Vietnam uses ground‑penetrating radar to locate mass grave of 70‑90 soldiers in Quảng Ngãi

In early June, Vietnam’s Ministry of Defence dispatched experts and ground‑penetrating radar to the Truong Chinh road corridor in Quảng Ngãi province to search for a collective burial site of 70‑90 soldiers from the 1968 conflict. Deputy Director Phạm Thị Thanh Vân of the Central Logistics and Engineering Institute explained that the radar, operating on electromagnetic signal reflection similar to ultrasound, can scan to depths of about 6 m and differentiate objects such as roots, pipes, and concrete. The technology, previously used for urban infrastructure surveys, is being applied for the first time to locate war remains.

The operation focuses on the Kon Tum and Đăk Cấm wards, where earlier evidence suggests the presence of burial trenches. Researchers from the University of Natural Sciences, Ho Chi Minh City, alongside Vietnamese‑American teams, are providing technical support and analyzing radar slices to pinpoint anomalies like water channels or burial pits. The effort is part of the national “500‑day campaign” to identify and repatriate war casualties, which has already recovered 30 bodies in the area through prior excavations. The search aims to narrow excavation zones, reduce manual labor, and accelerate the identification of the soldiers’ remains.