Two more remains found in Da Nang's collapsed rock cave, search for martyrs continues

In Da Nang, authorities on July 20 discovered two more sets of remains of fallen soldiers at the Da Sap cave area in Ha Nha commune. This brings the total number of collected remains to seven after more than two weeks of search operations. During the process of expanding the search area and meticulously excavating layer by layer of soil and rock, the Search and Collection Team for Martyrs' Remains under the Da Nang City Military Command found bone fragments, pieces of fabric, buttons, and numerous personal effects. Of the two newly discovered sets of remains, one is relatively intact, while the other has sufficient bone samples for DNA identification to determine the identity. Immediately after excavation and preservation of the remains according to protocol, the authorities are continuing to expand their survey in neighboring areas. Da Sap cave is a large complex of caves with many passages, deeply buried by landslides after the war. It once served as a crucial troop shelter, treatment center for the wounded, and food transit point for many main force units, including the 575th Artillery Regiment of the 44th Quảng Đà Front. Located near the "steel gate" of Thượng Đức, the collection of food at the Sơn Gà mountain cave system was of vital importance to sustain the guerrilla movement and advance towards the military base in Da Nang. At noon on April 25, 1969, kitchen smoke inadvertently revealed the location, prompting enemy reconnaissance aircraft to detect it and call in an F4 fighter jet squadron to conduct bombing raids for many hours. A series of caves were flattened, and thousands of tons of rocks collapsed, blocking the entrances and burying dozens of soldiers inside. Due to enemy detection and complete destruction of the terrain, the soldiers had to abandon the base, leaving them to lie deep beneath the rocks for over half a century. The search faced immense difficulties due to the steep, rocky terrain, harsh weather, and a narrow cave entrance barely wide enough for one person to crawl through. To access the location, police, engineers, and elite units had to clear dozens of unexploded ordnance, use crowbars to move large rocks in the dark, and sift through handfuls of soil under icy groundwater. Many bone fragments, having been deep underground and subjected to strong underground water flow, immediately disintegrated upon exposure to the air after being brought out. Previously, the city's Steering Committee for Search and Collection had conducted surveys and collected five sets of martyrs' remains, holding a solemn memorial and burial ceremony at the Đại Đồng Martyrs' Cemetery in Ha Nha commune. The Da Nang City Military Command affirmed its commitment to continue coordinating with relevant agencies, local authorities, and historical witnesses to persistently expand the search, determined to bring all remaining martyrs back to their families and homeland. Information source: VnExpress