Fascinating history In April 1975, our army liberated the islands along the Central Coast and South Central Coast; invaded and liberated most of the islands in the Spratlys occupied by the puppet troops. In the photo: Navy Special Forces Army Corps 126 liberated An Bang island belonging to Truong Sa archipelago, on April 28, 1975. Photo: VNA broadcast On April 4, 1975, General and Commander-in-Chief Vo Nguyen Giap sent a special telegram to the Navy and Military Region 5 assigned the task of liberating the Spratly archipelago held by the Saigon puppet army. The telegram stated: “According to the instructions of the Politburo, the Standing Committee of the Military Commission assigns tasks to the Military Zone Committee, the Military Region, the High Command of the 5th Military Region and the High Command of the Navy to urgently study the plan. war and carry out all preparations so that when the opportunity arises, the Spratly Islands will be promptly liberated, considering it a very important task ”. Colonel Hoang Chien No (born 1952), former Political Chief, Military Command of Dak Doa district, Gia Lai province recounted: in 1975, I was 23 years old, holding the position of lieutenant – lieutenant Captain of Battalion 2, Company 5, Regiment 95, Military Region 5. After completing the mission of liberating Khanh Hoa, on the evening of April 10, I followed fishermen’s fishing boats from Nha Trang to the island. Travel time is exactly 4 days 3 nights to the West Song Tu Island. Our forces at that time pretended to be fishermen on a fishing boat, so during the movement they were not detected by the enemy. “Around 3 am, April 14, the directions were brought by rubber boats to bring troops close to Song Tu Tay Island. At 4:30, after hearing the gunshots in the west of the island, they all opened fire to attack. To our nose on duty, comrade Dinh Quoc Lap (former platoon leader of Battalion 2, Company 5, Regiment 95, Military Region 5) shot a B41 at the enemy’s bunker and attacked in many directions. for the enemy to panic and panic. The enemy fought back weakly, quickly surrendered, our troops destroyed and captured 33 enemies. At 5:30 a.m. on the same day, we lifted the flag of the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam onto the flagpole on the island, asserting the sovereignty of the Fatherland, ”recalled Colonel Hoang Chien No. Sergeant Master Dinh Quoc Lap, who directly participated in the battle to liberate Song Tu Tay and was admitted to the Party on the island, said on April 24, the weather on the island is very beautiful, under the row of green coconuts on Song Tu Tay Island, with with the Party flag hanging at the trunk of the coconut tree, I was accepted and accepted into the ranks of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in the presence of my comrades who stood shoulder to shoulder.
“As the first soldier admitted on Song Tu Tay Island, at that time I was only 20 years old, it is an honor, great happiness, not a moment I forget,” said Senior Sergeant Dinh Quoc Lap. Song Tu Tay was lost, the enemy’s defenses on the Spratlys were threatened. Taking the opportunity, at 0:30 on April 25, we used two ships 673 and 641 to carry forces from Song Tu Tay Island to Son Ca Island. When 2 nautical miles from Son Ca island, this force was divided into 3 cape, preparing to land on the island. At 1:30, our army finished landing and began to reconnaissance the island. At 2:30, we opened fire to attack and destroy the enemy. Suddenly hit, the enemy resisted weakly, then ran away in panic, surrendered. At 3 o’clock on April 25, our army completely liberated Son Ca island, destroyed and captured 25 enemies, confiscated their weapons and all their equipment. After our “lightning speed” victory at Song Tu Tay and Son Ca islands, the enemy’s defenses on the islands were seriously threatened. The enemy troops on Nam Yet island panicked and fought back weakly. At the moment of chance, our forces quickly liberated the island. At 10:30 a.m. on April 27, our army completely took control of Nam Yet Island. After hearing that our army liberated Song Tu Tay, Son Ca, Nam Yet islands, the enemy troops on Sinh Ton island had wavered in panic and retreated from the morning of April 27, so our forces landed smoothly. At exactly 10:20 on April 28, we completely own the island. At 9:00 am on April 29, 1975, the last combat detachment of the 126th Commando Brigade landed to control Truong Sa island. Since then, Truong Sa island in particular and Truong Sa archipelago in general entered a new historical period, a period of battle building and maturity. Build and maintain national sovereignty The Naval Region 4 Command (Cam Ranh city, Khanh Hoa province) inspects units throughout the Region for combat readiness. Photo: VNA broadcast Truong Sa has a part of the island in Khanh Hoa province, by the Navy forces stationed in Region 4 (Cam Ranh, Khanh Hoa) to protect the strategic island waters. Over the past years, promoting the liberation of the Spratly archipelago, the Party Committee and the High Command of the Naval Region 4 have led and directed the units to promote education and grasp thoroughly for the army to grasp the situation of the mission. ; clearly identifying partners, objects and conspiracies, tricks and activities that infringe foreign sovereignty; the Party’s and State’s directing ideas, mottos and policies to deal with maritime issues. Along with that, the Naval Region 4 always attaches great importance to educating the army on the nation’s tradition of fighting the enemy and defending the country, especially the victory of liberating the Spratly archipelago. According to the Political Chairman of the 4th Naval Regional Command, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Tran Manh Chien, for the task of training, combat readiness of the unit. Agencies and units have focused on training cadres, especially those at the level of ships, companies, squadrons, battalions and the like in tactics, techniques, and command organization qualifications to improve high capacity to respond and handle complex situations that may occur. The units, especially the island block and the ship block actively trained proficient in tactics from platoon to battalion level; actively mastering new and modern technical weapons and equipment while increasing mobility training, synergies and training in complicated weather conditions … Along with that, in order to strengthen the building of the defense posture of the entire people, the solid “battle posture of the people”, the sea-coast-island connection, the Naval Region 4 maintains strict regime, order and system. ready to fight; actively organize exercises, drills, thereby supplementing and adjusting combat plans in accordance with the practical situation; promptly advise and propose to the Party Committee, the High Command of the Military Service to handle situations at sea well, not to be passive or unexpected. Chairman of the People’s Committee of Truong Sa island district, Khanh Hoa province Le Dinh Hai shared that the victory of liberating islands in the Spratly archipelago of Military Region 5, the People’s Navy of Vietnam has become a historic milestone. , is a great contribution to the Great Victory in Spring 1975. Promoting the spirit of victory to liberate the Spratly archipelago, officials, soldiers, people on the islands of the Spratly archipelago today always overcome difficulties. actively study, practice, strive to rise, be ready to fight, act as a fulcrum to firmly protect the sovereignty over the sacred seas and islands of the country. Today’s life on Song Tu Tay Island, one of the islands in the Spratly archipelago has had many innovations, said Mr. Thai Minh Khai, a householder living on Song Tu Tay Island, Truong Sa archipelago, said The heart of the Party, State and command of Khanh Hoa province, Song Tu Tay island and the hard work of the family, life here has been stabilized. The family wishes to continue living on the island and strives to train together with officials and soldiers on the island to build and firmly protect the sovereignty of the country. According to Vice Chairman of People’s Committee Song Tu Tay Nguyen The Hung Linh, the households here have stabilized their lives, actively participating in social activities, community activities on the island such as: environmental sanitation in the area. living areas, marine areas, livestock and poultry husbandry, solidarity, love, support, coordinate well with the authorities and soldiers and soldiers on the island to perform work, activities, contribute to creating peaceful island and country.

The smart rice transplanter that combines the functions of sowing, cultivating rice, fertilizing, and spraying pesticides has been applied at An Nhut Agricultural and Service Cooperative from 2019. LABOR REMUNERATION Over 15 years of growing pepper, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Phuong (Tan Hoa village, Bau Chinh commune, Chau Duc district) said that in the past, from tending to harvesting, he had to do it by hand. To water 2.5 ha of pepper, 2 labor takes 7-8 hours to complete. In 2017, he invested 40 million VND in installing a drip irrigation system. Mr. Phuong commented, compared to the traditional irrigation method, drip irrigation has many outstanding advantages such as: saving water, minimizing water loss, making the soil always fresh and porous; Saving water pump electricity and reducing labor. In addition, this irrigation system can also combine fertilizer, medicine and irrigation water through the drip tips. “From the day of installing the automatic watering system, every time I water the garden, I just turn on the circuit breaker, set the hour and go to other jobs. In addition to reducing labor, the automatic irrigation system also helps to save water. In the past, the average amount of watering was 300m3 / ha / time, since the application of drip irrigation has been reduced to 60m3 / ha ”, Mr. Phuong compared. In the rice fields of farmers in Phuoc Hoi, Lang Dai, Long Tan, Phuoc Long Tho communes (Dat Do district), the system of machines such as tillage and transportation machines, water pumps, combine harvesters, Harvesting in series, rice dryers appeared more and more, gradually replacing the labor force of farmers. Information from the Department of Agriculture of Dat Do district shows that more than 16,000 hectares of cultivated rice by farmers have used almost 100% machinery in the stages of soil preparation and harvesting. Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, an agricultural officer in Phuoc Long Tho commune, said that almost all stages of rice production in the locality have been mechanized. With the implementation of agricultural mechanization, when sowing sowing, there were plows and land-plowing machines, when the harvest time, there was a combine harvester to serve at the place. In addition to bringing about higher economic efficiency, the application of mechanization also solves one of the difficult stages of the agricultural sector today, which is the source of labor when only 1-2 operators and use are possible. work, help farmers reduce labor costs. CONTINUOUS SUPPORTING MACHINERY IN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, at present, the province has more than 400 types of machines serving the mechanization of agricultural production, with the number of more than 105 thousand units. In which, machinery is concentrated mainly in stages such as soil preparation, irrigation, spraying of pesticides, transportation and fishing means. The stages of harvesting, preliminarily processing and preserving agricultural products currently only stop at a number of models of applying preliminary processing technology and preserving vegetables and fruits after harvest. The average level of mechanization of the stages in agricultural production such as: land preparation reaches 100%; 80% of care and spraying of plant protection products; the harvest stage reaches 40%; 30% drying stage. The application of agricultural mechanization has contributed to reducing labor, ensuring seasonality, increasing productivity, quality and reducing post-harvest losses. Mr. Vu Ngoc Dang, Deputy Director of the Rural Development Sub-Department (Department of Agriculture and Rural Development), said implementing the policy of developing household economy in agriculture and fisheries (Resolution 05/2018 / NQ-HDND) and policies to support equipment and materials for the development of cooperatives in the agricultural sector in the period of 2019-2020 (Resolution 39/2018 / NQ-HDND), up to now, the Sub-Department has supported more than 300 machines and equipment. serving production with more than 250 households / cooperatives operating in the agricultural sector such as sowing machines, burying fertilizers for An Nhut Agricultural and Service Cooperative; Package irrigation system, tillers, chain saws for Thai Duong Agricultural Cooperative … In the coming time, the Department will coordinate with localities to continue reviewing and making statistics on the number of machines and equipment; from there to build production plans towards focusing on developing plants and animals with strengths, competitiveness and in accordance with the province’s development planning. “For the project of agricultural mechanization and the application of post-harvest technology (under the Scheme on restructuring the agricultural sector of BR-VT province in the direction of increasing added value and sustainable development to 2020, vision to 2030), after being approved by the competent authority, the Sub-Department will coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to organize propaganda and mobilization of post-harvest agricultural mechanization through models, project points, seminars, seminars ”, Mr. Vu Ngoc Dang more information.

The Salem house project was built in Thu Dau Mot city, Binh Duong province. The house is for a young couple and their first daughter is only four years old. Architect Story Architecture said that the work pressure and childcare pressure of the young couple in modern society is very great, so they need to design a well-ventilated house with lots of trees. This home will bring a feeling of relaxation, relieve pressure after a working day. In addition, there are also many playgrounds for girls to play, explore nature by themselves, and release energy. At the same time, parents will have more private time. Salem house has an area of ​​125 m², located in Thu Dau Mot City, Binh Duong Province. To create a feeling of lightness for the house, the architect uses white as the main color tone and blends gray and wood colors to make the house more elegant. The simple and neatly designed interior items also help the space to be wider and more airy. One of the baby’s play spaces The house offers a relaxing feeling and relieves the pressure after a working day. KTS Story Architecture does not use a partition between the kitchen and the backyard to create an interesting spatial connection. Therefore, when cooking or eating, homeowners feel as comfortable as in a garden restaurant. The corridor connects the two rooms to break the feeling of being bored by the handrail’s railing. The architect creates a green patch to cover the railing and make use of it as a playground for the baby. The backyard garden is also a place to play and relax for parents. The backyard and the kitchen were not separated by any partitions. The main color tone of the house is white and gray Large skylights placed in the middle and back of the house help get natural light and wind for the bedrooms. Bedroom walls with large glass panels overlooking the skylight and green areas help homeowners relax more when in the room. The architect designed two skylights in the middle and the back of the house. This skylight provides natural light and wind for the bedrooms on the second floor. Between floors, the architect arranged more playgrounds for children. Sunlight reflected from the skylight through the hallway leads to another space that makes the path more interesting. From the bedroom, the owner through the large glass overlooking the sky to relax while in the room. Simple bedroom, fully functional.

Attending the ceremony were comrades: Lieutenant General Tran Don, Standing Member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense; Lt. Gen. Vu Hai San, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Minister of National Defense; Nguyen Thi Kim Tien, Head of Central Staff Health Protection Department.

The delegates attended the ceremony

Over the past 75 years of building, fighting and growing up, under the leadership of the Central Military Commission, the Ministry of National Defense, the military medical sector has continuously developed in all aspects, making an important contribution to the cause of civil liberation. clan, build and defend the Fatherland. Through the two resistance wars against the French colonialists and the American imperialists, the military medicine branch promptly treated more than 500,000 wounded soldiers, more than 1.5 million sick soldiers, of which nearly 60% were wounded and more than 80% were sick. Get back to the battlefield to join the fight.

In recent years, with the attention of all levels, the material foundations and equipment of the whole industry have been invested in upgrading; The face of hospitals, schools and military medical establishments has been renovated, spacious, professional quality has been strengthened and improved. The major hospitals of the industry and many other military medical facilities have been newly built, equipped with modern equipment, with the world’s leading equipment, creating conditions for improving the quality of training, first aid, treatment and treatment. wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, soldiers and people. Military medicine at all levels has operated, exploited and effectively used modern equipment, applied and deployed many new techniques, high technology, specialized techniques such as tissue transplant, organ transplant, multi transplant. organs, limb transplant from living donors, lung transplant …

In addition, the military medical sector has actively researched and renovated methods to ensure appropriate military health, associating the task of ensuring military medicine with the people’s health system, with building defense areas, and mobilizing medical mobilization force to serve defense duties.

Lieutenant General Vu Hai San attached the Medal of Military Achievement, Second Class to the Military Medicine Department’s Victory Campaign

With outstanding achievements in the past 75 years, units in the military medical industry have been awarded by the State 2 Gold Star Medals, 4 Ho Chi Minh Medals; 94 units and 60 individuals were awarded the title Hero of the People’s Armed Forces (LLVT) and Labor Hero; 121 comrades were conferred the title of People’s Physician; many collectives and individuals were awarded with medals, medals and other noble awards. In particular, in 2020, the 108 Military Central Hospital was awarded the title of Labor Hero, 175 Military Hospital was awarded the title of Hero of the People’s Army Corps, and the Department of Military Medicine was awarded the Medal of Military Class. Second.

Speaking at the ceremony, Lieutenant General Vu Hai San acknowledged and praised the achievements of generations of military medical cadres and soldiers during the past 75 years; With the spirit of selfless service, with intellectual and creative scientific and technical labor, it has made many outstanding achievements in the task of caring for and protecting the health of the army and people. In order to continue promoting the results achieved in the coming time, Lt. Gen. Vu Hai San suggested that the Military Medical branch continue to promote the spirit of initiative, creativity, promote scientific research, and improve the quality of medical examination and treatment. ; regularly improve combat readiness, organize military medical services, and be ready to respond when there are military situations and high-tech war.

Authorized by the State President, Lieutenant General Vu Hai San awarded the Decision and attached the Medal of Second Class Military Merit to the Military Medical Department’s Victory Military. /.

Abdullah Abdul-Gawad and the “tiny” excavator. Photo: BI

But what happened five days later is quite the opposite.

Ever Given – a container ship the size of a skyscraper was stranded on the banks of the canal on March 23. And Abdul-Gawad’s boss immediately called him to the scene.

“We need you to get in the car and come now because you are the only excavator driver nearby,” the leader told the 28-year-old male employee, who has been driving the excavator since college.

Abdul-Gawad vs “monster”

Liberating Ever Given was a combined effort, with winch, tugboat and excavator. But Abdul-Gawad was the one who really faced the problem. Once at the base of the ship, Abdul-Gawad had no choice but to start digging.

According to his estimates, the bow of Ever Given was stuck below about 6 meters of ground. The stern is also caught on the opposite shore. The ship blocked the Suez Canal, blocking all traffic.

The image of a tiny excavator facing a giant ship made many people laugh. But for Abdul-Gawad the situation is much less humorous. It is really dangerous.

The dreadful contrast between the size of the Ever Given ship and the size of Abdul-Gawad’s excavator. Photo: BI

Taking on the task of shoveling to release the bow, just a small mistake by Abdul-Gawad could cause the ship carrying tens of thousands of containers to collapse.

“I was afraid that the ship would be too tilted on one side or the other. If it leans on me, goodbye the excavator, goodbye Abdul-Gawad.

If you see the contrast between the size of the ship and the size of the excavator, you will find it very frightening. ”

Two other excavators were dispatched to the scene a few days later, but the drivers were too scared to do what Abdul-Gawad was doing. Instead, they were just sticking around clearing the rock that Abdul-Gawad dug.

21 hours / day

Wearing thin flip flops, Abdul-Gawad undertook digging for hours. When the tugs are active, Abdul-Gawad will receive a radio signal to temporarily retreat away.

“But you know, until I dig 5 or 6 meters, there’s still no movement.”

Photo: BI

When pictures of Abdul-Gawad’s excavator began to appear on the Internet, he said he felt as if “people were just making fun of me.”

“And that’s what made me more determined. I think, you’re making fun of me so I’ll prove I can do this. ”

Abdul-Gawad said that for several days, he and his colleagues were only allowed to rest at a barracks of border guards nearby.

“They know that if we go home, we won’t be back in about eight or nine hours,” he said.

Abdul-Gawad and his colleagues only slept about three hours a night. One day, only one hour of sleep.

Success

On March 25, a dedicated dredger – Mashhour – participated in the rescue effort Ever Given. Abdul-Gawad’s job at this time was to move soil, rock and sand from the bow of the ship to another place, while the Mashhour knocked silt off the canal.

This concerted effort – with the help of a high tide – brought hopeful signs the next day. And finally, the campaign was successful on March 29. The image of the Ever Given boat escaping made all the workers shout, and the tugboats honk to celebrate.

Abdul-Gawad said he and his colleagues were “half alive from exhaustion.”

“We were pushed to our limits,” said Abdul-Gawad. “But the moment we saw Ever Given off to sea, all fatigue seemed to vanish.”

Field survey officials. Photo: BI

Scary silence

The Suez Canal is a source of pride in Egypt, being called “Egypt’s Gift to the World” on billboards when it expanded in 2015.

President of Egypt – Abdel Fattah el-Sisi declared: “The Egyptians have ended the crisis of the ship stranded Ever Given despite all difficulties.”

But Abdul-Gawad said he hardly attended any of the celebrations. Apart from a small ceremony held by a newspaper, Abdul-Gawad received little or no official recognition for his role.

“I was invited to a ceremony, where they honor the people who took the ships out to sea.” But it is primarily intended for Suez Canal Authority employees, not including Abdul-Gawad because he works for a subcontractor.

Invitations were also sent to Abdul-Gawad at the last minute only. Because the celebration took place in a city four hours away by car. And Abdul-Gawad received an invitation an hour and a half earlier.

Abdul-Gawad said he felt deeply hurt.

“The Suez Canal Authority patted himself on the chest that they have done a great job. But in the end, without an excavator, the ship wouldn’t go anywhere. It can still get stuck. ”

Image of the jam seen from satellite. Photo: Maxar

In an interview on April 8, Abdul-Gawad said that he and his colleagues still have not received overtime pay, even though they work more than 21 hours a day.

However, Abdul-Gawad said he will look back on those extraordinary days with pride.

“This is an achievement,” he said. “At first it was an achievement for Egypt, but it was also an achievement for me. This event can only happen once in my life. Twice at most. It is something to be proud of.”