604 who were responsible for building and protecting the nation’s sovereignty over the Gac Ma, Co Lin and Len Dao islands in March 1988 came from Da Nang. However, 9 of them laid down their lives in the Gac Ma Island battle on 14 March 1988, but only late Duong Van Dung survived. 

He and another 8 soldiers from other localities nationwide were arrested and imprisoned for around 4 years by the Chinese military. 

In 1991, Mr Dung was released and earned a living as a manual worker.

In February 2017, he passed away at his home in Cam Le District at the age of 51.

In order to pay tribute to his comrades, war veteran Tran Van Tien has created a replica of the ship HQ 604 on which 64 ancestral tablets of fallen soldiers were placed.

Also at the ceremony, war-veterans and ex-servicemen who once served on the archipelago offered incense and floated fresh flower garlands and candle-lit flower garlands on the waters in commemoration of the fallen soldiers.

To mark this occasion, representatives from the Da Nang-based Dong A University presented 11 gifts to families of martyrs in Da Nang and Quang Nam Province.