PANO - More than half a century has passed, and the land of Cau Nhi in Nam Hai Lang commune, Quang Tri province, is now peaceful and covered in green grass. Yet beneath the tranquil soil remains a sacred place where 93 soldiers of Regiment 88, Division 308 fell during the fierce summer of 1972.

Because the battlefield was filled in after the fighting, traces of the old burial sites were buried deep underground, leaving generations of comrades and families with a decades-long search.

In early July, officers and soldiers from Search and Recovery Teams 584 and 589 under the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command began the “500-Day Campaign to Intensify the Search for, Recovery and Identification of Martyrs’ Remains” at Cau Nhi. Under the scorching sun in the Central region, they combined meticulous manual excavation with ground-penetrating radar and specialized detection equipment to search deep beneath the soil, determined not to miss any trace of the fallen.

Their efforts paid off. The remains of fallen soldiers have gradually been recovered, along with personal belongings including dented aluminum canteens, pieces of parachute fabric and decayed military uniform buttons. The latest intensive search has brought the total number of sets of martyrs’ remains recovered at Cau Nhi to 42.

The journey to bring the fallen home is also supported by science and technology. Biological samples are collected immediately after recovery for DNA testing. At the memorial temple beside the Cau Nhi River, a stone stele records the names of 83 martyrs whose identities have been verified.

The 500-day campaign continues, carrying forward the solemn work of remembrance and gratitude so that the youthful spirit of those who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland will live on forever.

By Viet Trung

Translated by Tran Hoai