The veterans' association of the Naval Military Engineers held the death anniversary for the first time underneath the Man Quang Bridge, which looks towards the Da Nang Gulf. The 64 fallen soldiers who died protecting the Johnson South Reef (Gac Ma) were mostly military engineers who were dispatched to the Spratly Islands for a mission.
An altar for the ceremony has flowers, fruits and incenses on them. The altar is shaped into a model of the HQ-604 vessel.
The model was designed in 2001 by veteran Tran Van Tien, 52, to be used during memorial ceremonies. For over 10 years, Tien has used his own home as a site for the death anniversary ceremonies.
Name tablets of the martyrs are placed on the model.
35 years ago, Chinese forces sank the HQ-604 vessek at the Gac Ma Reef, as well as the HQ-605 vessel at the Lansdowne Reef and the HQ-505 vessel at the Collins Reef. 64 Vietnamese naval soldiers were killed while they were protecting the Gac Ma Reef.
Family members of 11 martyrs in Da Nang and Quang Nam, along with representatives of several forces, participated in the ceremony. They spent a minute in silence to pay respect to the fallen soldiers.
Tran Thi Hue, 81, mother of martyr Le The, holds her son's name tablet on the HQ-604 vessel model.
"His comrades organizing a death anniversary has helped soothe my and others' families," she said.
Le Van Xuan, father of martyr Le Van Xanh, sobs as he listens to a speech by senior colonel Hoang Duy Lap, former head of the No. 83 Military Engineer Regiment, recalling what happened at the Gac Ma Reef 35 years ago.
A sister-in-law of martyr Phan Van Su bursts into tears as she holds the name tablet of her brother.
Her mother, Le Thi Muon, often came with her to the death anniversary ceremonies in the past, but Muon had died in 2020 at the age of 89.
Senior colonel Hoang Duy Lap, head of the communication committee of the veterans' association of the Da Nang naval military engineers, lights incenses to pay respect to the martyrs.
Participants of the ceremony march in a line, carrying incenses, flower wreaths and name tablets with them towards the Da Nang Gulf.
A flower wreath is placed onto a boat, which would go towards the Da Nang Gulf as a memorial ritual.
At the end of ceremony, the martyrs' comrades wave goodbye to the flower wreath floating out to the sea.
Early March 14, 1988, the Vietnamese Navy’s Brigade 125 sent three ships with nearly 100 officers and soldiers to the Gac Ma (Johnson South), Co Lin (Collins or Johnson North) and Len Dao (Lansdowne) reefs in the Spratly Archipelago.
The soldiers were transporting construction materials on to Gac Ma when four Chinese vessels arrived and attacked them.
A total of 64 Vietnamese soldiers were killed in battle, and they are remembered as the Gac Ma soldiers.
