On July 14, the Search and Recovery Team under the Ho Chi Minh City Command recovered five additional sets of martyrs’ remains and four groups of personal artifacts at Le Thi Rieng Park. The latest discovery has brought the total number of recovered remains at the site to 74 individual sets, one collective grave, and numerous personal belongings.
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Forces searching for martyrs’ remains at Le Thi Rieng Park |
Recovery teams continued excavations throughout the day despite challenging conditions and expanded operations to both ends of the burial trench on July 15.
At the same time, the Ho Chi Minh City Command is coordinating with Military Hospital 175 and relevant agencies to collect DNA samples from the recovered remains while also obtaining DNA samples from martyrs’ relatives to facilitate identification.
Also on July 14, Da Nang authorities held a memorial and burial ceremony in Ha Nha commune for five martyrs whose remains were recently recovered from the Da Sap Cave area.
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A view of memorial service for the fallen |
Historical records and witness accounts indicate that Da Sap Cave served as a storage site for food, weapons, and ammunition supporting the Quang Da battlefield during the resistance war against the U.S. imperialists. In late April 1969, heavy enemy attacks caused the cave entrance to collapse, burying many officers and soldiers inside.
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Lt. Gen. Le Ngoc Hai, Commander of Military Region 5, pays tribute to heroic martyrs. |
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Commander of Military Region 5 Lt. Gen. Le Ngoc Hai and Chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee Nguyen Manh Hung pay their respects as the martyrs are laid to rest. |
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The memorial and burial ceremony is conducted with solemnity and dignity. |
Based on collected documents, witness interviews, field surveys, and information verification, Military Region 5 directed the Da Nang Municipal Military Command to launch a search and recovery mission at the site. Despite the cave's confined space, poor lighting, unstable terrain, and hazardous conditions, recovery teams successfully located five sets of martyrs’ remains along with personal artifacts, including sandals, ballpoint pens, medicine bottles, ammunition, and other personal belongings.
More than half a century after their sacrifice, the fallen soldiers were laid to rest with full military honors in the presence of military leaders, local authorities, veterans, officers, soldiers, and residents.
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After more than half a century on the former battlefield, the fallen soldiers have finally returned to rest alongside their comrades. |
Search operations at Da Sap Cave will continue as authorities seek to recover additional remains, while recovery and DNA identification efforts in Ho Chi Minh City remain underway, reflecting Vietnam's continued commitment to locating, identifying, and honoring those who gave their lives for the country's independence and reunification.
Translated by Tran Hoai