Steadfast in the middle of the ocean

(Baonghean) -In the middle of the ocean, facing harsh winds and waves, the DK1 platform system is still steadfast and proud with the red flag with yellow star fluttering, a heroic testament to the sovereignty of the Fatherland's sea. There, steadfastness is not only shown in the indomitable will of the soldiers present day and night on the platform guarding the sea and sky.

Transporting goods and Tet gifts to DK112 and DK114 platforms.

Because the boat is small and the area of ​​the platform is not large, only 12 people are allowed to board. Each gift box is carefully wrapped in plastic to avoid getting wet by sea water. The distance from the ship to the platform looks very close, but it takes about 20 minutes to go by small boat. As soon as the boat reached the platform, officers and soldiers were present in large numbers, helping the sailors hold the boat for the journalists to board first. The handshakes between those from the mainland and the officers and soldiers of the platform were warm as if they did not want to let go. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Hung - Commander of Phuc Nguyen Platform quickly reported to the delegation about the situation of the mission. He affirmed: "In recent years, thanks to the investment in solar panels and satellite transceiver systems, we can watch TV, listen to the radio, and grasp the situation on the mainland. Our thoughts are steadfast, together we strive to complete the mission well, firmly protecting the sovereignty of the sea and sky of the Fatherland." Representatives of the Command of Region 2 presented New Year gifts from the Ministry of National Defense, the military, the Party, and businesses from the mainland to the officers and soldiers of the platform, along with words of advice and encouragement to perform their duties well. The group quickly got on the boat, returned to the ship, and continued to other platforms as scheduled.

About 15 nautical miles (1 nautical mile = 1.8 km) from Phuc Nguyen Platform is DK1/11 Platform in Tu Chinh Platform Cluster (Tu Chinh Platform Cluster has 3 platforms). Due to the influence of the additional low pressure, when approaching DK1/11 Platform, the waves gradually increased, and only a maximum of 12 people, including reporters, journalists and officers of the 2nd Command, were allowed to go up to the platform. Due to the large waves, it was very difficult to approach the vertical steps to the platform, so officers and soldiers on the platform lowered ropes and pulled each person up from the boat. The officers and soldiers on the platform excitedly hugged those who came from the mainland. Major Nguyen Xuan Ha - Commander of DK1/11 Platform, with tears in his eyes: "In recent years, every year near Lunar New Year, there are delegations from the mainland coming to visit and give gifts, but this year, we have only been able to go up to the platform. In previous years, the waves were big and the wind was strong, so we could only send gifts wrapped in plastic and tied to ropes, and we pulled them up. As for New Year's greetings from the regional commanders, officers and reporters, they were only sent via walkie-talkie..."

Among the officers and soldiers who were moving boxes of goods and Tet gifts to the central room of the platform, I recognized my "fellow countryman" - Senior Lieutenant Duong Van Bac through his voice. Mr. Bac said that his hometown is Xuan Lam commune, Nam Dan district, he has worked on the DK1 platforms for 17 years and this is the 11th Tet holiday he and his teammates have been on duty on the platform. What makes him feel more cozy is that on the DK1/11 platform, there are 4 people from Nghe An. The brothers are from Tan Ky, Nghi Loc, Anh Son, all of them have completed their assigned tasks well with pride in their beloved homeland of Uncle Ho. Up to now, Mr. Bac has been transferred to work in 7/15 platforms. Preliminary statistics show that on the platform system, there are about 25 people from Nghe An who are performing the sacred task of guarding the sea and sky of the Fatherland.

The story with my fellow countrymen on DK1/11 Platform took up almost the entire 1 hour and 30 minutes of Nghe An Newspaper reporter's time on the platform. In the story, Mr. Bac emotionally said: "About 2 months before Tet last year, I was at the platform and received news of my father's death, but due to working conditions, big waves, strong winds, and no ships coming in, I could not return home to take care of his funeral. My comrades in the unit encouraged and shared with me, so I suppressed my grief and turned it into action, fulfilling my duties and responsibilities well. Before this Tet, my unit created conditions for me to return home to celebrate my father's first death anniversary. I just returned to the platform two weeks ago, continuing with my comrades to complete the sacred mission entrusted by the Party and the people...". Before saying goodbye, Mr. Bac gave dried fish - the most abundant food source on the platform - to his fellow countrymen. “Here, besides the vegetables grown, fish from the sea is the main source of food. There are days when the unit catches dozens of kilograms of fish, which cannot be eaten all, so the brothers dry them as gifts for the mainland,” said Mr. Bac. The working group returned to the ship to visit other platforms. On the small boat returning to the ship, we saw Mr. Bac and the officers and soldiers standing on the lowest floor of the platform, waving their hands as if they wanted to send their thoughts and feelings back to the mainland…

The DK1 platforms at sea were built 25 years ago, affirming the sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland. Currently, there are 15 platforms in the southern sea, including those that have been reinforced, upgraded, newly built, more solid and spacious, truly "steel fortresses" at sea. On these platforms, there are 4 sides, 8 directions and below is the immense ocean. The waves and winds are harsh, but generations of officers and soldiers of the DK1 platform are always steadfast in their will, every day, every hour, keeping an eye on the situation at sea and immediately reporting to the mainland and the authorities for a solution.

Existing in the middle of the ocean, facing the harshness and erosion of waves and storms, in 1990, 1996, and 1999, a number of platforms were sunk. In the midst of hardship, the officers and soldiers of the platform remained steadfast, sticking to the sea, fulfilling their responsibilities as citizens and soldiers. Generations of officers and soldiers working on the platform still remember clearly the heroic sacrifices of their comrades. That is Martyr Nguyen Huu Quang - Senior Lieutenant, Deputy Commander of Platform DK1/3 Phuc Tan, when the platform collapsed, the whole unit swam at sea for many days; With big waves and strong winds, he gave his life buoy and last piece of dry food to the weakest soldier and he heroically sacrificed at sea in the infinite grief of his comrades on December 5, 1990; That was the noble act of Martyr - Captain Nguyen Van An at Platform 2A/DK1/6 Phuc Nguyen; In 1998, storm number 8 hit, he stayed behind to collect documents and the national flag but the storm hit and he died when his newborn son had not yet seen his father's face...

Forever remain the dear images of martyrs such as: Warrant Officer Le Duc Hong, boat officer Senior Lieutenant Pham Tao, Captain Nguyen Van Tu, Lieutenant Le Tien Cuong, Senior Lieutenant Ngo Sy Nga, soldiers Hoang Van Cuc, Nguyen Duc Hanh... who strictly followed orders, bravely sacrificed themselves to save their comrades, and stuck to the platform until their last breath. Their blood forever colors the national flag, blends into the sea, making the homeland's sea more blue. Of the 9 comrades who sacrificed their lives working on the platform, only 2 comrades' bodies were found. Therefore, "their graves are the white-capped waves". Their spirit, will and bodies have blended into the spirit of the sea, urging officers and soldiers of the following generations to continue to protect the sea, the sky and the country...

During the process of carrying out the task of guarding the sea, in addition to keeping abreast of all developments and reporting information to the mainland, each year, officers and soldiers on the platforms also help dozens of fishing boats during storms. In many cases, fishing boats with people injured while fishing were bandaged and treated by officers and soldiers on the platforms. Or many boats with damaged machinery, nets, lack of fresh water, engine oil, etc. were promptly provided with support by the platforms. The day we arrived at Tu Chinh Platform, we met fishing boat QN-97029, captained by Mr. Le The Nghe from Quang Ngai, who was asking officers and soldiers on DK1/11 Platform for help in repairing the boat's gearbox. Mr. Nghe said: “We fishermen feel really secure when fishing in this sea area. When we need support, the soldiers on the platform enthusiastically help us. Without that support, we would suffer great losses, and sometimes it would be difficult to save our lives… The platforms are truly a solid support for fishermen to feel secure when going out to sea.”

Ship HQ-953 continued to move towards other platforms. On January 5 and 6, the sea suddenly had big waves. The 4 meter high waves made the ship shake continuously, furniture kept moving from one edge of the cabin to the other with each sway. However, with the power of 2,500 horsepower, the 43 meter long, 10 meter wide ship still moved forward, the crew said: "If viewed from afar, the ship looks like a leaf on the lake surface. But journalists can rest assured, no matter how big the waves are, we will still move safely." Witnessing the emotional ups and downs between the mainland and the rig, as well as the scenes during the journey at sea, poet Tran Do Liem - Tien Giang Province Literature and Arts Association, the oldest person on the ship (he is 67 years old this year) immediately composed the poem: "Wave after wave, building thousands of mountains and water/White-capped peaks, deep valleys/The sky is swirling, clouds are hazy on all sides/I sway and get drunk with the ship's vibrations... Nine years and three (ship HQ-953) roars ahead/The wind dodges, the silver waves follow/Journalists and officers do not retreat/The DK rig must be delivered on the right day for Tet".

Arriving at the DK1/14 and DK1/12 platforms (in the Tu Chinh Platform cluster), due to the large waves, the delegation from the mainland could not go up to the platforms. The traditional way to transport goods and gifts to the platforms over the years is for the platforms to drop buoys and ropes drifting along the ocean currents more than 250m away from the platforms - a safe distance for ships to avoid hitting the platforms when the waves are large. At that time, the transport ship approached and tied gift boxes wrapped in plastic bags to the ropes for the platform officers and soldiers to pull up. Greetings and New Year wishes were sent via walkie-talkie. On the other side of the walkie-talkie, we heard the choked voice of Lieutenant Colonel Hoang Quoc Viet - Commander of DK1/14 Platform: "We have received gifts from the mainland. But for another year, comrades from the mainland cannot go to the platform... Thanks to the mainland, we are always determined to overcome all difficulties, complete our tasks well, guard the sea and sky so that people can enjoy Spring and celebrate Tet...".

Saying goodbye to the platforms in the Tu Chinh area, on January 7, 8, and 9, the HQ-953 ship continued on its way to the DK1/10 platform, all the way to Ca Mau cape. This journey is 330 nautical miles long, meaning we will continue to travel at sea for nearly 600 km with no phone signal, no 3G signal, only continuous sea waves... Overcoming the vast ocean waves, the ships of the Naval Region 2 Command will deliver goods and Tet gifts to all platforms in the areas: Phuc Tan, Phuc Nguyen, Huyen Tran, Tu Chinh, Que Duong, Ba Ke, DK1/10 and the ships on duty at sea. Lieutenant Colonel Mai Bien Thuy - Deputy Chief of Staff of the Naval Region 2 Command, said: "All platforms have been upgraded so all information connected to the mainland is updated hourly.

The spiritual life of the officers and soldiers is also more secure thanks to TV and satellite phone signals. Some platforms also have 2G signals to access the Internet, but the speed is very slow, sometimes the waves are big and the wind is strong and cannot be caught. Every quarter, ships from the region come to provide more food and provisions. In any platform, the brothers can increase the production of green vegetables, ensuring a rich meal...". A reporter wondered: "So, on the platform, can you grow any flowers to celebrate Tet?". Lieutenant Colonel Mai Bien Thuy replied: "We have not tried to grow them because the land area in the foam boxes is small, only for growing vegetables to eat, but if we grow them, it will definitely work." No one asked more, there was a moment of silence. Everyone knows that for the past decades, the officers and soldiers on the platform have celebrated Tet and enjoyed Spring without fresh flowers. But you are the most beautiful flowers...

Nguyen Son

(Email from DK1 Platform)