Dong Nai City: Solemn memorial service and burial of 29 fallen soldiers' remains
On August 13th, at the Binh Phuoc Martyrs' Cemetery in Dong Nai City, a solemn ceremony was held to pay respects, commemorate, and bury the remains of 29 martyrs whose remains were searched for and collected during the peak period of the 500-day and night campaign.
Attending the ceremony were Central Committee member, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Hien; Central Committee member, Standing Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Council of Dong Nai City Ton Ngoc Hanh; Deputy Political Commissar of Military Region 7, Major General Tran Chi Tam; along with representatives of leaders from central and local agencies, armed forces, relatives of martyrs and a large number of people.
The memorial service and burial of the martyrs' remains were held in the atmosphere of the whole country looking forward to the 81st anniversary of the August Revolution (August 19, 1945 – August 19, 2026) and the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2, 1945 – September 2, 2026).
In a solemn and respectful atmosphere, the delegates laid flowers and incense, and observed a moment of silence to commemorate the heroic martyrs – those who fought and bravely sacrificed themselves for the cause of national liberation, for independence, freedom, and national unity.
Reading the eulogy at the memorial service, the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai City and Head of the City's 515 Steering Committee, Nguyen Thi Hoang, expressed her profound respect and gratitude for the sacrifices of the heroic martyrs; and at the same time shared the grief and loss with the relatives and families of the martyrs."With utmost respect, I offer these fresh wreaths and light incense to express my gratitude to the heroes who, forever young at 20, fell fighting for national independence and reunification. That glory belongs to the heroic martyrs," Vice Chairman Nguyen Thi Hoang emphasized emotionally.
According to the Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai City, the Party Committee, the government, and the people of the city have always considered the work of searching for and collecting the remains of martyrs; caring for Vietnamese Heroic Mothers, wounded soldiers, sick soldiers, families of martyrs, and those who have contributed to the revolution as an important and regular political
task, and at the same time a sacred responsibility and duty of today's generation towards those who sacrificed for the Fatherland.
This is not only an act of gratitude towards those who have fallen, but also contributes to educating about revolutionary traditions and fostering the moral principles of "remembering the source when drinking water" and "repaying gratitude" for present and future generations.According to the Steering Committee 515 of Dong Nai City, from 2002 to the present, Team K72 of the Dong Nai City Military Command has conducted surveys and searches at thousands of locations, thereby collecting more than 4,000 remains of martyrs who died in wars throughout various periods, and bringing them back for burial in martyrs' cemeteries.
During the peak period of the 500-day campaign, from July 14th to the present, the city's forces searching for and collecting the remains of fallen soldiers have continued to achieve significant results.
Specifically, Team K72 searched for and recovered 26 remains of fallen soldiers in Minh Duc commune and 2 remains of fallen soldiers in Loc Ninh ward. In addition, on the very first day of the operation, Team K76 searched for and collected one remains of a fallen soldier in Loc Tan commune.According to Vice Chairman Nguyen Thi Hoang, these meaningful initial results not only profoundly demonstrate the principle of "drinking water, remembering the source" and the spirit of "repaying gratitude," but also serve as a great source of encouragement, further strengthening the determination of officers, soldiers, and other forces who are working day and night to search for and collect the remains of fallen soldiers.
Notably, among the 29 remains of fallen soldiers found and collected in this operation, 19 biological samples met the criteria for DNA testing.Along with the nationwide collection of DNA samples from relatives of unidentified martyrs, the analysis of these collected samples offers further hope of identifying the martyrs, thereby giving families and relatives a greater chance of finding their loved ones after decades of waiting.
The Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Dong Nai City affirmed that although the search and collection of the remains of fallen soldiers will face many difficulties in the future due to the war having ended, changes in terrain and landmarks, and the decreasing availability of information about burial places, the forces carrying out the task will not ignore any information, opportunity, or method that can help in the search for their comrades.
Teams K72 and K76 will continue to coordinate with agencies, units, localities, veterans, historical witnesses, and the people to collect information, conduct surveys, search for, and repatriate the remains of fallen soldiers with the highest determination.
That journey will continue as long as there is still information and clues about the fallen heroes who are still lying somewhere on the old battlefields, with the hope of bringing these heroes back to their comrades, hometowns, and families.
