Participants at the ceremony (Source: VNA) Da Nang (VNA) – Nearly 200 war veterans who once stationed on Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago attended a ceremony held in central Da Nang city on March 14 to commemorate 64 soldiers who laid down their lives while defending the island on March 14, 1988.
The event, which was organised by the Truong Sa Soldiers Liaison Committee, also saw the attendance of representatives of relevant agencies and families of the fallen combatants.
The participants offered incense and flowers in tribute to the Vietnamese soldiers who sacrificed during the Gac Ma battle 30 years ago.
They looked back on history and developments of the battle and expressed their gratitude to the heroic sacrifice of the soldiers for territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
On this occasion, the liaison committee presented gifts to veterans and families of the fallen soldiers.
Last year, a memorial site dedicated to the 64 martyrs was inaugurated in Cam Hai Dong commune, Cam Lam district of the central province of Khanh Hoa.
The highlight of the site is a monument featuring the naval soldiers holding hands in an “eternal circle” to safeguard the national flag symbolising the national sovereignty on Gac Ma island.
The work was built with money contributed by workers and public servants nationwide through trade union organisations under a programme launched by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labour.-VNA
VNA
