A journey of gratitude and hope

QTO - Although the war ended more than half a century ago, for many families of fallen soldiers, the journey to find their loved ones is far from over, as hundreds of thousands of remains of fallen soldiers across the country remain unidentified. In Quang Tri province alone, a land once a "hotbed" of war, there are currently 4,446 cases of fallen soldiers whose identities remain unknown. Each unmarked grave represents a deep-seated anguish and an unceasing longing…

In accordance with the Ministry of Public Security 's policy on collecting DNA samples from relatives of unidentified martyrs, localities have recently implemented the collection of biological samples to build a DNA database to serve the search and identification of martyrs' remains.

In Quang Tri province , through three rounds of sampling, the Provincial Police, in coordination with the C06 Department of the Ministry of Public Security, have collected DNA samples from 2,771 relatives of 2,138 unidentified martyrs in the province. In the first sampling round in June 2025, a DNA sample was collected from the relatives of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi (born in 1949), residing in Bac Gianh ward. From these initial samples, hope has gradually begun to emerge.

And after more than half a century of waiting, the sacred aspiration of reunion for the family of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi has become a reality. Thanks to the policies of the Party and the State, along with the support of modern science and a heartfelt gratitude for those who fell for national independence, the grave of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi has been identified and is located in the Duc Co District Martyrs' Cemetery (formerly Gia Lai province), among more than 1,400 unnamed graves. The long wait of many generations of the family has finally come to an end.

Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh and his relatives stand beside the symbolic grave of his younger brother, martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi, at the family cemetery in Bac Gianh ward - Photo: NM

Mr. Nguyen Tien Minh, the older brother of martyr Nguyen Quoc Hoi, was overcome with emotion after more than half a century of agonizing searching. His beloved younger brother is now about to be brought back to his homeland, fulfilling the family's long-standing longing. From June 2025 to the present, authorities have conducted two rounds of DNA sample collection for the relatives of martyrs. During the sample collection round in February 2026, many families came to provide biological samples with the hope of finding the identity of their loved ones who sacrificed themselves for the country.

In his humble home, Mr. Hoang Van Bon (born in 1960), residing in Duc Hoa residential area, Dong Hoi ward, recalls the difficult childhood years of his five siblings after their parents passed away at a very young age. When Mr. Bon was 8 years old, his beloved older brother, Hoang Van Hoang, was killed in action in Cam Lo on February 7, 1968. Due to the extreme hardship, in 1999, Mr. Bon began his journey to find his brother's grave. "Sometimes by car, sometimes by motorbike, I searched all the cemeteries in Quang Tri province and the Cam Lo area, but I still haven't found it. Now, thanks to the policies of the Party and the State, especially the '500-day campaign to intensify the search, collection, and identification of the remains of fallen soldiers,' I have great hope that one day I will be able to welcome my brother home," Mr. Bon said emotionally.

Nearly 60 years have passed, and in the small house built on ancestral land, the precious "assets" that Mr. Bon always cherishes and preserves—the death certificate and the Certificate of Recognition from the Fatherland for his brother, Hoang Van Hoang—have yellowed with time. He recounts that during the rainy season and floods, the first thing his family took with them when fleeing was a suitcase containing documents, including mementos of his brother. Sharing the same longing and anguish as Mr. Bon's family, Ms. Le Thi Hue, from Hamlet 2, Nam Trach Commune, the sister of martyr Le Thanh Do, said that her brother died in 1972, but the family only received the death certificate in 1975.

For many years, she has repeatedly searched for her only brother. “One of my brother’s comrades told me he died on Dong Tranh Hill. From that meager clue, my family followed it to find him. On one occasion, I crossed an entire hill covered in tall grass, going everywhere asking around, but still without success…,” Mrs. Hue recounted, her voice choked with emotion.

Police officers visited the home of the fallen soldier's mother to collect DNA samples, rekindling hope of recovering the identities of those sons who sacrificed their lives for the country - Photo: NM

In response to the heartfelt anxieties and concerns of the families of fallen soldiers, the local police force actively intervened, coordinating information gathering, directly guiding and assisting families in providing biological samples for identification purposes. Thanks to this, DNA sample collection in the area proceeded smoothly, contributing to rekindling hope of recovering the names of those who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland.

The collection of DNA samples from the relatives of fallen soldiers, along with the "500-Day Campaign to Intensify the Search, Collection, and Identification of the Remains of Fallen Soldiers," not only opens up more hope for the rediscovery of those who have fallen, but also demonstrates the profound gratitude of the Party, State, and People towards the heroic martyrs. The nationwide launch ceremony at the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel National Special Monument—a place steeped in the blood and bones of generations of ancestors—further deepens the humanitarian significance of the journey to bring the fallen soldiers back to their names and homelands.

The journey to find and identify the remains of fallen soldiers remains fraught with difficulties, as time has passed and the scars of war are fading. But with the persistent efforts of the authorities and the support of science and technology, hope is being rekindled every day.

Each DNA sample preserved today could become a bridge to a day when those who fell for their country are called by their rightful names, returning to their homeland, to the longing embrace of their families after so many years of waiting. This is not only a journey to rediscover the identities of fallen soldiers, but also a way for today's generation to express their profound gratitude for the sacrifices of their ancestors, further enhancing the nation's tradition of "drinking water, remembering the source."

Ngoc Mai

Source: https://baoquangtri.vn/xa-hoi/202604/hanh-trinh-tri-an-va-hy-vong-3c243f6/