The road to the guard station is a winding, precipitous climb. The fleet of vehicles labored up the slope, one even stalling midway. Only after this arduous journey could people reach Radar Station 590. There, amidst the cold mountain winds, the soldiers shared their stories.
In December 1996, a 20-year-old soldier from Ninh Binh Province named Tran Thanh Tung first set foot on this peak, filled with both apprehension and a fervent desire to serve. At that time, Con Dao was still a wild and sparsely populated island, with electricity available for only a few hours each night.
Radar Station 590 was divided into two compounds with no transport between them. To change shifts, soldiers had to hike for an hour and a half across four kilometers of mountain trails, hauling not just their personal gear but also cans of diesel to power the station’s generator.
“The weather was harsh”, recalled Major Tran Thanh Tung, now a veteran operator at the station. “The constant fog made life incredibly difficult. Our firewood was always damp, and our living quarters were so humid that mold grew on the walls, which took a toll on our health.”
Nearly three decades later, Radar Station 590 has been transformed. It is now a clean, modern facility with 24/7 electricity, a stable water supply, a pickup truck for shift changes, and refrigerators to ensure the soldiers’ meals are well-preserved. “As living conditions have improved, so too has the spiritual life of our soldiers”, Major Tung said with a smile.
But those early years of hardship forged an unbreakable spirit. Major Tung vividly remembers his assignment to the Spratly Islands in 2006. “My son was just over a year old, and my wife had just found a job here on Con Dao”, he recounted. “We had to send our son back to the mainland to be raised by his grandparents. A family of three, each in a different place.”
But for a naval soldier, the mission of defending the nation’s seas and islands comes first. That memory serves as a constant reminder of his duty. His lifelong attachment to Radar Station 590 is a source of immense pride, born from a deep love for his country and his profession. It is this spirit that motivates him and his comrades to flawlessly execute their mission: to observe, manage, and detect every target in their assigned airspace and waters, ensuring none slip through their watch.
As the conversation with Major Tung concluded, the sun broke through, the mist began to dissipate, and the stunning green beauty of Con Dao Special Zone was revealed below.
For nearly 30 years, Major Tung and his fellow veterans have mentored countless young soldiers. Among them, Second Lieutenant Tran Chau Bao is a special case. He was born and raised on Con Dao Special Zone. He grew up in the shadow of the very mountain he now serves upon, the sounds of the waves and the sea breeze forming the backdrop of his childhood.
Today, he stands guard on that same peak, protecting his homeland. His greatest initial challenge was mastering the complex radar equipment and strict operational procedures, but with the steadfast support of his comrades, he quickly found his footing.
What moves him most, he said, is looking down from his post at the panoramic view of Con Dao. “Seeing my home, where my family lives, motivates me to train harder, to master new technology, and to perfectly complete every task.”
According to the station’s commander, Captain Pham Van Than, the greatest challenges for an independent unit like theirs are ensuring the safety and mastery of their highly technical equipment, which is constantly battered by the harsh climate of rain, salt mist, and high humidity.
“But a commander’s concerns do not stop with the equipment”, Captain Than shared. “What is most important is keeping the soldiers’ morale steadfast in these demanding conditions. This requires not just political education and discipline, but also a deep understanding of the personal thoughts and feelings of each soldier.”
Captain Than emotionally said that Radar Station 590, like many other coastal radar stations, is stationed on high mountains, remote islands, with difficult travel and living conditions, and a lack of spiritual life. However, every year the unit always receives the attention and guidance of the Party Committee and commanders at all levels, along with the support and assistance of friendly units and people across the country.
The visits and encouragement from delegations from HCMC, especially since Con Dao became a special zone of the city, have left a particularly profound impression, helping the soldiers to overcome hardship, unite as one, and flawlessly complete their mission.
Radar Station 590 is a unit under the command of Regiment 251, Naval Region 2, stationed atop a 577-meter peak above sea level in Con Dao Special Zone (HCMC).
It is one of the key coastal radar stations of the Vietnam People’s Navy, tasked with the mission of observing, managing, detecting, and tracking all activities and targets within its assigned maritime and airspace zones.
Situated on a high mountain peak perpetually shrouded in mist, the station is subject to harsh sea winds and salt mist amidst steep, treacherous terrain.
