Let them be called by name!

In the middle of June in Ca Mau, a special and sacred campaign took place at the Tran Van Thoi Commune Martyrs' Cemetery: Excavating remains and collecting biological samples for DNA testing to identify 263 martyrs whose identities were unknown. For those involved, this was not just a duty, but a command from the heart.

• Ca Mau implements plan to collect samples from the remains of fallen soldiers for DNA identification.
• Across the country, 1,255 remains of fallen soldiers have been searched for and collected.

The feelings of the cemetery caretaker and the gaps on the tombstone.

For the past eight years at the Tran Van Thoi Commune Martyrs' Cemetery, a man over 70 years old has quietly and meticulously cleaned and cared for each grave as if they were his own family. That man is Mr. Nguyen Trung Chinh.

Few people know that Mr. Chinh was once a combat engineer who fought directly on the southwestern border battlefield (enlisted in 1976, discharged in 1980). After retiring, he volunteered to be a cemetery caretaker so that he could continue to "serve the fallen soldiers, brothers, and comrades."

More than anyone else, Mr. Chinh deeply understands the price of peace and the silent suffering after the war. "From the perspective of a cemetery caretaker, I feel deeply saddened, but my strength is limited," this nagging concern has haunted him for nearly a decade, embodied in every puff of incense beside the unidentified graves.

For the past eight years, Mr. Nguyen Trung Chinh has quietly tended to each grave, his heart heavy with concern for the tombstones bearing the names of fallen soldiers whose identities remain unknown.

Since June 17th, when the campaign to collect biological samples for DNA testing officially began, Mr. Chinh has been one of the happiest people: "I am overjoyed that the government is doing this compassionate work! My brother was also a martyr, but luckily we have complete information. Thinking about the families who have been searching for their sons, husbands, and relatives for decades without finding their graves, it's heartbreaking. If this campaign can find the correct names and ages for our comrades, the joy for their relatives will be immeasurable!"

A soldier's command from the heart.

The journey to "restore the names of the fallen soldiers" was not easy. After several upgrades, the Tran Van Thoi Commune Martyrs' Cemetery now has two layers of thick, sturdy concrete. This means that the depth of the graves is at least 1 meter, posing considerable obstacles for the excavation team.

The task of excavating the martyrs' graves faced many difficulties because the cemetery had undergone numerous maintenance changes, and the remains were buried more than 1 meter deep under soil and concrete.

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Lieutenant Colonel Phan Chi Nguyen, Head of the Policy Department, Political Office (Military Command of Ca Mau province), shared: "The process of opening the two layers of concrete was extremely complicated. On days with heavy rain and deep flooding, the team had to use pumps to continuously drain the water to access the coffin. Although the process faced many difficulties, with a sense of responsibility, deep gratitude towards the heroic martyrs, and the will of a soldier , we were determined to overcome all obstacles."

To ensure absolute scientific accuracy and precision, the participating forces received thorough training and strictly followed the eight-step process of the National Steering Committee 515. Every layer of soil was carefully excavated, and every biological sample was handled with care and meticulously coded.

The officers on duty carefully and respectfully moved the coffin containing the remains of the fallen soldier.

Dr. Nguyen Van Khoi, Deputy Director of Bac Lieu Military-Civilian Hospital, emotionally said: "As a soldier and a medical officer, I am determined to dedicate all my efforts to serving this campaign. No matter how difficult, I must meticulously and accurately handle each biological sample so that the souls of our fallen comrades can soon be reunited with their loved ones."

The biological samples are carefully documented to ensure absolute accuracy.

The mission also included young soldiers in their late teens and early twenties. Corporal Huynh Tri Trong (a soldier in the Communications Platoon, Staff Department, Ca Mau Provincial Military Command) shared: “I feel very honored to contribute to bringing the fallen soldiers back to their families. From excavating and lighting incense to cleaning the graves, this is a very meaningful job in my military career.”

Corporal Huynh Tri Trong considers this the most sacred and proudest duty of his youthful years in the military.

The campaign to collect biological samples from 263 graves at the Tran Van Thoi Commune Martyrs' Cemetery, or more broadly, from all 3,382 unidentified graves throughout Ca Mau province, is not simply a race against time for science; it is a journey of gratitude.

“The greatest wish of the entire team is to bring these men back to their hometowns, helping them reunite with their loved ones. This is also our way of showing our gratitude to them and compensating in some way for the losses suffered by their families after the war,” Lieutenant Colonel Phan Chi Nguyen, Head of the Policy Department, Political Division (Military Command of Ca Mau Province), expressed.

Each grave with unidentified information was assigned a code number in accordance with regulations.

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That meaningful journey is still ongoing, so that one day, not too far in the future, the words "Information not yet confirmed" on thousands of tombstones will be replaced with beloved names.

You will be called by name, welcomed back into the warm embrace of your family and your beloved homeland!

Trinh Hai

Source: https://baocamau.vn/de-cac-anh-duoc-goi-ten--a130144.html