DNA and the journey back to motherland

On a July afternoon, at the old Quang Phuc ward cemetery (now Bac Gianh ward), Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh stood silently before the wind grave of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi. So after more than half a century of anxious and painful searching, his beloved younger brother is now about to be welcomed back to his homeland, satisfying the family's endless longing. That 50-year longing has been fulfilled thanks to the power of science, the companionship of humanity and the sense of responsibility, when the Ministry of Public Security deployed the collection of DNA samples of martyrs' relatives to identify them, bringing the heroic martyrs back to their homeland.

The wind grave of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi at the old Quang Phuc ward martyr cemetery - Photo: NM

Unrelenting longing

In the small house in Bac Gianh ward, where young teacher Nguyen Quoc Hoi (born in 1949) was born, grew up and lived peaceful days with his family, old memories come flooding back. Although he is 92 years old, his health is declining and his memory is no longer clear, the memory of his beloved younger brother is still intact in Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh's mind. He still remembers clearly the afternoon he saw his brother off to war...

“My brother enlisted in January 1971, when the resistance war against the US was at its fiercest. After 3 years as a teacher, he volunteered to go to war. After completing his training in Ha Tinh , before going to the South, he took the opportunity to return home to visit and say goodbye to his family. I am the eldest brother in the family, so on the day I saw him off, I took him to the unit. The two of us talked a lot, I always encouraged him to take care of his health and fight steadfastly...”.

In the B2 Logistics Department, tasked with providing logistics for soldiers fighting in the Southeast, Southwest and neighboring Cambodia, the young teacher, in the role of a soldier, did not fear hardships, sacrifices, and devoted his entire youth to the Fatherland. In the summer of 1972, he fell on the Southern battlefield, when he was just 23 years old. “The family received a death certificate stating the date of death as May 25, 1972, along with a backpack with some personal belongings. My family still keeps his canteen,” Mr. Minh choked up, unable to hold back his tears.

With a deep longing for the deceased, for the past half century, the family has searched for his grave in all cemeteries. When his parents passed away, his brothers and nephews continued their tireless search, with the greatest desire being to burn incense at the grave bearing his name. They have set foot in many lands, from Nha Trang, Gia Lai to Cu Chi, Quang Tri... Each place they visited was a hope that was kindled and then extinguished. But they never stopped searching.

The journey of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi's return is more than half a century late, but it is a journey continued by the love, memories and undying aspirations of his family; by the dedication and responsibility of the functional forces. Thanks to the scientific achievements and humane policies of the Ministry of Public Security, he was found and prepared to return to his motherland, in the arms of his loved ones, as a word of gratitude in the sacred month of July. That return not only ended the longing of a family, but also opened up hope for thousands of martyrs' relatives who are anxiously searching and waiting.

Reunion after half a century

Implementing the policy of the Ministry of Public Security on collecting DNA samples for relatives of unidentified martyrs in the province, in June 2025, relatives of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi were collected DNA samples by the Quang Binh Provincial Police (old) in coordination with the Department of Administrative Police for Social Order, the Ministry of Public Security and GeneStory Joint Stock Company, as a basis for identifying the remains of the martyr.

And fortunately, martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi was the first case to be successfully identified thanks to DNA identification technology. Thus, the family's sacred wish for reunion for half a century has now become a reality. Previously, his grave was located in the martyrs' cemetery of Duc Co district (formerly Gia Lai province), among more than 1,400 unnamed martyrs' graves.

Immediately after receiving the information, the family arrived at the martyrs’ cemetery in Duc Co district. At the place where he had been resting for more than half a century, they tearfully wrote his name on the anonymous tombstone and whispered a promise to welcome him back to his homeland, a belated but sacred promise amid never-ending hope.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh and his children next to the relics of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi - Photo: NM

July Gratitude

On the tireless search journey and happy ending, the family of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi received the attention and support of agencies, organizations and individuals. In particular, the role of the Ministry of Public Security is of key significance, when implementing the program of collecting DNA samples of martyrs' relatives, opening up opportunities to identify thousands of unknown graves, in which martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi is the first case in Quang Tri province to be confirmed.

Major Vo Thanh Tue, Bac Gianh Ward Police, shared: Understanding the family's aspirations and wishes, and identifying this as a sacred and noble task, over the past time, local police officers and soldiers have closely coordinated with the martyrs' relatives and agencies and units to screen and collect DNA samples. The happiness of the family is also the motivation for the police force to continue accompanying the heroic martyrs on the journey of gratitude and bringing them back to their homeland and loved ones.

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security has coordinated the implementation of a nationwide DNA identification program, initially identifying many martyrs, contributing to healing war memories and implementing the nation's morality of "remembering the source of water when drinking".

Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh was moved: "So after more than 50 years of searching, my brother's name finally appears on the tombstone. My family is extremely grateful for the dedicated help of all levels and sectors, especially the police force who have persistently accompanied us, collected DNA samples, and connected information so that we can have today."

Mr. Minh also said that relatives of the family, including his sister, Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan (born in 1960), whose DNA sample was taken and the results matched, helping to identify the remains of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi, are currently in Hanoi to attend a meeting organized by the Ministry of Public Security with the participation of relatives of martyrs whose identities were identified through DNA testing.

Ngoc Mai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/adn-va-hanh-trinh-ve-dat-me-196235.htm