Nearly 200 war veterans, who once stationed on the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Viet Nam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago, attended a ceremony held in Da Nang on 14 March to commemorate 64 soldiers who laid down their lives while defending the island on 14 March, 1988.

Participants at the ceremony (Source: VNA)

The event, which was organised by the Truong Sa Soldiers Liaison Committee, also saw the attendance of representatives of relevant local agencies and families of the fallen combatants.

The participants offered incense and flowers in tribute to the Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed during the Gac Ma battle 30 years ago.

They recalled history and developments of the battle, and expressed their gratitude to the heroic sacrifice of the soldiers for territorial integrity and national sovereignty. 

On this occasion, the liaison committee presented gifts to veterans and families of the fallen soldiers.

Last year, a memorial site dedicated to the 64 martyrs was inaugurated in Cam Hai Dong Commune in Khanh Hoa Province's Cam Lam District.

The highlight of the site is a monument featuring the naval soldiers holding hands in an 'eternal circle' to safeguard the national flag symbolising the national sovereignty on the Gac Ma Island.

The work was built with money contributed by workers and public servants nationwide through trade union organisations under a programme launched by the Viet Nam General Confederation of Labour.

(Source: VNA/ DA NANG Today)