Da Nang Authorities Investigate 17 Remains Found 32 Years Ago as Potential Fallen Soldiers

In Da Nang City, central Vietnam, authorities are investigating the possibility that 17 sets of remains discovered 32 years ago are those of fallen soldiers. The Da Nang City Military Command is surveying and gathering testimonies from witnesses in Hiep Duc commune to determine the origin of these remains. On July 29, the City Military Command held a conference to clarify information regarding the 17 sets of remains. The meeting was attended by representatives from the Party Committee, People's Committee, and Military Command of Hiep Duc commune, along with two direct witnesses, Ms. Tran Thi Thanh Hai and Mr. Dang Ngoc Nga. According to witnesses, in 1994, during land leveling for the construction of the Hiep Duc District Cultural House (old), a collective burial site containing 17 sets of remains was discovered by the construction unit. Accompanying artifacts such as clothing, rubber sandals, and shoes, along with military equipment including AK and M79 rifles, were also recovered from the scene. At the time, the Hiep Đức District Military Command dispatched officials to inspect and verify the findings. However, as there was insufficient evidence to draw a definitive conclusion, the remains were not immediately reburied in a martyrs' cemetery as per regulations. Subsequently, with the support of Mr. Vo Dinh The, a businessman from Ho Chi Minh City and a native of Duy Tan commune, the 17 sets of remains were relocated and buried at the foot of Tranh Hill in An Dong Hamlet, Hiep Duc commune. In 2019, these remains were moved again to Go Cao area (Thu Bon commune) where a tomb was built and an altar was erected for worship. Concluding the conference, Colonel Do Nguyen Hoai instructed specialized agencies to urgently review and cross-reference all related documents and materials. The military forces are also required to closely coordinate with local party committees, authorities, witnesses, and relevant units to meticulously verify the origin, ensuring no valuable information is overlooked. The collected results will serve as a crucial basis for the unit to propose and organize a symposium to complete the reburial records in accordance with regulations. It is anticipated that on August 5, the Hiep Duc Commune People's Committee will organize a specialized seminar, inviting relevant witnesses to provide further information and materials to clarify the origin of the 17 sets of remains, thus fulfilling the long-held wishes of the families of fallen soldiers and the local community.