In central Vietnam, elderly war veterans return to former battlefield

Photo courtesy of Tuoi Tre News

A war veteran provides information about the suspected locations of fallen soldiers’ remains in the former battlefield in Quang Ngai Province, central Vietnam. Photo: V.T.

More than 50 years after the war ended, Vietnam is intensifying efforts to recover and identify the remains of fallen soldiers through expanded field searches, ground-penetrating radar, and DNA analysis, offering renewed hope to thousands of families still seeking their loved ones.

Key details

The renewed push is centered on a 500-day nationwide campaign launched on March 15, 2026, and running through July 27, 2027, when Vietnam marks the 80th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs' Day (July 27, 1947–2027), according to the Ministry of National Defense.

The campaign is meant to accelerate efforts to locate missing martyrs' remains and identify unnamed graves.

Many veterans and historical witnesses attended a conference chaired on Monday by Y Ngoc, vice-chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee and head of the provincial steering committee responsible for the search, recovery, and identification of fallen soldiers’ remains.

Why it matters in Vietnam

The elderly veterans identified locations where they believe the remains of fallen comrades may still lie.

The information will be cross-checked against military records, archival documents, and battlefield maps to pinpoint areas for further surveys and excavation.

Architect Nguyen Xuan Thang evaluates the suspected locations of martyrs’ graves. Photo: V.T.

According to provincial data, around 400 soldiers were killed in the Dak Pek military base between 1968 and 1974.

Since 1997, authorities have recovered the remains of 59 fallen soldiers from the area.

Although local authorities identified several suspected burial sites as early as 2005 and conducted multiple surveys between 2022 and 2024, no additional remains have been found.

Officials believe the newly collected testimonies from veterans and eyewitnesses could provide fresh leads for future search operations.

The provincial steering committee reported that Dak Pek Martyrs’ Cemetery currently contains 357 graves, including 220 whose occupants have yet to be identified.

Authorities have proposed DNA testing to establish the identities of those unknown soldiers.

Between July 13 and 19, recovery teams exhumed 139 graves to collect biological samples for DNA analysis.

Samples suitable for testing were obtained from 100 graves, while the remaining 39 no longer contained viable material for genetic identification.

Local authorities have been working closely with the DNA sampling team, ensuring sufficient personnel, equipment, and logistical support to accelerate the collection of samples and advance efforts to identify the fallen.

Addressing the conference, Ngoc described the search and recovery of war martyrs as a task of exceptional political and moral significance, reflecting Vietnam’s tradition of honoring those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.

She expressed gratitude to the veterans and witnesses who, despite their age and the challenges of travel, returned to the former battlefield to share valuable information.

Y Ngoc, vice-chairwoman of the Quang Ngai Province People’s Committee, offers incense to war martyrs at Dak Pek Martyrs’ Cemetery. Photo: Tuoi Tre

4 August 2026