In early 2024, Team K73 arrived in Pailin, Cambodia to search for their comrades who laid down their lives during the past war in the country. The locality changed much, causing difficulties for the search and collection work.
Colonel Tran Chi Cong, Head of Team K73, said that in Pailin, the people who know the sacrifice places of the Vietnamese troops are now aged and have poor memory, resulting in the incorrect positions of remains of fallen troops. Therefore, the team must search wide areas, taking a lot of time and effort. However, despites numerous hardships and difficulties, the team keeps searching for remains of their fallen comrades.
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Remains of a fallen Vietnamese volunteer troop collected by Team K73 in Pailin province, Cambodia |
Recently, based on the information provided by Uc Chan, a local in Pailin province, the team found a set of remains on a hill in Stueng Trang commune, Sala Krau district with important belongings, including shells, canvas, especially intact teeth which would later help identify the martyr and his relatives.
Uc Chan said that he accidentally found the remains when farming on the hill and reported to the local authorities. “I am happy since it is remains of a Vietnamese soldier. Thank you for helping us in the past war. Finding remains of Vietnamese troops is a way for us to express gratitude to those who laid down their lives for our nation,” he said.
In the second stage of 2023-2024 dry season, 25 officers and soldiers from Team K73 carried out missions in Phlov Meas village, Phlov Meas commune, Rotanak Mondol district, Battambang province. There, they dug dozens of two-meter deep holes in an attempt to find any remains of martyrs. A set of remains found meant many other sets were buried here. Their efforts were paid off. After more than 3 months, 30 sets of remains of Vietnamese volunteer troops and advisors were found. The provincial specialized committee and monks and nuns of Phnom Chambang Pagoda solemnly held a handover ceremony and requiem for the remains before their repatriation.
In Svay Rieng province, Team K73 has been searching for remains of martyrs for more than 20 years, so the information about graves is becoming less. In this stage, the team was accompanied by veterans from Hanoi and Svay Reing provincial cooperation team. Therefore, after 20 days searching in the forests of the province, the joint team found the remains of a martyr.
Sets of remains found in Cambodia are reburied at the War Cemetery of Vinh Hung - Tan Hung inter-districts, Long An province.
Team K73 will continue their journey to find remains of their comrades in the future, the Uncle Ho’s soldiers - “Buddha’s soldiers” who laid down their lives while doing international missions.
Translated by Mai Huong