Vietnam to exhume three mass‑grave sites of Tet Offensive dead in Ho Chi Minh City

Vietnam’s national steering committee for locating and identifying war dead (Committee 515) held a verification workshop on 8 June 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City. Experts and witnesses confirmed the existence of three mass‑grave trenches containing an estimated 900 soldiers who died during the Tet Offensive of February 1968. The graves are located in the former Chí Hòa cemetery, now Le Thi Rieng Park.

The study, led by Major Bùi Yên Tĩnh and spanning eight years (2018‑2026), combined archival photographs, satellite imagery, pre‑ and post‑1975 maps, military reports, and testimonies from witnesses such as Nguyễn Thành Phước and Võ Huy Thịnh. Technical analysis linked three historic photographs to the park’s location, establishing the precise time and events of the burials.

Vice‑Premier Phạm Thị Thanh Trà announced that the city government, Ministry of Defence, Military Region 7 and other agencies will coordinate a scientific, careful excavation and identification effort. A detailed work plan is to be drafted immediately, with the goal of completing preparatory steps by early July 2026.