Overseas Vietnamese in Thailand commemorate Gac Ma fallen soldiers
The Vietnamese Association in Thailand’s Udon Thani province on March 14 held a ceremony to commemorate 64 naval officers and soldiers who laid down their lives while defending Gac Ma Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa in 1988 as well as heroic martyrs who sacrificed for the Fatherland and those who died of natural disasters and pandemics.
Oversea Vietnamese in Thailand join a requiem to commemorate the 64 naval officers and soldiers who laid down their lives while defending Gac Ma Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa in 1988. (Photo: VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – The Vietnamese Association in Thailand’s Udon Thani province on March 14 held a ceremony to commemorate 64 naval officers and soldiers who laid down their lives while defending Gac Ma Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa in 1988 as well as heroic martyrs who sacrificed for the Fatherland and t🌜hose who died of natural di🅷sasters and pandemics.
The event, held at Khanh An Pagoda, a Vietnamese pagoda in the northeastern province of Thailand, saw the participation of former Vice State President Truong My Hoa who is also head of the “For Beloved Hoang Sa and Truong Sa” Club. Since 2016, the Vietnamese community in Udon Thani has annually held such a memorial ceremony to commemorate the 64 fallen soldiers in the Gac Ma battle. It is also an occasion for overseas Vietnamese there to unite together and look towards the homeland. Luong Xuan Hoa, Chairman of the Vietnamese Association in Udon Thani, said that remembering the sacrifice of heroes and martyrs, younger generations always respect them and continue protecting the sacred sea and islands of the country.
On March 14, 1988, the 64 naval soldiers of Vietnam fell down while standing in a circle defending the national flag planted on the Gac Ma Reef and affirming the country’s sea and island sovereignty.
Their brave deaths were honoured with aဣ monument named “Nhung nguoi nam lai phia chan troi” (Those who laid down their lives on the horizon) at the Gac Ma soldier memorial site.🐲/.
The Vietnamese association in Thailand’s Udon Thani province, and monks and nuns of Khanh An pagoda on March 14 held a requiem for 64 soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago 34 years ago.
Vietnamese in Laos paid tribute to 64 soldiers who sacrificed their lives to defend Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago 34 years ago, at a requiem at Phat Tich Pagoda in Vientiane capital on March 14.
A ceremony was held in the central city of Da Nang on March 12 to commemorate 64 naval officers and soldiers who bravely sacrificed their lives 35 years ago while defending the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) on March 14, 1988.
Thirty five years ago, 64 naval engineers and soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives in a battle to protect the Gac Ma, Co Lin, and Len Dao Reefs in Vietnam’s Truong Sa archipelago. The soldiers and their sacrifice have remained in the hearts of Vietnamese people.
This day exactly 35 years ago (March 14, 1988), 64 soldiers of the Vietnam People’s Navy laid down their lives defending national sovereignty in Truong Sa.
Delegations of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army and the Naval Region 4 High Command on March 14 commemorated the 64 naval officers and soldiers who laid down their lives defending Gac Ma Reef in the country’s sea and island area of Truong Sa 35 years ago.
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Oversea Vietnamese in Thailand join a requiem to commemorate the 64 naval officers and soldiers who laid down their lives while defending Gac Ma Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa in 1988. (Photo: VNA) 
