Le Thi Rieng Park artifacts aid identification of 1968 martyrs

During the search for martyr remains at Le Thi Rieng Park, authorities discovered nine scarves along with other artifacts such as belts, sandals, and combs. Some of these scarves, which feature similar patterns, were found within mass graves.

These items are being used as clues to help identify martyrs who died during the 1968 Tet Offensive. The discovery of multiple similar scarves has raised questions about whether they were personal items or served as identification signals for Saigon Commandos operating in secret.

Nguyen Thi Phuong, a former Saigon Commando and secretary to Major General Tran Hai Phung, noted a distinction between the common 'khan ran' (checkered scarves) used in rural bases and the checkered scarves found at the park. She explained that while scarves were used for daily tasks or to hide faces for secrecy, there was no universal convention for their use as identifiers.