A requiem was held on March 14 at Phat Tich pagoda in Vientiane in remembrance of the 64 soldiers who laid down their lives defending Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) in 1988.
Vientiane (VNA)🍌 – A requiem was held on March 14 at Phat Tich pagoda in Vientiane in remembrance of the 64 soldiers who laid down their lives defending Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam’s Truong Sa (Spratly) in 1988.
The event saw the participation of former Vice President Truong My Hoa, Ambassador, Buddhist monks and followers, the Vietnamese community and a large number of students who are living and studying there. Addressing the ceremony, Hoa spoke highly of the sacrifice by the martyrs and called on younger generations to bear in mind what the martyrs have done for them. Venerable Thich Minh Quang, Head of the Coordinating Committee of Vietnamese Buddhism in Laos, said the youngsters should uphold the tradition of firmly defending the Fatherland./.
Rear Admiral Phan Tuan Hung, Deputy Commander of the Naval Force, recently led a delegation to visit soldiers and officers on mission on islands of the Truong Sa archipelago, the central province of Khanh Hoa, and organised a ceremony to commemorate fallen soldiers in battle to defend Co Lin, Gac Ma and Len Dao reefs 33 years ago.
War veterans who used to be stationed on the Truong Sa (Spratly) Archipelago held a ceremony in the central city of Da Nang on March 13 to commemorate 64 soldiers of the Vietnamese navy who died on duty 34 years ago while defending the Gac Ma (Johnson South) Reef in Vietnam's Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelago on March 14, 1988.
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.
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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An overview of the requiem. (Photo: VNA) 
