, ▁the ▁V PN ▁successfully ▁captured ▁the ▁Spr at ly , ▁Ph ú ▁Qu ý ▁and ▁C ô n ▁ Đ ả o ▁groups ▁of ▁islands ▁from ▁the ▁South ▁Vietnam ese . ▁In ▁the ▁days ▁following ▁their ▁victory ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁also ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁raise ▁their ▁flag ▁over ▁the ▁smaller ▁c ays ▁and ▁re ef s ▁of ▁An ▁Bang ▁( Am bo yna ▁C ay ), ▁Sin ▁C owe ▁East ▁and ▁Pear son ▁Re ef ▁( H on ▁S ap ). ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁following ▁the ▁un ification ▁of ▁Vietnam , ▁some ▁Spr at ly ▁islands ▁became ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁Kh án h ▁H ò a ▁Province . ▁ ▁To ▁assert ▁Vietnam ' s ▁political ▁so vere ig nt y , ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁military ▁initially ▁deployed ▁four ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 nd ▁Division ▁from ▁Military ▁Region ▁ 5 ▁to ▁defend ▁the ▁islands . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁the ▁North ▁Vietnam ese ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ense ▁transferred ▁the ▁ 4 6 th ▁Infantry ▁Regiment ▁from ▁the ▁P AV N ▁ 3 2 5 th ▁Division ▁to ▁the ▁V PN , ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁brig ade ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 2 6 th ▁Naval ▁Regiment ▁with ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁def ending ▁the ▁Spr at ly s ▁and ▁other ▁groups ▁of ▁islands . ▁Following ▁the ▁establishment ▁of ▁the ▁Social ist ▁Republic ▁of ▁Vietnam ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 , ▁additional ▁units ▁were ▁transferred ▁to ▁ 1 2 6 th ▁Naval ▁Infantry