5 sets of war martyrs' remains found at Ho Chi Minh City's Le Thi Rieng Park after 58 years

The update was provided by Nguyen Manh Cuong, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and head of Ho Chi Minh City's 515 Steering Committee, which oversees the search, recovery, and identification of war martyrs' remains, during a ceremony launching the search and recovery operation on Monday.

According to Cuong, the search area was identified through the analysis of valuable historical records, photographs obtained from overseas, satellite imagery, military maps, archival documents from Vietnam and abroad, field surveys, and information cross-checked from multiple sources.

Authorities also located eyewitnesses who had directly witnessed the mass burial of liberation soldiers and patriotic civilians following the 1968 Tet General Offensive and Uprising.

Their testimonies helped verify and clarify key historical details, providing a stronger basis for identifying the locations of suspected mass graves.

Authorities also conducted surveys using modern scientific methods, including ground-penetrating radar, electrical resistivity measurements, and geophysical analysis.

The surveys identified several underground anomalies consistent with historical records and eyewitness accounts.

Based on those findings, the 515 Steering Committee coordinated with the Military Region 7 Steering Committee to begin exploratory excavations.

After two days, search teams discovered a burial trench approximately 25 meters long and three meters wide with five sets of remains, a military poncho, and several personal artifacts.

"The discovery of the burial trench is only the beginning. A great deal of work remains, and it must be carried out with the highest sense of responsibility, utmost caution, scientific rigor, and absolute respect for the fallen martyrs," Cuong said.

The 515 Steering Committee said it would continue the search, excavation, and recovery of remains in accordance with professional procedures while preserving artifacts and related evidence.

It will also expand the use of science and technology throughout the search, recovery, and identification process; and strengthen public awareness efforts while encouraging organizations, individuals, veterans, and historical witnesses both in Vietnam and overseas to provide additional information.

Addressing the ceremony, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said he was deeply moved to attend the launch of the search and recovery mission for the remains of heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives during the 1968 Tet General Offensive and Uprising.

He described the event as a sacred occasion reflecting the gratitude of the Party, the state, and the Vietnamese people toward those who devoted their youth and lives for the country's independence and freedom.

The prime minister said the Party and the state have consistently attached great importance to policies honoring people who rendered service to the revolution, adding that searching for, recovering, and identifying the remains of fallen soldiers are important tasks.

"For many families of fallen soldiers, the war has never truly ended because they are still waiting for news of their loved ones. We must make every possible effort to find the martyrs and return them to their families and hometowns," he said.

He noted that under the national 500-day campaign to accelerate the search, recovery, and identification of martyrs' remains, Ho Chi Minh City authorities had intensified efforts to analyze historical documents and scientific evidence, combine witness testimony with modern technology, and rapidly identify and investigate suspected mass grave sites at Le Thi Rieng Park.

On behalf of the government, PM Hung commended the persistence and dedication of relevant agencies, professional agencies, witnesses, organizations, and individuals whose contributions have given hope to thousands of families across the country.

The prime minister said the search and recovery of martyrs' remains must be conducted systematically, scientifically, safely, and meticulously, with the highest level of responsibility.

Ho Chi Minh City should closely coordinate with the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Public Security to maximize available resources and step up the application of science and technology, particularly DNA testing, to speed up the identification of the martyrs' remains, the government leader added.

He also urged the city, the Ministry of National Defense, and the Military Region 7 Command to promptly review and scientifically analyze historical records and data related to major battles and military campaigns, particularly those conducted in 1968 and 1972.

He also called for greater use of witness testimony and modern technology to verify information and identify additional locations that may contain mass graves.

PM Hung expressed confidence that the search mission at Le Thi Rieng Park would be successfully completed and said the experience gained would help accelerate efforts to locate and recover other mass graves across the country.

He also called on people throughout Vietnam, overseas Vietnamese, and veterans who served in Vietnam to continue providing information to support the search.