64 Gac Ma martyrs commemorated in Khanh Hoa

Khanh Hoa (VNA) – A ceremony took place at the Gac Ma memorial site in Cam Lam district, the central province of Khanh Hoa, on March 14 to commemorate the 64 officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Navy who fell down defending Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa, and mark the 36th anniversary of their battle (March 14, 1988 – 2024).

At the event, the provincial administration and labour federation, representatives from military units stationed in Naval Zone 4, veterans, and families of the martyrs paid tribute to and laid wreaths in memory of the group.

Colonel Pham Van Tho, Political Commissar of Brigade 146 – the navy unit in charge of Truong Sa island district, affirmed this is a special occasion for instilling pride and the tradition of defending maritime sovereignty passed down by previous generations to officers and soldiers serving in the unit.

He said the young generation always remembers and highly values the contributions by the martyrs, and is determined to safeguard the country’s sovereignty over its sea and islands.

Veteran Le Van Thoa, who participated in the Gac Ma battle, expressed his hope that current and future generations will continue to uphold the noble tradition of the nation and be ready to defend the sovereignty of their homeland.

On March 14, 1988, 64 naval soldiers of Vietnam fell down while defending the national flag planted on Gac Ma and affirming the country’s sea and island sovereignty. Their brave deaths were honoured with a monument named “Nhung nguoi nam lai phia chan troi” (Those who laid down their lives on the horizon) at the memorial site.

Between 2017 and now, more than 600,000 people have visited the site./.