The first place in Truong Sa was liberated in the Spring 1975 campaign.

The "sea otters" free Gemini West

During his lifetime, Major General Mai Nang - who commanded the "sea otters" to liberate Song Tu Tay Island in 1975 - once told journalists about the historic battle to liberate this island. The liberation of the Truong Sa archipelago 45 years ago was considered the "sixth army", but the liberation of Song Tu Tay Island was considered the "main force" of the "sixth army". In other words, Song Tu Tay was the first island liberated in the campaign to liberate Truong Sa in 1975. It was considered a lair, an opening to destroy the enemy. If Song Tu Tay was not liberated first, the remaining islands could be liberated that day.

The attack to liberate Song Tu Tay island by the Navy. Photo: Document

In response to the demands of the revolution, Truong Sa was a place in the context of liberating the country and unifying the country. Together with 5 armies advancing into Saigon and Gia Dinh, the Politburo and the Central Military Commission determined to "simultaneously liberate Truong Sa". The Central Military Commission assigned the Navy to reconnoiter, grasp the situation and march to fight according to the top secret telegram of General Vo Nguyen Giap sent to the Regional Party Committee of Zone 5 and the Navy Command.

Identifying Song Tu Tay as the first liberated island, on the night of April 10, 1975, from Son Tra port in Da Nang, the unnumbered fleet of Brigade 125 was disguised as a "fishing fleet" consisting of 3 ships 673, 674, 675 and set sail in the vast storm. In the belly of those ships were 300 officers and soldiers of Team 1, Naval Special Forces Group 126, along with forces from Military Region 5 and dozens of tons of ammunition that were quickly sent to the island. Major General Mai Nang, who was then wearing the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was on ship 675 and held the position of commander of the fleet.

Memorial service for martyr Tong Van Quang, who died on April 14, 1975 while fighting to liberate Song Tu Tay Island. He was the first martyr to die in Truong Sa. Photo courtesy

Before leaving, Deputy Commander of the Navy Hoang Huu Thai assigned the task to the fleet: "In this battle, we cannot fight in the way of water commandos, we must fight with armed reconnaissance, and in some places we must use firepower. Once liberated, we must immediately organize the island's defense force and continue to liberate other island points." Having been assigned the task by the Deputy Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Nang calculated in his mind: "We must apply the tactics of fighting on land combined with undersea to be able to defeat the enemy. This is an important battle for the life of Truong Sa."

While ships 674 and 675 were stationed in the North, more than ten nautical miles from Song Tu Tay Island, guarding against the enemy coming from the North and feigning enemy warships lurking in the Nam Yet Island area, ship 673, commanded by Nguyen Ngoc Que, secretly conducted a reconnaissance around the island, clearly determining the attack location. At 7:00 a.m. on April 13, 1975, Nguyen Ngoc Que reported, asking for approval of the combat plan, deciding: The landing direction on the island was to the Southwest, where there was a flat sandbank and coral reefs.

At 1:00 a.m. on April 14, 1975, the fleet of ships 673, 674, and 675 secretly approached Song Tu Tay Island, 3 nautical miles away. On the island, there were a few weak halos of light from the protective lights above the bunkers. It was determined that this was a favorable opportunity to lower boats for the secret troops to approach the island, as a springboard for attack. The order to "lower the boats" was transmitted from the command post. Ship 673 quickly turned its bow to the North. Ships 674 and 675 on the west and north of the island supported the landing troops, ready to intercept enemy ships from the outside. Taking advantage of the low tide, ship 673 urgently sent soldiers to secretly approach the island.

Song Tu Tay Island today seen from the sea. Photo: Mai Thang

Song Tu Tay Island was quiet and deserted at midnight. After 38 officers and soldiers of squad 1 secretly crawled to the edge of the island and entered their fighting positions, Captain Que gave the order to "open fire", a series of DKZ bullets fired straight into the bunker and hit the enemy. The shouts of "charge" echoed throughout the island. Firepower from ship 673 continuously fired at the targets. Being attacked by surprise, the enemy fought back fiercely, machine guns from the bunkers fired like rain. B40s and B41s of the special forces soldiers focused on silencing the enemy's resistance nests and quickly captured the command post, controlling the radio station. This was the first feat, affirming the strength and fighting spirit of the Vietnamese navy to control the sea. Taking advantage of the victory, the soldiers approached favorable positions, forcing the enemy to the end of the communication trenches, the loudspeakers calling for surrender resounded. Knowing that they could not hold out in the trenches and fortifications forever, the puppet soldiers raised the white flag and surrendered. At the end of the island, the exhausted and bewildered faces of the defeated, holding white flags, raised their hands to their heads to surrender unconditionally. The flag of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam was raised by soldier Le Xuan Phat to the top of the flagpole in front of the sovereignty stele, flying on Song Tu Tay Island. It was 5:15 a.m. on April 14, 1975.

Green living around the island

Peaceful scene in Song Tu Tay. Photo: Mai Thang

Compared to 21 islands, island points/33 military stations up to now, Song Tu Tay is the most beautiful, greenest and most romantic island in Truong Sa archipelago. If Son Ca island is considered the place with the most fresh water, the whitest skin of soldiers; Truong Sa Lon island is the most modern capital, then Song Tu Tay is the greenest, most friendly island. Because on this island, in addition to solidly built houses, covered in green grass, flowers and leaves, it is not "concretized".

Following Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Duc Do - Commander and Chairman of Song Tu Tay commune during his stay in this special place, we were all not only moved by the hospitality of the soldiers here, but also moved by the green color of the island. Many stories were told about the "green vitality" created by the hands of young soldiers. "A soldier picked up a green sprout from the sea that drifted to the edge of the island in the middle of the night and brought it home to grow. But strangely, those green sprouts lived very well. It seemed like they had gotten used to the salty sea and white sand here. Look, in the midst of the salty sun and wind, we can still raise cows, chickens, and ducks just like on the mainland. There are things that the mainland cannot grow, such as the wind-blown maple, but we can grow them here without worry. The grass on our island is also better and greener than on other islands," said Mr. Do.

Students in Truong Sa. Photo: Mai Thang

Walking under the cool rows of square-fruited banyan trees, strolling under the wind-powered electric poles around the island, watching the ships far away at sea, blending in with the cool green scenery, we all felt the peace and joy of this place.

45 years ago, Song Tu Tay was a dry stretch of sea filled with cigarette smoke and seabird feathers. After 45 years, Song Tu Tay is a green island in the middle of the blue ocean. That is the green color of the aspiration for peace, and the owner of that small island is the officers and soldiers of Naval Region 4 - the soldiers "heads in the sky, feet on coral" who are guarding each sovereignty milestone in the middle of the vast ocean of the Motherland day and night./.