Journey of gratitude along South-Western border

More than 50 years have passed since the war ended, yet to this day many families are still anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones. Some fathers and mothers passed away without ever knowing where their sons had fallen. Some wives, their hair now grey with age, still keep old photographs of their husbands close at hand. Some children have spent their entire lives knowing their fathers only through the brief details recorded in martyrs' service records.

With a spirit of genuine international solidarity, courage, and unwavering determination, Viet Nam's finest sons set out to fight, making a worthy contribution to helping the Cambodian people to escape genocide.

During that brutal war, many of them were laid to rest forever in deep forests, remote mountains, and fierce battlefields across Cambodia.

Based on the information collected, the Tay Ninh Provincial Steering Committee 515 held discussions and reached agreement to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Special Military Region Task Force and authorities from eight provinces of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The agreement provides for continued co-operation in searching for, recovering, and repatriating the remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives on Cambodian soil during different periods of war under Phase XXV (the 2025–2026 dry season), before the K Teams departed to carry out their mission.

Thanks to close attention, timely direction, determination, and the spirit of "overcoming the scorching sun and prevailing over the rain", during the two search operations of Phase XXV (the 2025–2026 dry season), Teams K70, K71, and K73 recovered the remains of 511 fallen soldiers, achieving 149% of the planned target. This brought the cumulative total of remains repatriated to Viet Nam over 25 phases to 9,183.

According to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Political Commissar of Team K71, "During the 2025–2026 dry season, our team recovered the remains of 207 fallen soldiers, demonstrating the Vietnamese tradition of remembering those who came before us and repaying the debt of gratitude owed to them. We have also strengthened the determination throughout the unit to bring the remains of our fallen soldiers back to their homeland and to the Motherland."

On the day they return home, memorial and burial ceremonies are held solemnly and reverently to the sound of dignified military music. Every national flag draped over a coffin and every wreath respectfully laid serves as a reminder that today's generation has never forgotten those who have fallen. Decades have passed, yet many still continue the search for their comrades. The Party, State, and people remain steadfast in fulfilling their sacred promise: no soldier will ever be forgotten.

Colonel Nguyen Minh Tan, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command and Deputy Head of the Tay Ninh Provincial Steering Committee 515, said: "More than 50 years have passed since the war ended, so the greatest challenge today is that the terrain and landmarks have changed significantly from what they were in the past. Secondly, many of those who provided information have passed away, while others are elderly or have fading memories, resulting in imprecise information and inaccurate location references. Thirdly, obtaining updated information is now extremely difficult. Even when information is available, it often lacks sufficient details to organise field surveys and assessment workshops before excavation for fallen soldiers' remains."

"The search for fallen soldiers' remains is an extremely difficult task. However, with the sense of responsibility and determination of the entire political system, particularly the active involvement of organisations, including the armed forces, we regard this as both a noble humanitarian act and our duty as soldiers. No matter how difficult or arduous the task may be, we are determined to accomplish this mission at all costs," Colonel Nguyen Minh Tan affirmed.

The campaign is being implemented from March 15, 2026, to July 27, 2027, in celebration of the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day. It is a campaign of historic significance, demonstrating the unwavering determination of the entire Party and armed forces in paying tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

Guided by that spirit, the Tay Ninh Provincial Steering Committee for the Search, Recovery and Identification of Fallen Soldiers' Remains (Provincial Steering Committee 515) has implemented the campaign with determination and urgency, driven not only by responsibility but also by a heartfelt sense of duty and profound gratitude from today's generation towards the nation's heroic martyrs.

Accordingly, Provincial Steering Committee 515 selected Duc Hue Martyrs' Cemetery in Dong Thanh Commune as the venue for the launch of the "500-Day Campaign" as well as the pilot site for collecting DNA samples from fallen soldiers' remains, providing practical experience for other localities. This practical, field-based approach enabled local authorities to quickly master the procedures, implementation steps, and protocols for collecting DNA samples from unidentified fallen soldiers' remains.

Following the review conference on sample collection at Duc Hue Martyrs' Cemetery, communes promptly developed implementation plans and launched DNA sample collection for fallen soldiers' remains at the martyrs' cemeteries under their management.

Accordingly, the Provincial Military Command advised Provincial Steering Committee 515 to issue a decision establishing teams responsible for collecting samples and handing over the remains from unidentified graves at martyrs' cemeteries across the province for DNA analysis, comprising 35 teams, 288 working groups, and 1,668 personnel.

Thanks to the close leadership and attention of the entire political system, the Provincial Military Command, and especially the determination shown by local authorities, Tay Ninh has become a leading locality in implementing the 500-Day Campaign within Military Region 7. As of July 17, DNA samples had been collected from 13,080 martyrs' graves, representing 70.36% of the planned target, while 11 of the province's 18 martyrs' cemeteries have completed sample collection.

To date, Provincial Steering Committee 515 has collected 3,301 samples from fallen soldiers' remains and placed them in centralised storage at Duc Hue Martyrs' Cemetery in Dong Thanh Commune. It is expected that approximately 8,000 samples will be handed over in the first batch to the Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology.

One of the most remarkable achievements after 45 days and nights of implementing the "500-Day Campaign" lies not only in the statistics — the number of graves sampled or the number of cemeteries completing their targets — but also in the unity and shared commitment demonstrated by the whole community.

Many localities proactively increased their workload to complete the task ahead of schedule. In several areas, sample collection was carried out five to six days a week.

For the first time, many healthcare workers, militia personnel, and local officials undertook such a unique and demanding mission. Although unfamiliar with the work at the outset, they quickly adapted, worked in close co-ordination, and completed an enormous workload with a profound sense of responsibility, meticulous care, and deep respect.

As a result, the pace of sample collection increased significantly, averaging more than 400 graves per day. At Vinh Hung and Tan Hung Martyrs' Cemeteries, each team collected samples from 20 to 25 graves per day.

Behind these achievements lay the close attention of the Provincial Party Committee, the Provincial People's Committee, Provincial Steering Committee 515, the Provincial Military Command, the close co-ordination of provincial departments, agencies and local authorities, as well as the strong support of people from all walks of life.

Specifically, the Provincial Military Command, in co-ordination with departments and agencies that are members of Provincial Steering Committee 515, carried out inspections at six martyrs' cemeteries across the province; worked promptly with the Department of Finance to advise the Provincial People's Committee to provide an advance of nearly 28 billion VND to local authorities to cover the procurement of supplies and equipment and ensure logistical support for the sample collection teams; and co-ordinated with higher-level authorities to procure and deliver 2,074 ceramic ossuary sets to communes and wards.

Alongside the exhumation of martyrs' graves for sample collection, the collection of DNA samples from the relatives of fallen soldiers has also been carried out as a matter of urgency. To date, DNA samples have been collected from 5,751 out of 6,011 eligible relatives, representing more than 95% of the target.

In addition to the attention and support provided by authorities at all levels and various sectors, large numbers of locals have joined in organising visits and presenting gifts to encourage the personnel carrying out the mission, with total contributions amounting to nearly 400 million VND, helping to boost the morale of the forces on duty.

This noble gesture further demonstrates that the 500-Day Campaign has generated widespread public support, embodying a profound sense of humanitarian values and touching the hearts of Vietnamese people across the country.

The determination to spend 500 days and nights racing against time to bring these fallen soldiers home and restore the identities of the nation's heroic martyrs reflects the shared commitment of the entire political system and people from all walks of life throughout this sacred and deeply meaningful journey.

Throughout this journey, no task is too small and no contribution is insignificant. Every action taken today is a profound expression of gratitude and a reminder to today's generation of its responsibility to uphold the nation's cherished traditions of remembering those who came before us and repaying the debt of gratitude to those who sacrificed for the country.