To the outpost island, today…

(Baonghean) - On a beautiful October day, we were "accompanied" by a delegation of the Veterans Association of Nghe An province to visit the officers and soldiers of Mat and Ngu islands. Over the years, this visit, encouragement and gift-giving has become a regular activity of the Association. Strangely, having been to the beloved homeland islands many times, everyone in the group expressed a sacred feeling of excitement...

Delegates of the provincial Veterans Association delegation talked with officers and soldiers of Ngu island.

Departing from Cua Hoi wharf, the small boat crossed 27 km of sea level, and Mat Island appeared, with white waves crashing against the steep cliffs. It is said that on stormy days, there were waves tens of meters high, splashing white foam halfway up the island. As soon as the boat docked at Mat Island wharf, it was immediately filled with laughter, handshakes, and tight hugs between "father soldiers" and "son soldiers", between mainlanders and islanders. On the island, the delegation of the Provincial Veterans Association came to offer incense at the Martyrs' Memorial, which is engraved: During the anti-American war, Mat Island fought 297 sorties of aircraft, 64 battles with warships, burned 10 destroyers, 2 cruisers, a commando ship, rescued 3,210 boats, and rescued 172 victims. “During the war, Mat Island was a heroic unit, an impregnable steel fortress, where the enemy had to fear both in the sky and on the sea. Today, the officers and soldiers on the island continue to hold their guns firmly, ready to fight, absolutely not being passive in any situation of the enemy, absolutely protecting the safety of the airspace and sea of ​​the homeland and becoming a solid support for fishermen in the midst of storms at sea, worthy of the mission assigned by the Party and the people” – Captain Nguyen Thanh Thuy, Battalion Commander of Mat Island Mixed Battalion said.

In the delegation visiting the island, there were many veterans who had fought on Mat Island. Colonel Nguyen Van Nam - Chairman of the Veterans Association of Nghi Loc District was one of them. At the age of 19, while still in 10th grade, at the end of 1971, Mr. Nam wrote an application to join the army and go to the island, becoming a reconnaissance soldier, on duty at the 218m high point. Leading us to the old battlefield, Colonel Nam said that here he participated in all the battles in 1972, and achieved the feat of shooting down an aircraft with a 12.7mm machine gun, and was awarded the title of Determined to Win Soldier by the Military Region. And, the old colonel's voice seemed to choke up when he said that it was on this high point that 3 of his comrades heroically sacrificed their lives...

At noon on the peak, the sun was scorching. The soldiers on guard at Mat Island felt more clearly than anyone the harshness of the winter frost and the summer lack of fresh water on the island. We scooped up a mouthful of fresh water that the soldiers drew from the cool crevices of the rocks. Mat Island stood firmly in the middle of the sea, having gone through many mutinies and time, witnessed many sorrows and losses, witnessed many heroic women and brave men working together. The history of the country's development is closely linked to the protection of the sea and islands. The sea is rich in resources, but our sea and islands are also salty with the sweat and blood of our ancestors. And it can be said that every time the East Sea "rises up", the role of Mat Island and Ngu Island in Nghe An becomes more strategic for the entire North Central coastal region.

In the afternoon, when the golden sunlight of autumn casts a green ecological color on Mat Island, which has been hiding within itself the heroic spirit of many generations of cadres and soldiers guarding the island outpost to protect the sea and sky of the Fatherland and homeland, the delegation of the Provincial Veterans Association - the "father soldiers" reluctantly bid farewell to the "son soldiers" of Mat Island to go to the heroic Ngu Island. With the same warm feelings, they gathered to ask about the mainland, the island, interspersed with stories of the time of bullets and fire on Ngu Island. We met and talked with Senior Lieutenant Tran To Ut, an officer from Vinh City who wrote a volunteer application to go to the island during the days when China pulled the Haiyang 981 drilling rig into Vietnam's waters. That action, for Ut, was simply a soldier's duty when the Fatherland needed it, but for us, it was carrying the faith and pride from the mainland following the island soldiers. Officers and soldiers of Ngu Island enthusiastically reported to the provincial Veterans Association delegation about combat readiness training, rescue, and relief work for fishermen, and response when needed on the mainland...

When Major General Nguyen Phong Phu - Chairman of Nghe An Veterans Association gave gifts and shook hands with each officer and soldier of Ngu Island, we saw his eyes filled with love for the island soldiers. Colonel Ha Tan Tien - Commander of Nghe An Provincial Military Command confided: Like Mat Island, Ngu Island is an outpost base of important significance in the coastal defense operations of the province. Although far from the mainland, the officers and soldiers on the islands never lack the affection of the rear. Every year, many delegations come to visit and encourage the island soldiers. This year, before the Veterans Association delegation, there were delegations from Nghe An Newspaper, Vinh City, Nghe An Provincial Youth Union... Each visit, the island soldiers seemed to be given a new breath of life, steadfastly holding their guns at the forefront, performing well in combat readiness, additional training, overcoming storms and floods, and keeping peace for the sea and islands of their homeland.

Then came the time for the provincial Veterans Association to return to shore. Silver waves rose behind the ship, speeding up to say goodbye to Ngu Island. The green of the mainland’s flesh and blood was absorbed, deepening the silent moments of the old soldiers sharing the hardships and sacrifices ahead with their young comrades…

Article and photos:Thanh Son