"Kham Duc, I found you guys"

On June 4, 2020, veteran Hoang Son Lam choked up when he received the news that the remains of martyrs of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5, who died in the battle at Kham Duc airport had been found. That sacred moment ended the journey that he and his comrades had traveled from North to South, following every clue, to bring the soldiers back to their families.

In the last days of July, in the atmosphere of the whole country looking towards the 78th anniversary of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 / July 27, 2025), memories of war and deep comradeship surged in the minds of the soldiers of the past. Joining the flow of gratitude spreading across all regions, I was connected with veteran Hoang Son Lam (born in 1950, hometown in Bac Giang ward, Bac Ninh province).

More than half a century has passed, but the memories of the fierce battle at Kham Duc airport (Kham Duc town, Phuoc Son district, Quang Nam province, now Kham Duc commune, Da Nang city) are still deeply engraved in his mind. That land is where many of his comrades remain. The torment of not being able to bring them back urged him to return to the old battlefield to look for his comrades.

17 years old, join the destiny of the nation

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 3 months of new soldier training, the young soldier marched with his unit to the South, carrying a backpack, guns and ammunition, and a burning will.

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

On June 14, 1968, when 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 underground mines, and ensuring traffic arteries to serve the transportation and combat of troops.

In July 1970, when the US army launched a sweep operation in Kham Duc town (now Kham Duc commune, Da Nang city), Hoang Son Lam was assigned to work at the Observation Post of Regiment 230 on high point 1599. Here, the observation team monitored enemy activities at Kham Duc airport with the naked eye and binoculars, promptly reporting to Regiment 230, ensuring the coordination of combat command.

“At dawn on August 5, 1970 (a date I only learned later when compiling documents), I was on duty at the Observation Tower and heard intense gunfire from the direction of Kham Duc airport. It was foggy and visibility was limited, I only saw flashes of lightning from a series of explosives exploding. I immediately reported to the Regiment. A moment later, the commander said: Our special forces were attacking Kham Duc airport. The battle lasted until dawn. In the afternoon of the same day, I received news: 15 comrades of Special Forces Battalion 8 had completed their mission and heroically sacrificed themselves,” Mr. Lam recalled.

The battle at Kham Duc airport has been imprinted in the young soldier's memory for a long time, not only because of the fierceness of the battlefield, but also because of the comrades who remained there forever.

After the battle, he and his unit carried out new missions. In 1973, the young soldier was assigned to Company 1 (Engineer Battalion 283, Station 238, Logistics Department of Military Region 5). In 1975, he was assigned to protect the Hoa Cam bomb depot in Company 1 (Battalion 5, Logistics Department of Military Region 5). Then, in 1976, Hoang Son Lam was discharged from the army and worked at Ha Bac Commercial Construction Company (now Bac Giang Construction Joint Stock Company No. 1).

The mission of the one who stays

Returning to civilian life, Mr. Lam continued to earn a living like many other comrades. But deep in the memories of the former soldier, the battle at Kham Duc airport has not yet subsided. The officers and soldiers of the 8th Special Forces Battalion (renamed the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5 after 1969) heroically sacrificed their lives, but their remains have not been found, becoming a torment in his heart.

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 who was 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 Political Commissar of the District Military Command).

Knowing that he had fought in Kham Duc, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Bang presented a document with the archive code number 221 that the US gave to Vietnam after the war. It included a diagram of the battle at Kham Duc airport, clearly showing the location of the runway, artillery positions and especially the mass grave with the note: Buried 16 Viet Cong commandos.

“Just looking at the map, I guessed this was the battle I had witnessed from the Observation Station. At that time, I knew it was a battle by the 8th Battalion's commandos but had no further information. Hearing that, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Bang said that the Phuoc Son District Military Command had organized a search for the remains of martyrs since 1998 but had not yet found any results. Therefore, I asked comrade Bang to write a letter of introduction for me to meet Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chon, former member of the Party Central Committee, former member of the Central Military Party Committee (now the Central Military Commission), former Deputy Minister of National Defense, retired, to find more clues,” said Mr. Lam. Bringing the letter of introduction, Mr. Lam went to Da Nang, met Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chon and began his journey to find his comrades.

More than a decade of persistent searching

Through the introduction of Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chon, Mr. Lam met Major General Chau Khai Dich, former Deputy Commander of Military Region 5, who had retired, and then Senior Lieutenant Colonel Do Thanh Luan (at that time Deputy Head of the Special Forces Department of Military Region 5). However, after searching the files at the Military Region 5 Command, he still could not find any information related to the 1970 battle at Kham Duc airport by the Special Forces Battalion 8.

“At that time, I still remember the Deputy Commander of Battalion 404 was named Quynh. Therefore, before going to the North, I asked Mr. Luan to stay and help look up 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 Special Forces Battalion 8) and learned that after 1969, Special Forces Battalion 8 changed its name to Special Forces Battalion 404. This detail helped Mr. Lam reorient his entire search journey.

From Major Mai Minh Doan (former Deputy Commander of the 404th Special Forces Battalion), Mr. Lam continued to Hanoi to meet Mr. Pham Cong Huong (former reconnaissance soldier of the 404th Battalion) and was provided with a list of some veterans of the 404th Battalion. He met and connected with each of them. The veterans confirmed that they had heard about the battle in the past, but the information was still fragmentary and lacked specific basis.

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 force in the battle at Kham Duc airport.

“Mr. Vien affirmed with certainty: The battle took place on August 5, 1970. Later, 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 once the time was determined, the search would be easier,” Mr. Lam excitedly recalled.

After determining the date of the battle as August 5, 1970, Mr. Lam continued to follow the trail of documents to consolidate the information. From Bac Giang city (now Bac Giang ward, Bac Ninh province), he went to the People's Army Newspaper's editorial office (No. 7 Phan Dinh Phung, 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 4 to 5, 1970, the Liberation Army attacked the American troops of the 196th Brigade stationed in Kham Duc. The enemy confessed that this was the largest attack by the Liberation Army on the American troops after the battles at the 935 high point area west of Hue city."

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

After receiving document number 221 from the US side and domestic documents, he met with the veterans of Battalion 404 to coordinate the search. A search team was established, with Mr. Pham Cong Huong as team leader.

In 2013, after many years of not finding any trace of his comrades, Mr. Lam continued to diligently search for information online. One day, he happened to see a 6-minute and 16-second video clip, recorded by former American war correspondent Christopher Jensen, of the battle at Kham Duc airport in the past.

“The images in the clip made me choke up because I realized this was the battle of Battalion 404. I immediately sent the video to Mr. Pham Cong Huong. Knowing English, Mr. Huong contacted Mr. Christopher Jensen and received 5-6 photos. From there, I was able to determine the approach direction and search area,” said Mr. Lam.

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

That year in Kham Duc, you guys came back.

In May 2020, the Phuoc Son District Military Command coordinated with the veterans of the 404th Special Forces Battalion and the martyrs' relatives to continue to organize a large-scale search. With the active support of American veterans in determining coordinates and comparing with previous image materials, the location of the mass grave was determined relatively accurately.

After expanding the search area, by the afternoon of June 1, 2020, the search team discovered several pieces of bone and many specimens such as belts, ropes, etc. that matched the images provided by American veterans. By June 4, 2020, the search was basically completed.

At the memorial service for 16 martyrs who died on August 5, 1970, Colonel, journalist Nguyen Xuan Gu, former soldier of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5, on behalf of the 404th Battalion Veterans Club, read the eulogy: "The 404th Special Forces Battalion is a mobile unit established in May 1969, having gone through many battles such as: Kham Duc Airport Base in 1970, the battle to capture Dak Pet District in April 1972. Through many campaigns, it has made the enemy terrified and terrified... Today, the veteran brothers of the 404th Special Forces Battalion who once shared hardships, shared the same ideal of fighting to drive the Americans out, fighting to overthrow the puppet regime, along with the 16 martyrs, are present here with a happy mood, a little sad and proud. Happy because after nearly half a century we have found The remains of the martyrs brought joy to their families, clans, hometowns and comrades. I wish we had found their remains sooner. I am proud to see that today the local government, comrades and people held a memorial service for 16 martyrs in a very meaningful, thoughtful and solemn manner, demonstrating the tradition of remembering the source of the water we drink.

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

Although he was not present at the scene when the remains of the martyrs were found, CCB Hoang Son Lam still remembers clearly: “When I received the video report from my comrades that: The working team of the Phuoc Son District Military Command had found and gathered the mass grave of the martyrs of the 404th Special Forces Battalion, Military Region 5 who died in the battle at Kham Duc airport in the early morning of August 5, 1970, I was so moved that I cried. I was happy that my comrades had returned to their families, happy that the many years of searching efforts of the District Military Command, the CCBs of Battalion 404, the relatives of the martyrs, along with the support of American journalist Christopher Jensen and some American veterans finally had results”.

For more than 10 years of quietly piecing together information, following every clue to find his comrades, for Mr. Lam, it was not only a journey of memories, but also a sacred duty of those who remained before the silent sacrifices of that year. The journey to bring the martyrs of Battalion 404 back to their families is just a small slice in the epic of gratitude that is still silently continuing across the S-shaped strip of land. Countless people are digging every inch of land, cherishing every word to bring the heroic martyrs back to their motherland.

Your blood and bones have merged into the soil, turning into a season of heavy rice, into streams of water irrigating the fields, into green forests protecting villages, into sunlight illuminating the steps of today's generation. In the month of July, the entire nation bows in gratitude, so that each person can remind themselves of their duty to preserve every inch of land, protect a peaceful life, and build a better tomorrow, to be worthy of the sacrifices that have become part of the soul of the country.

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("Hey guys" - 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