Story of Nghe An martyr who sacrificed at DK1 platform

The pain has not subsided

In the house of martyr Captain Duong Van Bac at the end of alley 1480, 30/4 street, ward 12, Vung Tau city, Ms. Vuong Thi Tram burst into tears when she saw us come to burn incense for him. Coming to her husband's altar, she called her husband's name: "Brother Bac, your comrades are here to visit you", then choked up, "I cannot forget him".

On the altar, several newspapers and two collections of poems written by his comrades about him were placed next to his portrait. We sadly lit incense sticks in memory of our comrade.

Portrait of martyr Duong Van Bac. Photo: Mai Thang

Offering us a cup of green tea in the living room with a faint scent of sadness, Ms. Tram tried to hold back her tears, “It’s been more than 7 years, but I still can’t get over it. Many nights, lying next to my two children, his face kept appearing. The older son knew that his father had sacrificed, but the younger son didn’t know anything. One day, he asked Mom, why isn’t Dad home? I told him to go.DK1 rig. At that time, I just wanted to cry. But I can't hide it forever. There will come a day when I have to tell my child that his father has sacrificed himself." Ms. Tram looked up at her husband's altar with tears in her eyes.

Although she understood that pain would gradually fade over time, more than 7 years was still not enough time to suppress the pain of losing half of her flesh and blood. Perhaps because of the pain, every week Ms. Tram rode her motorbike to her husband's grave. Even though it was only to cry, every time her hand touched the grave, she felt a little lighter and less lonely. She took off her shirt to clean her husband's grave and then took her two children home.

Ms. Vuong Thi Tram searches for her husband's photos. Photo: Mai Thang

Since the day martyr Bac died, Ms. Tram's family always had Mr. Bac's brothers and sisters come to help take the two children to school and encourage Ms. Tram.

Considering the special circumstances of her family and to take care of the martyrs’ relatives, in 2015, Ms. Tram became a manager at Fisheries Control Team No. 2. Her meager salary was not enough for her two children to study. “The two boys were supported with 1,150,000 VND/month/child. That amount was only enough for them to eat. There was always a lack of money for their studies,” Ms. Tram shared.

The Last Wedding Invitation

Ms. Tram carried the iron chest under her husband's altar and opened it for us to see. Inside were many relics that Mr. Bac brought back from the DK1/11 Platform. A pith helmet, a pair of gloves used to pull rice every time he transported goods from the mainland, a water bottle, a pair of high-top shoes, a belt, a belt used to tie people down from the platform to the ship to avoid storms, 2 bags of roasted rice that he brought with him to drink when he was seasick to regain strength. Among those many relics, there was a sacred thing that Mr. Bac always brought with him every time he went to sea. It was a pink wedding invitation.

The last wedding invitation of Mr. Bac and Ms. Tram. Photo: Mai Thang

Ms. Tram recounted: After 2 years of dating, they got married. When choosing wedding invitations at the restaurant, Mr. Bac liked the color blue, while she liked pink. Mr. Bac said he would choose a blue invitation to represent the navy waves, but she liked pink because she thought it was the color of passionate love. To please his wife, Mr. Bac finally agreed to print the wedding invitations in pink. Before going to the rig, Mr. Bac took the invitation with him and put it in his backpack, saying he would bring it so he wouldn't miss his wife. It's very lonely at sea. Every time he misses his wife, he takes out the invitation to look at and misses her less.

Ms. Tram pressed the wedding invitation to her chest as if to relive the happy days. The wedding invitation was still there, but the groom was no longer there. Now it had become Ms. Tram’s sacred keepsake. “Who would have thought that the pink invitation had turned into blue ocean waves?” Ms. Tram choked back tears.

Commemorating martyrs who died at DK1 platform. Photo: Mai Thang

Until now, after many years, the story of martyr Captain Duong Van Bac who sacrificed his life at DK/11 platform is still imprinted in the memories of many officers and soldiers of DK1 Battalion.

Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen The Dinh - former Political Commissar of Battalion DK1 recounted: On October 7, 2014, at that time, Duong Van Bac was wearing the rank of professional Senior Lieutenant. In his position as a radar operator of the Tu Chinh 3 platform (DK1/11), Bac went to check the equipment and obstacles under the docking floor in conditions of big waves and strong winds. Bac slipped and fell into the sea and was drowned by the waves. "Although the platform made efforts to search and rescue, comrade Bac did not survive. He died after 3 hours of intensive treatment," Lieutenant Colonel Dinh recounted.

Martyr Duong Van Bac sacrificed, the DK1 Battalion's tradition book added a line of red ink. Nghia Dung commune, Tan Ky district, Nghe An province lost another loyal and brave son.

Although the pain has passed, every year on July 27, the names of the DK1 martyrs are remembered by us as a deep gratitude. They fell to make the sea bluer, to make the rig forever immortal.