# Vietnam 500-day war-dead identification campaign (Sept 2026) > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-war-dead-identification-effort > Updated: 2026-09-10T08:57:00.000Z. Sources: 59. Developments: 109. The nationwide “500-day-night” campaign to identify war dead continues to expand across Vietnam and Laos. As of late August 2026, authorities had collected 2,014 sets of remains across Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. In Ho Chi Minh City, search teams at Le Thi Rieng Park have recovered 605 sets of martyr remains since June. Recent operations involved processing over 300 cubic meters of soil, including the discovery of a second burial trench that yielded four additional remains. In Da Nang, authorities recovered remains and personal artifacts, such as a military badge and clothing, in Tra Giap commune. In Quang Ngai, investigators found engraved spoons in unidentified graves to assist identification. In Bac Ninh, provincial officials inspected sampling processes at Dong Lo and Bac Ly cemeteries. Efforts in Hiep Hoa and Xuan Cam communes are focusing on the excavation and biological sampling of unidentified graves, with an emphasis on using digital transformation to facilitate data comparison. In Quang Tri, a workshop was held in the Con Tien area to verify historical information and witness testimonies to refine future search plans. Meanwhile, in Dong Nai, 4,618 samples were handed over for DNA testing at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. This is part of a larger movement involving over 13,500 biological samples being transported to Hanoi for identification. International missions for the 2026-2027 dry season remain active in Laos, with teams deployed to Khammuane, Bolikhamsay, and Vientiane Capital provinces. ## Claims - The 500‑day‑night campaign had recovered a total of 1,488 martyr remains by 25 July 2026, including 1,024 from Laos and Cambodia. (disputed by 4 sources) - The campaign has recovered 1,563 sets of fallen soldiers’ remains. (disputed by 4 sources) - The Vietnamese government reported a total of 488 war dead bodies recovered across Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as part of the 500‑day search campaign. (disputed) - The 79th anniversary of War Invalids‑Martyrs Day was observed on 27 July 2026. (corroborated by 19 sources) - Xaysomphone Phomvihane passed away on August 8, 2026, at 11:18 AM. (corroborated by 8 sources) - National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man led a delegation to Le Thi Rieng Park on 26 July 2026 to lay flowers and incense. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The televised ceremony “Sao sáng dẫn đường” was broadcast on 26 July 2026 from four locations: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Tuyên Quang and Quảng Trị. (corroborated by 6 sources) - General Secretary and President To Lam attended the ceremony in Hanoi. (corroborated by 6 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-09-10: Vietnam transports 13,563 remains samples to Hanoi for DNA testing Vietnam has transported 13,563 remains samples from southern provinces to Hanoi via military aircraft for DNA testing to identify fallen soldiers. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-military-aircraft-transports-13563-martyr-remains-for-dna-testing ### 2026-09-10: Bac Ninh officials inspect martyr remains sampling process Bac Ninh officials inspected the sampling of unidentified martyr remains for DNA testing to aid in identification efforts through digital and scientific methods. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bac-ninh-officials-inspect-martyr-remains-sampling-for-dna-identification ### 2026-09-08: Vietnam conducts memorial services and martyr remains recovery efforts Vietnam conducts various memorial services for flood victims and intensive efforts to recover and identify martyr remains across multiple provinces, alongside maritime patrols to combat IUU fishing. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/le-thi-rieng-park-discovery-of-new-martyr-grave-trenches ### 2026-09-08: Vietnam recovers martyr remains and artifacts for DNA identification Vietnamese authorities are recovering martyr remains and personal artifacts, including photos and wallets, to facilitate DNA identification and locate surviving relatives in Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-authorities-recover-relics-to-identify-unknown-war-martyrs ### 2026-09-06: Vietnam launches missions to recover martyr remains in Laos Vietnamese military teams from Quang Tri and Ha Tinh provinces have begun missions to recover the remains of fallen volunteers and experts in Laos for the 2026-2027 dry season. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-missions-to-recover-martyr-remains-in-laos ### 2026-09-06: Vietnam military teams recover war martyr remains in Tuyen Quang and Quang Tri Military search teams in Vietnam have recovered several sets of war martyr remains in Tuyen Quang and Quang Tri provinces, utilizing veteran accounts and construction site discoveries. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-military-teams-recover-war-martyr-remains-in-tuyen-quang-and-quang-tri ### 2026-09-05: Vietnam recovers personal artifacts to identify unidentified martyrs Vietnamese authorities are recovering personal items, such as wallets and jewelry, from unidentified martyrs' graves to aid DNA testing and identity verification processes. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-recovers-personal-artifacts-to-identify-unidentified-martyrs ### 2026-09-03: Vietnamese provinces launch missions to recover martyr remains in Laos Vietnamese provinces Thanh Hoa and Quang Tri have deployed teams to Laos to recover the remains of Vietnamese martyrs during the 2026-2027 dry season. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnamese-provinces-launch-missions-to-recover-martyr-remains-in-laos ### 2026-09-03: Vietnam returns wartime records and continues search for soldier remains Vietnam authorities are returning historical wartime documents to officials in Lao Cai and deploying teams to Cambodia to continue the search and exhumation of Vietnamese soldier remains. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-returns-wartime-records-and-continues-search-for-soldier-remains ### 2026-09-03: Le Thi Rieng Park: 564 sets of martyr remains recovered The Ho Chi Minh City Command has recovered 564 sets of martyr remains at Le Thi Rieng Park since June 23, including 263 sets with artifacts, as excavation efforts continue in the park's Area B. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/le-thi-rieng-park-564-sets-of-martyr-remains-recovered ### 2026-09-01: Vietnam launches missions to recover martyrs' remains in Cambodia Vietnamese military teams K90, K92, and K93 are launching new missions to search for and repatriate the remains of Vietnamese volunteers and experts from various provinces in Cambodia. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-missions-to-recover-martyrs-remains-in-cambodia ### 2026-08-27: Vietnam 500-day campaign recovers over 2,000 martyr remains Vietnam's 500-day campaign has recovered 2,014 sets of martyr remains across Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, with intensive DNA sampling underway to identify the fallen. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-continues-recovery-of-war-martyr-remains ### 2026-08-25: Vietnam transfers 7,000 war martyr remains for DNA identification Over 7,000 bone samples from war martyrs have been transported to Hanoi for DNA analysis to assist in their identification. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-transfers-7000-war-martyr-remains-for-dna-identification ### 2026-08-22: Vietnam launches large-scale DNA sampling campaign to identify fallen soldiers Vietnam is conducting a major campaign to identify fallen soldiers by collecting DNA samples from remains in Hue and Tay Ninh for forensic testing at the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-large-scale-dna-sampling-campaign-to-identify-fallen-soldiers ### 2026-08-19: Vietnam intensifies DNA testing to identify war martyrs Vietnam is conducting a nationwide effort to identify war martyrs, transporting thousands of biological samples from various provinces to specialized institutes for DNA testing and identification. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-transfers-over-1600-martyr-remains-for-dna-testing ### 2026-08-18: Vinh Long begins search for martyr remains at city park Vinh Long authorities have begun excavating Vinh Long City Park to recover the remains of soldiers lost during the 1968 Tet Offensive, guided by veteran testimonies and a nationwide search campaign. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vinh-long-authorities-search-for-1968-tet-offensive-martyr-remains ### 2026-08-17: Vietnam advances DNA sampling to identify fallen soldiers Vietnam is advancing efforts to identify fallen soldiers, with Ho Chi Minh City completing DNA sampling for over 9,800 graves and An Giang discovering personal artifacts to aid identification. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-advances-dna-sampling-to-identify-fallen-soldiers ### 2026-08-15: Vietnam and Cambodia to intensify search for war martyrs' remains Vietnam and Cambodia are intensifying joint efforts to search for and repatriate Vietnamese soldiers' remains from the war, while local searches continue in Ho Chi Minh City. 17 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/le-thi-rieng-park-321-martyrs-remains-recovered-in-ho-chi-minh-city ### 2026-08-13: Vietnam seeks U.S. assistance to identify war dead Vietnam is seeking U.S. support to accelerate the identification of war dead by requesting declassified records, veteran information, and advanced DNA sequencing technologies from the DPAA. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-to-study-250-major-battles-to-identify-fallen-soldiers ### 2026-08-11: Vietnam search teams recover more martyr remains in Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City Search teams in Dong Nai and Ho Chi Minh City have recovered additional martyr remains, including new mass graves discovered at Le Thi Rieng Park. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-search-teams-recover-more-martyr-remains-in-dong-nai-and-ho-chi-minh-city ### 2026-08-09: Vietnam recovers 245 sets of martyr remains at Le Thi Rieng Park Vietnam is conducting extensive efforts to recover and identify martyr remains, including the discovery of 245 sets of remains at Le Thi Rieng Park and a surge in public information via a national hotline. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-recovers-245-sets-of-martyr-remains-at-le-thi-rieng-park ### 2026-08-05: Da Nang Military Command verifies 17 suspected war dead Da Nang’s military command reviewed evidence that 17 remains found in 1994 may be war martyrs, with witnesses confirming the discovery and subsequent re‑burials, but official identification remains pending. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/da-nang-military-command-verifies-17-suspected-war-dead ### 2026-08-05: Vietnam advances 500‑day campaign to recover war martyrs' remains Vietnam’s 500‑day campaign recovered 519 remains in Ho Chi Minh City and 511 in Tay Ninh, with DNA sampling of over 16,000 graves and cooperation with Cambodia to identify war martyrs. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-advances-500day-campaign-to-recover-war-martyrs-remains ### 2026-08-04: Vietnam locates 197 war dead remains at Le Thi Rieng Park Vietnamese forces recovered 197 war dead remains at Le Thi Rieng Park and repatriated 511 remains from Cambodia, while additional remains were found in Da Nẵng and Gia Lai, with DNA testing underway. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/197-martyr-remains-recovered-at-le-thi-rieng-park-ho-chi-minh-city ### 2026-08-03: Vietnam War mass graves identified in Dong Nai and Tay Ninh Vietnamese forensic teams K72 and K71 have uncovered mass graves in Dong Nai and Tay Ninh, recovering dozens of soldier remains from the 1960s, including a set likely belonging to Võ Văn Phú. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-war-mass-graves-identified-in-dong-nai-and-tay-ninh ### 2026-08-02: Da Nang war grave excavation uncovers artifacts, helps identify fallen soldiers Excavations at Da Nang’s Bắc Trà My war cemetery uncovered plaques, a leather belt, a plastic‑pressed ID card for Nguyễn Văn Dục and other artifacts, aiding DNA‑based identification of fallen soldiers. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/da-nang-war-grave-excavation-uncovers-artifacts-helps-identify-fallen-soldiers ### 2026-08-01: Vietnam's 500‑Day Night Campaign Finds Over 1,500 War Hero Remains Vietnam's 500‑day night campaign has identified 1,563 war hero remains (including in Laos and Cambodia) and nine collective graves, with DNA sampling at nearly 89 000 graves and a nationwide SMS outreach effort 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-500day-night-campaign-finds-over-1500-war-hero-remains ### 2026-07-31: Đội K72 uncovers new artifacts in Minh Đức war graves, Vietnam Team K72 of Dong Nai uncovered pens, a comb and photos with engraved names in Minh Đức war graves, seeking families' help to identify the fallen soldiers. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/i-k72-uncovers-new-artifacts-in-minh-c-war-graves-vietnam ### 2026-07-30: Ho Chi Minh City expands search at Le Thi Rieng Park, discovers 5 more war‑martyr remains Ho Chi Minh City’s military command has excavated a second trench at Le Thi Rieng Park, finding five more war‑martyr remains and bringing the total to 155 sets, with plans to move the memorial and continue digs 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-expands-search-at-le-thi-rieng-park-discovers-5-more-warmartyr-remains ### 2026-07-29: Vietnam recovers 1,563 fallen soldiers’ remains in 500‑day campaign Vietnam’s 500‑day campaign has recovered 1,563 fallen soldiers’ remains (539 Vietnam, 174 Laos, 850 Cambodia), found nine mass graves, and sampled DNA from over 88,000 graves. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-500day-night-campaign-finds-over-1500-war-remains ### 2026-07-28: Vietnam's Martyrs' Day Drives Efforts to Identify Hundreds of Missing War Victims Vietnam's Martyrs' Day ceremony highlighted the push to identify hundreds of missing war victims, with ICMP support and a 500‑day effort that recovered 1,488 remains. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-martyrs-day-drives-efforts-to-identify-hundreds-of-missing-war-victims ### 2026-07-28: Vietnam speeds up DNA sampling of unidentified war heroes before rainy season Vietnam's Quảng Ngãi and An Giang provinces intensify DNA sampling of unidentified war dead, uncovering personal artifacts and forming new teams to finish before the rainy season. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-speeds-up-dna-sampling-of-unidentified-war-heroes-before-rainy-season ### 2026-07-27: Vietnam and Laos bring home remains of 12 Vietnamese soldiers Vietnam and Laos have recovered 174 Vietnamese war remains, including 12 handed over in May 2025, and renewed a joint agreement in July 2026 to continue searching and repatriating all fallen volunteers. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-and-laos-bring-home-remains-of-12-vietnamese-soldiers ### 2026-07-27: Vietnam holds nationwide ceremonies to honor war heroes on July 27 Vietnam commemorated war heroes on July 27 with nationwide bell‑drum ceremonies, shrine visits by officials, and tribute meals prepared for mothers of martyrs. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-holds-nationwide-ceremonies-to-honor-war-heroes-on-july-27 ### 2026-07-26: Vietnam marks 79th War Invalids and Martyrs Day with nationwide ceremonies Vietnam marked the 79th War Invalids and Martyrs Day with a nationwide TV programme, a 500‑day‑night recovery campaign reporting 1,488 remains found, free flu‑vaccine distribution and legal reforms recognising 26 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-party-and-state-leaders-honor-heroic-martyrs-on-79th-war-invalids-day ### 2026-07-26: Vietnam discovers two leather wallets with photos in Dong Nai mass grave Team K72 uncovered six soldier remains and two leather wallets with photos at a Dong Nai mass grave, aiding identification of fallen troops and families. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-discovers-two-leather-wallets-with-photos-in-dong-nai-mass-grave ### 2026-07-26: Vietnam ramps up DNA sampling to identify unidentified war dead Vietnam accelerates DNA sampling and field excavations to identify thousands of unidentified war dead, with provincial drives in Cà Mau, Ho Chi Minh City and Dong Nai under a national 500‑day‑night campaign. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-launches-citywide-dna-collection-from-families-of-unidentified-war-martyrs ### 2026-07-25: Vietnam's 500‑Day‑Night Campaign Finds 1,488 War Dead Remains Vietnam’s 500‑Day‑Night campaign has recovered 1,488 war dead across Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, with ongoing digs, DNA work and nationwide memorials as 175,000 remain unidentified. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/qung-tr-province-recovers-10-war-dead-remains-at-cu-nhi-site ### 2026-07-24: Vietnam families locate war hero graves after decades of searching Vietnam teacher Nguyễn Sỹ Hồ digitized war tomb data, aiding families, while DNA testing returned martyr Nguyễn Trọng Cát’s remains home after 54 years. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-families-locate-war-hero-graves-after-decades-of-searching ### 2026-07-24: Vietnam awards heroic mother titles and advances search for unidentified war remains Vietnam honored four heroic mothers and eight fallen soldiers in Cà Mau while Lào Cai accelerated a campaign to identify unknown war remains and support affected families. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-honors-war-mothers-and-intensifies-search-for-missing-soldiers-remains ### 2026-07-24: Vietnam restores war hero portraits for families Vietnamese volunteers restored over 60 war‑hero photos in Hai Phong and 19 more in Ho Chi Minh, letting families see their loved ones’ faces again, sparking emotional reunions. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-families-honored-with-recovered-portraits-of-fallen-war-heroes-after-60-years ### 2026-07-23: Vietnam's Military Holds 'Promise to Mother' Ceremony Honoring War Heroes Vietnam staged the ‘Promise to Mother’ ceremony on July 23 in Hanoi, honoring war heroes and advancing a 500‑day campaign to locate and identify missing soldiers. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-military-holds-promise-to-mother-ceremony-honoring-war-heroes ### 2026-07-23: Vingroup pledges 11 trillion dong for veteran housing and DNA identification in Vietnam Vingroup will spend 11 trillion dong on homes for veteran mothers, monthly support for martyrs' children, and modern DNA testing to ID war remains, with rollout through July 2027. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vingroup-pledges-11-trillion-dong-for-veteran-housing-and-dna-identification-in-vietnam ### 2026-07-23: Vietnam expands search after second mass grave found at Ho Chi Minh City park Vietnamese forces have uncovered a second mass grave at Ho Chi Minh City’s Le Thị Riêng Park and are expanding searches, while a collective tomb in Minh Đức, Đồng Nai, was also located after civilians found a 7 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-expands-search-after-second-mass-grave-found-at-ho-chi-minh-city-park ### 2026-07-23: Vietnam provinces collect DNA to identify unknown war dead Vietnamese provinces Đắk Lắk and Khánh Hòa are collecting DNA from relatives of unknown war dead to identify missing soldiers, involving thousands of families and sending samples to Hanoi for analysis. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-provinces-collect-dna-to-identify-unknown-war-dead ### 2026-07-23: Vietnam marks 79th Veterans Day with mass ceremonies and war‑dead recovery Vietnam’s 79th Veterans Day saw mass ceremonies, a live TV tribute and the 500‑day‑night campaign recovering 1 488 war‑dead remains, including at Le Thi Rieng Park and Hang Da Sáp. 23 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-sao-sng-dn-ng-tv-program-honors-war-martyrs-and-ramps-up-id-efforts ### 2026-07-22: Vietnam's VNeID app adds feature to connect relatives of martyrs Vietnam's VNeID app now offers a 'Connect martyrs' relatives' feature, enabling level‑2 ID users to search martyrs, submit kinship proof and assist DNA identification of unidentified remains. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-vneid-adds-warmartyr-family-lookup-feature ### 2026-07-21: Dong Nai Search Teams Uncover Two Collective War Graves in Minh Duc Team K72 in Dong Nai uncovered two collective war graves in Minh Đức, finding weapons and personal items that will aid DNA identification of anti‑American soldiers. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/dong-nai-search-teams-uncover-two-collective-war-graves-in-minh-duc ### 2026-07-20: Vietnam expands DNA sampling to identify war martyrs Vietnam’s 500‑day DNA campaign gathers thousands of samples and recovers remains across Hanoi, Tuyen Quang, Huế, Da Nẵng and other provinces to identify over 175,000 unknown war martyrs. 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-advances-dna-program-to-identify-unidentified-war-dead ### 2026-07-20: Vietnam marks 80th Veteran‑Marty Day with provincial visits and national steering committee plan Vietnam officials visited veteran families in An Giang and Ho Chi Minh City while a national steering committee issued a decree to organise the 80th Veteran‑Marty Day celebrations. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-marks-80th-veteranmarty-day-with-provincial-visits-and-national-steering-committee-plan ### 2026-07-20: Vietnam war veterans honored in Quảng Trị and Hà Tĩnh Vietnam commemorated its war veterans in July 2026 with ceremonies at Quảng Trị’s Trường Sơn cemetery and a charity program delivering gifts and building homes for families in Hà Tĩnh. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-war-veterans-honored-in-qung-tr-and-h-tnh ### 2026-07-20: Bệnh viện K76A search mobilizes Ho Chi Minh City to locate war heroes Ho Chi Minh City’s 500‑day drive seeks remains of soldiers buried near the former K76A Hospital, urging public help to locate and identify the missing war heroes after 60 years. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-seeks-witnesses-for-21-missing-war-soldiers-at-hospital-k76a ### 2026-07-18: Alex Võ Đình Thái explains US Vietnam War archive work to locate missing soldiers Alex Võ Đình Thái details how US Vietnam War archives are digitised and cross‑referenced with satellite maps and Vietnamese partners to identify missing soldiers, returning documents to families. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/alex-v-nh-thi-explains-us-vietnam-war-archive-work-to-locate-missing-soldiers ### 2026-07-18: Vietnam honors war heroes through remains searches, ceremonies and tributes Vietnam commemorates war heroes: veteran searches in Quảng Trị, exhumations in Ho Chi Minh, a ceremony for 600 Cambodia‑mission soldiers, Party leaders visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, and a TV program on July 7 8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-returns-fallen-soldiers-remains-and-launches-tv-tribute-for-war-heroes ### 2026-07-18: Vietnam's 500‑Day Campaign Accelerates War Martyrs Identification Vietnam's 500‑day campaign to locate and identify war martyrs has recovered over 100 remains, exhumed thousands of graves and collected thousands of DNA samples across the country. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-ramps-up-dna-collection-to-identify-unknown-war-martyrs ### 2026-07-18: Vietnam Parliament Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn pledges higher veteran benefits Vietnam’s parliament chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn visited veterans in Ho Chi Minh City, promised higher subsidies, and said a new decree expanding benefits for veterans and families will be ready by 2027. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-commemorates-79th-veterans-and-martyrs-day-with-nationwide-ceremonies ### 2026-07-18: Two Vietnamese war hero remains recovered in Quang Tri province Two soldiers from the 968th Division were found in Quảng Trị province with personal artifacts; remains moved to a community cultural house for preservation and further identification. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/two-vietnamese-war-hero-remains-recovered-in-quang-tri-province ### 2026-07-17: Vietnam President To Lam visits Lê Thị Riêng Park to oversee mass‑grave search President To Lam visited Lê Thị Riêng Park to inspect the excavation of a 1968 mass grave, while families and veterans pray for the remains of fallen soldiers. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-continues-search-for-fallen-soldiers-remains-in-ho-chi-minh-city-park ### 2026-07-16: Mass burial site uncovered in Đồng Nai, Vietnam Vietnam’s Đồng Nai city team uncovers a collective grave in Minh Đức, finding an AK‑47, pens with “Tiến Quy”, shoes and other war relics; officials will exhumate remains soon. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/mass-burial-site-uncovered-in-ng-nai-vietnam ### 2026-07-16: Vietnam to digitise 72,000 war‑era “đi B” records and artifacts Vietnam plans to digitise over 72,000 war‑era “đi B” records, preserving them for families and the public. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-to-digitise-72000-warera-i-b-records-and-artifacts ### 2026-07-16: Vietnam's 500‑Day Night Campaign Advances War Hero Remains Identification Vietnam’s 500‑day night campaign is underway in Lâm Đồng and Thái Nguyên, extracting DNA from thousands of war‑hero graves and carefully restoring the sites. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-prime-minister-honors-war-veterans-and-expands-dna-identification-of-fallen-soldiers ### 2026-07-15: Ho Chi Minh City collects 93 martyr remains at Le Thi Rieng Park Ho Chi Minh City’s military team recovered 93 martyr remains, two collective remains and relics from Le Thi Rieng Park by 15 July 2026. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-collects-93-martyr-remains-at-le-thi-rieng-park ### 2026-07-15: Vietnam PM Le Minh Hung calls for continued care of revolutionary veterans Vietnam’s PM Le Minh Hung visited a war‑invalids centre, urging ministries to keep supporting revolutionary veterans, noting recent recovery of 1,300 martyr remains and expanded gratitude policies. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-pm-le-minh-hung-calls-for-continued-care-of-revolutionary-veterans ### 2026-07-14: Vietnam Politburo member Tran Cam Tu visits wounded veterans in Nghe An On July 15, 2026, Vietnam Politburo member Tran Cam Tu visited the Nghe An War Invalids Nursing Centre, gifting wounded veterans, praising their sacrifice and urging continued support as part of the 79th War Im 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-politburo-member-tran-cam-tu-visits-wounded-veterans-in-nghe-an ### 2026-07-14: Vietnam pushes soldier identification and sustainable development reforms Vietnam repatriated fallen soldiers and Indian tourists, built a DNA database for identification, began canal rehab and digital reforms, and marked 40 years of Doi Moi with a push for green, sustainable growth. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-pushes-soldier-identification-and-sustainable-development-reforms ### 2026-07-14: Vietnam leaders honor war veterans on 79th anniversary Vietnam’s top officials visited veteran centres and memorials on the 79th War Invalids‑Martyrs Day, delivering gifts, urging policy review and highlighting the ongoing campaign to identify missing martyrs. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-pm-l-minh-hng-visits-lao-cai-to-honor-war-heroes-discuss-development ### 2026-07-13: Vietnam recovers dozens of fallen soldiers' remains in Cambodia Vietnamese teams recovered 27 and 14 soldiers' remains in Cambodia, part of a 500‑day campaign to repatriate fallen volunteers. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-recovers-dozens-of-fallen-soldiers-remains-in-cambodia ### 2026-07-13: Ho Chi Minh City launches free restoration of martyrs' photos Ho Chi Minh City Command and police offer free restoration and digitisation of martyrs' photos, using volunteers from TeamLee, as part of a 500‑day campaign to locate and honour war heroes ahead of the 80th War 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-launches-free-restoration-of-martyrs-photos ### 2026-07-13: Ho Chi Minh City uncovers 20 more war hero remains at Lê Thị Riêng Park Ho Chi Minh City’s search at Lê Thị Riêng Park added 20 war‑hero remains on 13 July, bringing the total to 69, with DNA work ongoing to identify the fallen. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-uncovers-20-more-war-hero-remains-at-l-th-ring-park ### 2026-07-12: Quảng Ngãi ramps up DNA sampling of war dead before Dec 22 deadline Vietnam’s Defence Ministry deputy urged Quảng Ngãi province to finish DNA sampling of war casualties by Dec 22, after the province uncovered three remains and secured 927 DNA samples from 1,139 graves, while ph 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/qung-ngi-ramps-up-dna-sampling-of-war-dead-before-dec-22-deadline ### 2026-07-12: Da Nang recovers remains of five war heroes from Hang Đá Sập after 50 years Da Nang’s military recovered five war‑hero remains from Hang Đá Sập, a 1969 bomb‑collapsed cave, after more than 50 years of excavation. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/da-nang-recovers-remains-of-five-war-heroes-from-hang-sp-after-50-years ### 2026-07-11: Vietnam Vice President Võ Thị Ánh Xuân Leads National War Hero Commemorations Vietnam’s Vice President led July ceremonies honoring war martyrs, while searches for missing soldiers continued and Da Nang’s Mother Thứ monument drew thousands of emotional visitors. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-vice-president-v-th-nh-xun-leads-national-war-hero-commemorations ### 2026-07-10: Vietnam intensifies 500‑day DNA campaign to identify war martyrs Vietnam's 500‑day campaign intensifies DNA sampling and exhumations across provinces to identify thousands of unknown war martyrs. 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-phu-tho-dna-collection-drive-seeks-to-identify-fallen-soldiers ### 2026-07-10: Ho Chi Minh City uncovers 49 war dead remains at Le Thi Rieng Park Ho Chi Minh City’s search at Le Thi Rieng Park has recovered 49 war dead remains and a collective burial, with artifacts and DNA testing underway to identify soldiers from the 1968 Tet offensive. 9 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-uncovers-29-war-dead-at-le-thi-rieng-park ### 2026-07-10: Vietnam locates and DNA‑identifies unknown war dead from T29 battlefield and Dak Lak forest Vietnam's ongoing effort to locate and DNA‑identify unknown war dead sees 102 graves examined at Baoloc's T29 cemetery and two soldiers recovered from a forest in Đắk Lắk, aided by a 96‑year‑old local guide. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-locates-and-dnaidentifies-unknown-war-dead-from-t29-battlefield-and-dak-lak-forest ### 2026-07-09: Ho Chi Minh City receives US war archives to identify missing soldiers Ho Chi Minh City accepted US war documents and artifacts from Texas Tech's Vietnam War Missing Persons Initiative, boosting its 500‑day effort to locate and identify unknown soldiers. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-receives-us-war-archives-to-identify-missing-soldiers ### 2026-07-09: Ho Chi Minh City expands search for 1968 mass graves at Tan Son Nhat Airport Ho Chi Minh City is expanding excavation and using radar to locate a suspected 1968 mass grave on the western side of Tan Son Nhat Airport after receiving 50 public tips. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-expands-search-for-1968-mass-graves-at-tan-son-nhat-airport ### 2026-07-09: Vietnamese officials and artists honor war veterans with gifts in An Giang and Đồng Tháp Vietnamese artists and officials visited An Giang and Đồng Tháp on July 9, giving gifts and honoring war veterans and their families. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnamese-officials-and-artists-give-aid-to-war-veterans-in-mekong-delta ### 2026-07-08: Vietnam commemorates war heroes in Thanh Hóa and Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam honors war heroes as Deputy Prime Minister Lê Tiến Châu pays tribute to Ngô Thị Tuyến in Thanh Hóa, while Ho Chi Minh City residents light incense at Le Thi Rieng Park for unidentified martyrs. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-commemorates-war-heroes-in-thanh-ha-and-ho-chi-minh-city ### 2026-07-08: Vietnam's 500‑day campaign locates 1,312 war‑dead remains Vietnam's 500‑day campaign, backed by a July 2026 decree, has found 1,312 war‑dead remains (including in Laos and Cambodia) and is building a DNA gene‑bank to identify them. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-accelerates-search-and-dna-identification-of-war-dead ### 2026-07-08: Ho Chi Minh City Search Finds 29 War Remains at Lê Thị Riang Park Ho Chi Minh City teams uncovered 29 sets of war remains at Lê Thị Riang Park, using excavators and DNA testing in a 500‑day recovery drive. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-expands-search-for-war-hero-remains-at-le-thi-rieng-park ### 2026-07-08: Cà Mau sends 237 war‑dead samples to Hanoi for DNA identification Cà Mau province sent 237 unidentified war‑dead samples to Hanoi for DNA testing, part of a drive to identify all 3,382 unknown graves by early 2027. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/c-mau-sends-237-wardead-samples-to-hanoi-for-dna-identification ### 2026-07-06: Vietnamese military teams recover war dead remains in Laos and Cambodia Vietnamese military units in Laos and Cambodia have recovered war‑dead remains, with recent missions locating 170 bodies and total recoveries reaching 6,871 over 25 years, while also providing humanitarian aid. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnamese-military-teams-recover-war-dead-remains-in-laos-and-cambodia ### 2026-07-06: Nghệ An province collects 17,800 DNA samples from soldiers' families Nghệ An province gathered 17,831 DNA samples from soldiers' relatives in a week, aiming to identify over 22,000 unknown war dead. 5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ngh-an-province-collects-17800-dna-samples-from-soldiers-families ### 2026-07-06: Vietnam advances search for missing war martyrs in 500‑day night campaign Vietnam’s 500‑day night campaign has recovered over 1,300 war‑martyr remains, sampled 35,000 graves and is using DNA testing and modern tech, with teams in Laos and Cambodia. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-intensifies-500day-war-dead-search-in-ho-chi-minh-and-lao-cai ### 2026-07-05: Ho Chi Minh City military runs youth training and checks war hero identity Ho Chi Minh City’s military held a youth training camp for 130 children and is verifying the identity of war‑hero remains found in Lê Thị Rieng Park. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ho-chi-minh-city-military-runs-youth-training-and-checks-war-hero-identity ### 2026-07-05: Vietnam leaders Lê Minh Hưng and Nguyễn Văn Thắng honor fallen war heroes Vietnam's Lê Minh Hưng and Nguyễn Văn Thắng held ceremonies on 6 July 2026 in Ho Chi Minh City and central provinces, honoring thousands of war martyrs and historic sites. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-leaders-l-minh-hng-and-nguyn-vn-thng-honor-fallen-war-heroes ### 2026-07-05: Ho Chi Minh City uncovers multiple 1968 war mass graves at Lê Thị Riêng Park Ho Chi Minh City’s 2026 search at Lê Thị Riêng Park uncovered 11 war dead from 1968, identified one soldier, and launched a 500‑day campaign to locate all missing heroes. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-vicepremier-phm-th-thanh-tr-oversees-preparation-for-wardead-exhumation-ceremony ### 2026-07-02: Vietnam launches free elderly health checks and nationwide DNA drive for unidentified war dead Vietnam will provide free annual health checks for seniors in 2026 and has begun a nationwide DNA collection to identify unidentified war dead, alongside new housing, rail projects and rising tourism and FDI. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-free-elderly-health-checks-and-nationwide-dna-drive-for-unidentified-war-dead ### 2026-07-01: Vietnam's Quang Ninh and Thai Nguyen provinces gather DNA samples to identify unknown war dead Vietnam's Quang Ninh and Thai Nguyen provinces have collected 58 and 43 DNA samples respectively from unidentified war graves, advancing a national campaign to identify missing heroes. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnams-quang-ninh-and-thai-nguyen-provinces-gather-dna-samples-to-identify-unknown-war-dead ### 2026-06-30: Vietnamese Team K72 Returns 62 War Remains from Cambodia Vietnam’s Team K72 retrieved 62 remains of volunteer soldiers and experts from Cambodia’s Kratie and Kampong Thom provinces and returned them to Dong Nai for burial after a three‑month search. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnamese-team-k72-returns-62-war-remains-from-cambodia ### 2026-06-30: Vietnam accelerates DNA sampling of war dead in 500‑day identification campaign Vietnam's 500‑day campaign expands DNA sampling of war dead, with officials visiting Cần Thơ samplers and veterans like Lê Thị Tâm helping identify unknown soldiers. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-accelerates-dna-sampling-of-war-dead-in-500day-identification-campaign ### 2026-06-30: Vietnam Deputy Political Chief Lê Quang Minh Leads 500‑Day Search for War Martyrs' Remains Vietnam’s Lt Gen Lê Quang Minh inspected the 500‑day campaign to locate war martyrs’ remains in Ho Chi Minh City and Quảng Ngãi, praising forces and reporting one set of remains recovered. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-deputy-political-chief-l-quang-minh-leads-500day-search-for-war-martyrs-remains ### 2026-06-29: Vietnam Launches Nationwide DNA Campaign to Identify Missing Soldiers Vietnam has started a national DNA‑sampling drive to identify missing soldiers, with over 1,100 remains already recovered in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-nationwide-dna-campaign-to-identify-missing-soldiers ### 2026-06-28: Vietnam Advances Search for War Hero Remains in Quang Tri Province Vietnam’s Quang Tri Search Team recovered eight war‑hero remains, raising the season total to 151, and is conducting DNA tests to identify unknown soldiers. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-advances-search-for-war-hero-remains-in-quang-tri-province ### 2026-06-25: Vietnam expands DNA program to identify thousands of unknown war dead Vietnam ramps up DNA sampling of war remains and relatives in Dong Thap and Ninh Binh, aiming to identify thousands of unknown soldiers and close families' long‑standing gaps. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-expands-dna-program-to-identify-thousands-of-unknown-war-dead ### 2026-06-24: Hue city uses radar to locate possible mass graves of 1968 war dead Hue city and Vietnam’s Ministry of Defense used ground‑penetrating radar from June 25‑28 to survey three sites in the Imperial City, seeking collective graves of about 15 soldiers killed in the 1968 Spring Off‑ 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/hue-city-uses-radar-to-locate-possible-mass-graves-of-1968-war-dead ### 2026-06-24: Vietnam expands war‑dead search to Cambodia as effort to locate 3,000 remains intensifies Vietnam’s drive to locate 3,000 war‑dead remains ramps up, with DNA work identifying 25 martyrs and teams K92/K93 recovering 76 bodies—including 61 in Cambodia—despite tough terrain and aging witnesses. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-expands-wardead-search-to-cambodia-as-effort-to-locate-3000-remains-intensifies ### 2026-06-24: Vietnam launches national DNA campaign to identify missing war martyrs Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security launches a DNA‑sampling campaign, led by Vice‑Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, to identify over 175,000 missing war martyrs and build a national genetic database. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-launches-national-dna-campaign-to-identify-missing-war-martyrs ### 2026-06-24: Vietnam Police Launch Nationwide DNA Drive to Identify Unnamed War Martyrs Vietnam police are collecting 300,000 DNA samples to identify unnamed war martyrs, and the program has already helped confirm the identity of martyr Nguyễn Trọng Cát after 54 years. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/vietnam-police-launch-nationwide-dna-drive-to-identify-unnamed-war-martyrs --- Cite as: Vietnam 500-day war-dead identification campaign (Sept 2026). CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/vietnam-war-dead-identification-effort