Vietnam conducts nationwide campaign to recover war martyrs' remains

Vietnam is conducting a large-scale “500-day campaign” to search for, recover, and identify the remains of war martyrs. This nationwide initiative aims to bring fallen soldiers home to their families and hometowns, serving as a major effort toward the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day in 2027.

Significant recovery efforts are occurring across several regions. In Ho Chi Minh City, authorities have recovered 739 sets of remains at Le Thi Rieng Park, including 731 martyrs honored in a recent ceremony. In Can Tho, 120 sets of remains were interred at the city's martyrs cemetery. In the northern border region, 93 sets of remains from the Vi Xuyen battlefield were recovered and laid to rest at the Vi Xuyen National Martyrs Cemetery.

In Gia Lai province, local military units and residents have successfully recovered 24 sets of remains, including those identified through personal artifacts and handwritten aluminum markers. The campaign utilizes scientific advancements and DNA testing, with a goal to sample approximately 230,000 unidentified graves and perform DNA testing on 18,000 samples.