Bring Spring to 'Sea Fortress'

Before going to the island

On the afternoon of January 3, 2024, Cam Ranh military port in Khanh Hoa province was bustling with joy. Hundreds of students from Khanh Hoa University and officers and soldiers of the Naval Region 4 Command were present at the military port to see off the New Year greeting delegation bringing Spring gifts from the people of the whole country to officers, soldiers and people on duty outside.Spratly Islands.

The departure ceremony took place solemnly, warmly and affectionately. Mr. Nguyen Tan Tuan - Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, emotionally said through the microphone: "Every year when Tet comes, Spring comes, the Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee coordinates with the Navy to organize giving Spring gifts to officers, soldiers and people on duty in the Truong Sa archipelago. This is a meaningful activity, demonstrating the deep concern of the Party, the State, the Ministry of National Defense, the Navy and the people of the whole country for the sea and islands in general, and Truong Sa district in particular, in the cause of protecting national sovereignty at sea. The Tet gifts sent by the people of the whole country will help officers and soldiers feel warmer, hold their guns firmly, overcome difficulties, unite, stand firm at the forefront, and fulfill the important tasks assigned by the Party and the People. In just a few minutes, the ships will sail out to sea. These are special ships and special voyages. Wrapped in the Tet gifts are the feelings of the rear for the frontline. Officers and soldiers of Truong Sa, please rest assured to work. The people of the whole country in general and Khanh Hoa province in particular are always a strong rear for you to excellently fulfill your tasks, firmly maintain the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland in all situations".

Responding to Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Tan Tuan, Colonel Ngo Dinh Xuyen - Deputy Commander of Naval Region 4 expressed his determination and promised to the people and soldiers nationwide that Tet gifts sent by the people nationwide would be delivered to officers and soldiers on 21 islands and island points out of 33 military bases. He also requested the working delegation on the ships to uphold the spirit of responsibility, solidarity, overcome difficulties, and bring Tet gifts to officers, soldiers and people of Truong Sa island district, ensuring absolute safety.

Hundreds of tons of gifts, millions of hearts overcoming the waves

Every year, there are hundreds of naval ships supplying food and provisions to Truong Sa, but the largest number of gifts are still the ships carrying spring gifts for officers, soldiers and people of the archipelago.

Moved before the ship set sail from the port, Colonel Ngo Dinh Xuyen - Deputy Commander of Naval Region 4 shared: This is a special voyage with special gifts. Wrapped in hundreds of tons of military supplies, military uniforms, and Tet gifts are millions of hearts and noble gestures from the people of the whole country sent to and given to the soldiers and people of Truong Sa. Those gifts will help the officers and soldiers of Truong Sa feel warmer. The mainland has a common wish, that officers and soldiers of Truong Sa hold their guns firmly, guard the sea with peace of mind, and firmly protect the islands so that people across the country can celebrate a happy Tet and a peaceful Spring. No matter how difficult or arduous, Tet gifts must reach the hands of officers, soldiers, and people on 21 islands and island points/33 military bases.

Before the four ships set sail, hundreds of tons of goods were transported onto the ship by officers and soldiers of Naval Region 4. One of the many soldiers serving the loading of Tet gifts, Corporal Mai Anh Dung (Naval Region 4), who has a lot of experience in loading and unloading Tet goods, said: “We put kumquat and peach blossoms in plastic bags to prevent them from falling. Gifts such as sticky rice, vermicelli, bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and banh chung leaves from each island are neatly arranged in each compartment in the hold to avoid confusion. The ship arrives at the island first, and the goods are placed on the outside. The plans to protect the gifts during the ship's journey are carefully calculated to prevent seawater from entering. The plan to transport gifts to the islands is carefully calculated for the tides, so that all islands and island points receive Tet gifts as soon as possible.”

Captain of Ship 490, Colonel Le Van Hai - one of the four warships carrying Tet gifts to Truong Sa, said that according to the current weather forecast, the sea area and Truong Sa island are experiencing strong winds and waves. Delivering Tet gifts to the island is facing many difficulties, especially for submerged islands with long and wide slopes. “We have prepared all plans. For the floating islands with piers, ships will dock. For the submerged islands, gifts will be transported by ferry boats. There are more than 100 reporters working this time. The Tet greeting delegation will create all favorable conditions for reporters to work and organize activities to welcome the traditional Tet early with officers, soldiers and people on the islands. The trains will be the spring bridge connecting the mainland with the remote islands. These are spring trains carrying the love and trust, the precious hearts of relatives and people across the country to the officers, soldiers and people on the remote islands to have a prosperous and full Tet like on the mainland” - Colonel Le Van Hai informed.

Emotional and joyful

It is difficult to describe the range of emotions, the farewells of those who left and those who stayed, but when the warships blew their horns three times to leave the port, we all turned to look at the ship. Arms waved goodbye, hurried hugs, and even red eyes said goodbye.

Seeing her husband off on a mission to Truong Sa Lon Island, Captain Vu Thi Loan of the Air Defense - Air Force hugged a bouquet of flowers, held her husband's hand tightly and emotionally said "Go ahead". She only said that and held back her emotions. Although she still understood that she missed her husband very much, she did not want to shed any tears during the moment of separation. Her eyes looked far away towards ship 490 - the ship that would carry her husband and his comrades to the island in a few minutes. "I have seen my husband off on a mission many times, but never like this time. The husband is on a mission to the island, the wife celebrates Tet on the mainland, everyone misses each other when they are apart, but I do not want tears to fall when I see him off. Let him work with peace of mind and happily go on his way". Loan confided. Her right hand tightly clasped her husband's left hand and pulled him towards her as if searching for a little more warmth before the farewell. Her husband - Major Le Xuan Long smiled. In the corner of the Air Defense - Air Force officer's eyes, there was a flash of longing, sharing and a promise to meet again next spring.

19 years old, 1 year of military service, the first time stepping on a ship to Co Lin Island to replace his comrades returning to shore, Corporal Nguyen Tuan Linh, originally from Nghe An, was filled with emotion. “This is the first time I celebrate Tet away from home. This trip will be quite difficult, but I feel proud because I am on guard to protect the sovereignty of the Fatherland during Tet. On the 30th of Tet, I will call my family and tell them about the atmosphere of New Year's Eve on Co Lin Island. My parents will definitely be very proud of me,” Linh shared.

As for Corporal Nguyen Xuan Danh, he could not hide his excitement for his first trip to the island. His eyes lit up when I asked him, “Danh, this time you come to Truong Sa, do you have any thoughts for the mainland?” The 22-year-old man from Binh Thuan shared: “I am from Binh Thuan. After graduating from college, I volunteered to join the army and volunteered to go to the island. This time I am going to Song Tu Tay Island to carry out my mission. I want to tell my hometown and family, rest assured, I will complete my mission excellently, worthy of being a son of Binh Thuan.”

Four “warships” 561, 571, Truong Sa 01 and KN 490 of the Naval Region 4 Command have set sail to bring Spring to the “sea fortress”. Although the last sea voyage of the year is difficult and unpredictable due to big waves and strong winds with many common and personal concerns, they will certainly return to safe harbor after 20 days of “surviving the waves”. The joy of the sailors on those ships will only be complete when hundreds of tons of Tet gifts are delivered to the soldiers and people of Truong Sa safely and peacefully./.