(VOVWORLD) - An incense offering ceremony was held Thursday at the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Site in Cam Lam district, Khanh Hoa province, to honor the 64 Vietnamese naval officers and soldiers who died defending Gac Ma Island 37 years ago on March 14, 1988.
 Cam Lam district leaders offer incense to honor the Gac Ma fallen soldiers. (Photo: baokhanhhoa.vn) |
At the ceremony, organized by the Khanh Hoa provincial Labor Federation and the Cam Lam district Party Committee, participants paid their respects by burning incense while facing the East Sea and the Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago.
In the days leading up to the anniversary, the memorial site has welcomed many visitors, both domestic and international, who have come to pay tribute to the fallen soldiers.
"Our comrades sacrificed their lives for the country, and we have come here to honor them. This is a place to pay our respects, remember their bravery, and carry forward the indomitable spirit of defending our homeland and its seas and islands. That spirit will endure forever," said Le Quy Thang, a visitor from Hanoi.
The Khanh Hoa provincial People’s Committee is planning to build the Truong Sa Museum, a cultural, historical, and spiritual landmark connected to the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial Site.
“The Truong Sa Museum will be built near the Gac Ma Soldiers Memorial. These two sites will be linked, allowing visitors to learn about the history of protecting and developing the Truong Sa archipelago through generations,” Nguyen Van Nhuan, Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said.