In the last days of July, as the whole country commemorates the 78th anniversary of the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27, 1947 / July 27, 2025), war memories and deep camaraderie resurface in the minds of former soldiers. Joining this wave of gratitude spreading throughout the country, I was connected with veteran Hoang Son Lam (born in 1950, from Bac Giang ward, Bac Ninh province).

More than half a century has passed, but the memories of the fierce battle at Kham Duc airfield (Kham Duc town, Phuoc Son district, Quang Nam province, now Kham Duc commune, Da Nang city) remain deeply etched in his mind. That land is where many of his comrades lie buried. The lingering regret of not being able to bring them home has driven him to return to the old battlefield, to search for his fallen comrades.

At the age of 17, she became one with the nation's destiny.

In December 1967, at the age of 17, young Hoang Son Lam enlisted in the army and was assigned to Company 57 (Battalion 419, Regiment 568, Division 330). After three months of basic training, the young soldier and his unit marched south, carrying backpacks, weapons, ammunition, and a burning determination.

Veteran Hoang Son Lam (right) exchanges information with his comrades over the phone while searching for the remains of fallen soldiers. Photo: Xuan Gu.

On June 14, 1968, upon arriving in Quang Nam province (now Da Nang city), Hoang Son Lam was assigned to the 236th Engineering Battalion (230th Regiment, Logistics Department of Military Region 5), with the task of opening roads, clearing mines, filling in underground tunnels, and ensuring vital transportation routes to serve the transport and combat operations of the troops.

In July 1970, when the US military launched a sweep operation in the town of Kham Duc (now Kham Duc commune, Da Nang city), Hoang Son Lam was assigned to the observation post of the 230th Regiment on Hill 1599. There, the observation team monitored enemy activity at Kham Duc airfield using the naked eye and binoculars, promptly reporting to the 230th Regiment, ensuring effective command and coordination in combat operations.

“At dawn on August 5, 1970 (a date I only learned later when compiling documents), I was on duty at the observation post and heard intense gunfire coming from the direction of Kham Duc airfield. It was foggy, visibility was limited, and I only saw flashes of light from the series of explosive charges. I immediately reported to the Regiment. A short while later, the commander informed me: Our special forces were attacking Kham Duc airfield. The battle lasted until dawn. By the afternoon of the same day, I received news: 15 comrades from the 8th Special Forces Battalion had completed their mission and bravely sacrificed their lives,” Mr. Lam recalled with emotion.

The battle at Kham Duc airfield left a lasting impression on the young soldier's memory, not only because of the ferocity of the battlefield, but also because of the comrades who perished there.

After the battle, he and his unit undertook new assignments. In 1973, the young soldier was assigned to Company 1 (283rd Engineering Battalion, 238th Supply Depot, Logistics Department of Military Region 5). By 1975, he was assigned to guard the Hoa Cam bomb depot within Company 1 (5th Battalion, Logistics Department of Military Region 5). Later, in 1976, Hoang Son Lam was discharged from the army and went to work at the Ha Bac Commercial Construction Company (now Bac Giang Construction Company No. 1).

The mission of those who remain.

Returning to civilian life, Mr. Lam continued to earn a living like his comrades. But deep in the memory of this former soldier, the battle at Kham Duc airfield still lingered. The officers and soldiers of the 8th Special Forces Battalion (later renamed the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5, after 1969) bravely sacrificed their lives, but their remains have yet to be found, becoming a source of deep anguish for him.

Veteran Hoang Son Lam and his wife. Photo: Xuan Gu.

In 2009, fate brought Mr. Lam back to Kham Duc town (now Kham Duc commune, Da Nang city). At that time, a nephew working at the Phuoc Son District Party Committee Office (Quang Nam province, now Da Nang city) invited him to visit. During that trip, he visited the Phuoc Son District Military Command and met Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Bang (then the Political Commissar of the District Military Command).

Knowing that he had fought at Kham Duc, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Bang presented a document bearing the archival number 221, given to Vietnam by the US after the war. This document contained a diagram of the battle at Kham Duc airfield, clearly showing the location of the runway, artillery positions, and especially the mass grave with the note: Buried 16 Viet Cong commandos.

“Just by looking at the map, I guessed this was the battle I had witnessed from the observation post. At that time, I knew it was a battle fought by the 8th Battalion's special forces, but I didn't have any more information. Hearing this, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Bang said that the Phuoc Son District Military Command had been searching for the remains of fallen soldiers since 1998 but without success. Therefore, I asked Comrade Bang to write a letter of introduction for me to meet General Nguyen Chon, former member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, former member of the Central Military Commission (now the Central Military Commission), former Deputy Minister of National Defense, now retired, to find more clues,” Mr. Lam said. Carrying the letter of introduction, Mr. Lam went to Da Nang, met General Nguyen Chon, and began his journey to find his comrades.

Over a decade of persistent searching

Through an introduction by Lieutenant General Nguyen Chon, Mr. Lam met Major General Chau Khai Dich, former Deputy Commander of Military Region 5, now retired, and then Lieutenant Colonel Do Thanh Luan (then Deputy Head of the Special Forces Department of Military Region 5). However, after searching the records at the Military Region 5 Command, he still could not find any information related to the 1970 attack on Kham Duc airfield by the 8th Special Forces Battalion.

“At that time, I remember the deputy commander of Battalion 404 was named Quynh. Therefore, before heading north, I instructed Luận to stay behind and help me search the records related to the officer named Quynh who died in Kham Duc,” Mr. Lam recalled.

Later, Mr. Lam met Colonel Ba (former Political Commissar of the 8th Special Forces Battalion) and learned that after 1969, the 8th Special Forces Battalion had been renamed the 404th Special Forces Battalion. This detail helped Mr. Lam reorient his entire search.

Following Major Mai Minh Doan (former Deputy Commander of the 404th Special Forces Battalion), Mr. Lam went to Hanoi to meet Mr. Pham Cong Huong (former reconnaissance soldier of the 404th Battalion) and was provided with a list of several veterans of the 404th Battalion. He then contacted and connected with each of them. The veterans confirmed hearing about the battle from years ago, but the information was fragmented and lacked specific evidence.

The turning point came when Mr. Lam met veteran Vi Van Vien (living in Phuc Hoa commune, Tan Yen district, Bac Giang province, now Phuc Hoa commune, Bac Ninh province), a soldier in the diversionary unit during the battle at Kham Duc airfield.

“Mr. Vien confirmed with certainty: The battle took place on August 5, 1970. After that, I received a phone call from Lieutenant Colonel Do Thanh Luan informing me that they had found information about Comrade Le Quy Quynh, Deputy Commander of Battalion 404, who died on August 5, 1970, in Kham Duc. At that time, I was very happy, because knowing the exact date would make the search much easier,” Mr. Lam recalled excitedly.

After determining the battle date to be August 5, 1970, Mr. Lam continued to trace back through documents to consolidate his information. From Bac Giang city (now Bac Giang ward, Bac Ninh province), he went to the People's Army Newspaper editorial office (7 Phan Dinh Phung Street, Hanoi). At the Documentation Department, Mr. Lam found information about the battle published in the People's Army Newspaper on August 7, 1970: “On the night of August 4th and the morning of August 5th, 1970, the Liberation Army attacked US troops of the 196th Brigade stationed in Kham Duc. The enemy admitted this was the largest attack by the Liberation Army against US troops after the battles in the Hill 935 area west of Hue city.”

Veteran Hoang Son Lam (third from the left) and his comrades visit their old battlefield. Photo: Xuan Gu.

After obtaining document number 221 from the US side, along with other domestic documents, he met with veterans of Battalion 404 to coordinate the search. A search team was formed, headed by Mr. Pham Cong Huong.

In 2013, after years of searching for information about his comrades, Mr. Lam continued his diligent search online. One day, he stumbled upon a 6-minute and 16-second video, recorded by former American war correspondent Christopher Jensen, depicting the battle at Kham Duc airport years ago.

“The images in the clip brought tears to my eyes as I realized this was a battle fought by the 404th Battalion. Immediately, I sent the footage to Mr. Pham Cong Huong. Knowing English, Mr. Huong contacted Mr. Christopher Jensen and received 5-6 photos. From there, we were able to determine the approach and the search area,” Mr. Lam said.

In 2015, authorities in Phuoc Son district (now Kham Duc commune, Da Nang city) mobilized maximum resources and equipment, including ground-penetrating radar, but the search yielded no results.

In Kham Duc that year, the brothers returned.

In May 2020, the Phuoc Son District Military Command, in coordination with veterans of the 404th Special Forces Battalion and relatives of fallen soldiers, continued to organize a large-scale search operation. With active support from American veterans in determining coordinates and comparing them with previous photographic documentation, the location of the mass grave was determined with relative accuracy.

After expanding the search area, by the afternoon of June 1, 2020, the search team discovered several bone fragments and various artifacts such as belts and ropes that matched the images provided by the American veterans. By June 4, 2020, the search was essentially complete.

At the memorial service for the 16 martyrs who died on August 5, 1970, Colonel and journalist Nguyen Xuan Gu, a former soldier of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5, on behalf of the 404th Battalion Veterans Club, read a eulogy that included the following passage: "The 404th Special Forces Battalion was a mobile unit established in May 1969, which participated in many battles such as the Kham Duc airfield base in 1970, and the battle to capture the Dak Pet district headquarters in April 1972. Through many campaigns, it struck fear and terror into the enemy... Today, the veterans of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, who once shared hardships and joys, and the same ideal of driving out the Americans and overthrowing the puppet regime, are here with the 16 martyrs with feelings of joy, a little sadness, and pride. Joy because after nearly half a century, we have found the remains of our fallen comrades." The fallen heroes brought joy to their families, relatives, hometowns, and comrades. It is poignant to wish we had found their remains sooner. We are proud to see that today, the local authorities, comrades, and fellow citizens organized a memorial service for 16 fallen heroes in a very meaningful, thoughtful, and solemn manner, demonstrating the tradition of remembering those who sacrificed for the country."

Colonel Nguyen Xuan Gu, a journalist and former soldier of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5, delivered the eulogy on behalf of the 404th Battalion Veterans Club.

Although not present at the scene when the remains of the fallen soldiers were found, veteran Hoang Son Lam still remembers vividly: “When I received the video report from my comrades that the working team of the Phuoc Son District Military Command had found and collected the mass grave of the fallen soldiers of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, 5th Military Region, who died in the battle at Kham Duc airfield on the morning of August 5, 1970, I was so moved that I cried. I was happy that my comrades had been reunited with their families, happy that the years of searching by the District Military Command, the veterans of the 404th Battalion, the relatives of the fallen soldiers, along with the support from American journalist Christopher Jensen and some American veterans, had finally yielded results.”

For over 10 years, Mr. Lam has quietly pieced together information, following every clue to find his comrades. For him, it's not just a journey of memories, but also a sacred duty of those who remain in the face of the silent sacrifices of those years. The journey to bring the fallen special forces soldiers of Battalion 404 back to their families is just a small slice of the epic saga of gratitude that continues silently across the S-shaped land of Vietnam. Countless people are digging up every inch of land, carefully gathering every story to bring the heroic martyrs back to their motherland.

The blood and bones of our heroes have mingled with the earth, transforming into bountiful rice harvests, refreshing streams of water for the fields, lush green forests sheltering the villages, and sunlight illuminating the path of today's generation. In July, as we pay tribute, the entire nation bows in remembrance, reminding each of us of our duty to preserve every inch of land, protect peaceful lives, and cultivate a better tomorrow, so as to be worthy of the sacrifices that have become ingrained in the soul of our nation.

"

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("Brothers" - Dao Manh Thanh)

TRAN HAI LY

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    Source: https://www.qdnd.vn/phong-su-dieu-tra/cuoc-thi-nhung-tam-guong-binh-di-ma-cao-quy-lan-thu-16/kham-duc-oi-tim-thay-cac-anh-roi-838775