At the Gac Ma Memorial Site in Khanh Hoa Province, relics of the 64 fallen soldiers who sacrificed their lives for Vietnam’s maritime sovereignty are preserved. Among them is the final letter written by martyr Nguyen Van Phuong to his family.

Remembering the heroes of Gac Ma

Every March, hundreds of visitors and relatives of the Gac Ma martyrs gather at the Gac Ma Memorial Site in Cam Lam District, Khanh Hoa to pay their respects to the 64 Vietnamese naval soldiers who perished 37 years ago.

The 2.5-hectare memorial, inaugurated in 2017, houses photographs and artifacts from the fallen heroes of the Battle of Gac Ma.

The site features a monument titled “Those Who Remain Beyond the Horizon”, alongside the “Immortal Circle” sculpture, symbolizing the soldiers’ unyielding courage in defending their nation’s territorial waters.

The last words of a fallen hero

Inside the underground museum, visitors are moved by the last letter of martyr Nguyen Van Phuong, written on March 6, 1988, in Cam Ranh, just before he embarked on his fateful mission to Gac Ma Island. The yellowed letter, carefully preserved, carries his final message to his family.

"From now on, I will no longer write home because I am busy, and the post office is too far away… Please don’t worry about me. I will leave, and I don’t know when I will return. Whenever I do, I will come back…"

Two days after his father, Nguyen Van Mao, received the letter, he was devastated by the news of his son’s death. The family kept the letter as a treasured relic before later donating it to the Gac Ma Memorial for public display.

Among the other artifacts preserved at the museum are the naval uniform and medal of martyr Le Van Xanh, the backpack and woolen scarf of martyr Nguyen Van Thanh, and the epaulet of martyr Cao Xuan Minh, all of which were used in their final mission.

A love story cut short

The wedding photo of martyr Dinh Ngoc Doanh, Deputy Commander of Gac Ma Island, Brigade 146, is also displayed in the museum.

His widow, Do Thi Ha, recounted their brief time together before his deployment.

"We got married in early 1986. After the wedding, he was sent to Truong Sa (Spratly Islands) and never came back. Our firstborn daughter, Dinh Thi My Le, was born after his passing," she said.

A year after his death, burglars stole a trunk from their home, which contained his personal diary. She searched desperately for any trace of his handwriting but to no avail. Fortunately, she managed to keep six wedding photos as precious memories of their time together.

Pride and sacrifice

Lieutenant Nguyen Tien Xuan, a naval officer from Region 4, is the son of martyr Nguyen Mau Phong. Visiting the memorial to pay respects to his father and his comrades, he could not hold back his emotions.

"I have followed in my father’s footsteps, serving as a soldier. I have been to Truong Sa, where my father once stood. Each time I see his relics or visit these sacred places, I am filled with pride and deep sorrow," he shared.

On March 14, 1988, at Gac Ma Island, Truong Sa, Chinese forces attacked and illegally occupied the island, killing 64 Vietnamese naval soldiers and sinking two transport ships, HQ 604 and HQ 605. Their heroic stand remains a testament to Vietnam’s unwavering defense of its sovereignty.

Xuan Ngoc