On December 20, 2025, a solemn ceremony unfolded in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, as local leaders joined hands with Military Region 7 to honor and lay to rest the remains of 41 martyrs recently discovered in Cambodia and various sites within the province. The event, marked by deep reverence and tradition, was more than a formal ritual—it was a poignant reminder of the enduring scars of war and the ongoing efforts to bring closure to families who have waited decades for news of their loved ones.
The timing of the ceremony was significant. It coincided with the 81st anniversary of the founding of the Vietnam People's Army and the 36th anniversary of the All-People National Defense Day, further underscoring the nation’s collective memory and gratitude for those who sacrificed everything. According to Dân trí, the gathering included a memorial service, incense offerings, and a final farewell as the 41 sets of remains were placed in their eternal resting places.
Since 2002, the K72 Search Team, operating under the Military Command of Dong Nai province, has been at the forefront of a challenging mission: to locate, exhume, and identify the remains of fallen soldiers from the wars in Vietnam and Cambodia. Their work is anything but easy. The team has combed through thousands of locations, often in dense forests or remote areas, driven by the hope of reuniting the dead with their families and providing long-awaited answers.
As of December 2025, these efforts have yielded the recovery and reburial of 3,953 sets of martyr remains. Each discovery is a small victory against oblivion, a fragment of history painstakingly restored. The latest find—41 sets of remains—was the result of intensive searches conducted by the K72 team between September and December 2025. Of these, five were found in Loc Ninh commune, six in Loc Tan commune, and a remarkable thirty in Cambodia itself.
However, the process of identification remains fraught with difficulty. As reported by Dân trí, none of the 41 remains recovered in this recent operation have yet been identified by hometown, name, or age. Still, there is a glimmer of hope: ten of the remains yielded samples suitable for DNA testing, a modern tool that may finally put names to these anonymous heroes. The province is actively collecting DNA from relatives of missing soldiers nationwide, and officials remain optimistic that these scientific efforts will help heal old wounds for the families left behind.
Mr. Le Truong Son, Vice Chairman of the Dong Nai Provincial People’s Committee, spoke during the memorial service about the profound responsibility and emotional weight carried by those involved in the search. He expressed hope that, thanks to DNA analysis and the ongoing collection of family samples, the identities of these martyrs would soon be revealed, providing solace to grieving relatives and honoring the memory of the fallen.
"From 2002 to now, the members of the K72 Search Team have overcome many difficulties, searching thousands of locations," Mr. Son noted, as quoted by Dân trí. "We hope to soon find the relatives of the martyrs, helping to ease the losses and pain of the families." After the ceremony, Dong Nai’s leaders, together with armed forces personnel, performed the final rites, gently transferring the remains to their final resting places, surrounded by the prayers and gratitude of a nation determined not to forget.
Dong Nai’s efforts are not unique. Across Vietnam, similar search and recovery operations continue, driven by both official mandate and the quiet persistence of communities. In Quang Tri province, from December 17 to 20, 2025, the Search and Collection Team of Regiment 968 (Military Region 4) located and exhumed four sets of martyr remains in the garden of Mr. Nguyen Xuan Thuy in Tan Xuan 1 village, Cam Lo commune. According to Quân đội nhân dân, these remains were found about 0.9 meters underground, carefully spaced along an old trench, their bones fragmented by time and conflict.
The searchers also uncovered poignant mementos: a box of AK rifle ammunition, a dagger, a belt, uniform buttons, a ring, and fragments of a military hammock. These artifacts, humble as they are, speak to the lives and last moments of the soldiers who carried them. The remains and relics are now being preserved at the Tan Xuan 1 village meeting hall, awaiting further identification.
The context of this discovery is rooted in a particularly fierce chapter of Vietnam’s past. Historical eyewitnesses and archival documents reveal that, in 1968, a devastating battle took place in this area between a company of Regiment 64, Division 320, Military Region 3 (now Military Region 4), and US forces. In that clash, 131 officers and soldiers of Regiment 64 perished. The search team’s recent finds are believed to be among those lost in that bloody encounter, their stories now emerging from the earth decades later.
Regiment 968 has instructed its team to expand the search area and to work closely with local authorities and historians to cross-check information. The aim is to properly identify the remains and ensure that, whenever possible, families can be notified and participate in the process of remembrance. This is no small task, given the passage of time and the often scant records available, but it is one that resonates deeply with many Vietnamese families whose fates remain entwined with the history of war.
These recent discoveries are part of a broader, ongoing national effort to account for the missing and honor the dead. On December 17, 2025, the Regiment 968 team found another set of martyr remains in Tan Xuan 1 village, and earlier, on June 25, 2025, they exhumed a set from the Tram forest area of Ban Chua, Cam Tuyen commune, Cam Lo district. Each recovery is a testament to the perseverance of those involved and the enduring importance of memory in Vietnamese society.
As ceremonies like the one in Dong Nai unfold, they serve as both a closure for some and a call to action for others. The rituals, the prayers, the incense—all are reminders that the costs of war linger long after the last shots are fired. Yet, they also highlight the resilience of communities and the power of collective remembrance. In the words of one official, the hope is that "these efforts will help ease the losses and pain of the families," a sentiment echoed in countless homes across Vietnam.
With each set of remains recovered, each name restored, and each family reunited with the memory of their loved one, Vietnam moves one step closer to healing the wounds of its past. The work is far from over, but the commitment remains unwavering—a testament to the enduring bonds of nation, family, and memory.
