Visiting Eye Island in May
(Baonghean)In May, the sky seems even bluer, and the early summer sun shines more brightly on Mat Island. The sea and sky on this small island, 18 nautical miles from the mainland, seem to merge into an endless shade of blue, an emerald green. One day at the end of May, a delegation of staff from Nghe An Newspaper and young people from the Nghe An Provincial Party Committee's youth union embarked on a sea voyage to visit the island's guardians.
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Etched into the island's shape were the neat, solemn rows of officers and soldiers of Mat Island, standing in a block on the pier to welcome visitors from the mainland. From the ship's deck, on both sides, and on the roof, many hands reached out to the soldiers guarding the island with joyful eyes. As the ship docked, the island and the shore joined hands, chattering excitedly about countless stories that seemed to never end.
Right on the concrete deck of the pier, the new recruits, on their first assignment on the island, after their initial awkwardness, quickly straightened their equipment, preparing for a life in the ranks of those guarding the island. We slipped under the dense, cool canopy of nameless trees, following the winding concrete path to reach the platoons. Above the pier, the figures of the guards remained silent, etched against the clear blue sky, a silent vigilance.
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High above Hill 218 are the island's summit, center, and eye, where a GPS positioning point is located. A majestic watchtower stands beside a Viettel mobile phone tower, next to the memorial to fallen soldiers, with the words "To die for the Fatherland, to live for the Fatherland" carved directly into the rock face during the fierce years of the war against the US. Below, the lighthouse sits peacefully on the edge of the rock. The vast blue sea stretches out before us, with the silhouettes of boats drifting back and forth.
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Scattered among the rocky outcrops, beneath the roaring waves, stand the sturdy barracks of the island soldiers' platoons. Each platoon boasts neat and clean living quarters, with gleaming steel weapons ready on their gun racks. Around the artillery barrels and barracks, chickens cluck and forage, while the plump, round-bellied island pigs lie peacefully in the shade of the fig trees. In the vegetable garden, glimpses of young soldiers water the plants and prepare vegetables for the evening meal. The scene is truly tranquil, indistinguishable from any rural area on the mainland.
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The evening of exchange between the island and the mainland was held right on the volleyball court as the deep purple night gently descended. The journalists' gift was a collection of photos depicting the daily life and combat activities of the officers and soldiers on Mat Island. The youth of the Provincial Party Committee also brought a television and other gifts of goodwill to the island.
The green of the soldiers' uniforms blends with the green of the youth union's uniforms in songs about love between couples, about boats and the sea, about beloved small islands, about the home front where loved ones long for them... Then a forest of raised arms claps in rhythm with the stirring lyrics "...the green mountains stretch endlessly... far away, the vast and peaceful Fatherland, the bright flag fluttering high..." in the marching song "Marching Under the Military Banner"!
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Unable to contain his emotions, journalist Minh Thông enthusiastically recited a few verses he had just composed:
"There's nothing special about being a soldier on the island!"
Blue sea, white sand, wind on my head.
Eyes patrol day and night, watching the sky and sea.
Only hearts that yearn for each other!
The singing soared high, spreading far across the vast sea dotted with countless flickering fishing lights that never ceased...
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After the singing and dancing exchange, a bonfire was lit, illuminating a corner of the island and a stretch of sea 30 km from the mainland. The circle of Lam Vong dancers spread far and wide, hand in hand, island soldiers holding hands with the soldiers of the regiment, their hands warm like young bamboo shoots amidst calluses...
Far from the mainland, Mat Island, a strategic outpost in Nghe An province, never lacks the support of the home front. Every year, many groups of visitors come to the island. From the moment the ship docks until its return, it's a joyous occasion. Until the propellers rev up and the ship turns around to return, the soldiers on the island feel invigorated, their grip on their weapons firm, their hearts at ease as they stand at the forefront, safeguarding the peace of the nation's seas and skies.
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Then the time came to say goodbye to the island. At the pier, the neat, orderly ranks of the island's guardians solemnly bid farewell to the returning delegation.
The island gradually shrinks with each passing minute as the ship moves further away, eventually becoming etched into the memories of those who visit it.
See you again, my dear little island!
Tran Hai
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