The mass grave of 120 martyrs stands beside the national flag pole.

At the Vinh Hung - Tan Hung Martyrs' Cemetery in Tay Ninh province, among more than 3,700 graves, there is a special grave next to the national flag pole. It has no individual names inscribed on it, no separate tombstones, only a single plaque bearing the inscription "Collective grave of 120 martyrs," which was exhumed and repatriated by Team K73 on June 13, 2002.

Veterans visit the mass grave of fallen soldiers.

This is the resting place of 120 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers from C30 and Battalion 28 – Division 9 who died on December 11, 1970, in Po Th'Rich commune, Svay Ch'Rum district, Svay Rieng province, Kingdom of Cambodia.

The story begins in the early 2000s, when Team K73 – the unit responsible for collecting the remains of fallen soldiers in the province – received information from a Cambodian citizen about a large grave in Po Th'Rich commune, Svay Ch'Rum district, Svay Rieng province. The initial details were scarce, but when pieced together with old documents and accounts from veterans, a historical event gradually emerged.

On December 11, 1970, during an offensive against Lon Nol's forces to liberate the town of Svay Rieng, units of the 9th Division, including the 28th Special Forces Battalion and Company C30, were ambushed. Many soldiers were killed, their bodies gathered and buried in a common pit.

Colonel Tran Van Hoang – former Team Leader of Team K73 – was the direct commander of this special operation to collect the remains of fallen soldiers. After receiving the information, Team K73 went to Cambodia, but the terrain had completely changed. The area that was previously forested was now filled with houses and roads, making it very difficult to pinpoint the exact location.

Fortunately, Team K73 found Mr. Trai – a veteran who had fought in this area, and after liberation, he settled down and started a family in Svay Rieng province. He was the one who connected the present to the past, guiding them back to the area where their comrades had died. But even Mr. Trai didn't recognize the old location because the landscape had changed.

Undeterred, Team K73 decided to cordon off an area of ​​about 100m² and begin exploration using the traditional method of digging small holes about 1m deep and 1m apart. A week passed under the scorching sun and under intense pressure.

Then the miracle happened. A strange layer of brown soil appeared, completely different from the surrounding ground. The soldiers were speechless. They had found the right place. Pieces of bone, buttons, torn pieces of canvas, worn-out aluminum combs... were gently unearthed from the ground.

Many of the soldiers involved in the repatriation effort couldn't hold back their tears. Some young comrades trembled as they lifted a small bone fragment, while others burst into tears upon finding an old comb. These weren't just remains; they represented the souls of soldiers who had fallen for a noble international duty.

The remains were buried in layers, not wrapped in nylon, and over time had decomposed so much that it was impossible to distinguish each individual set. The officers and soldiers of Team K73 had to handle each bone fragment, piece of personal belongings, and mementos left behind by the soldiers, gathering them carefully and wrapping them before bringing them back to Vietnam.

During the recovery process, Team K73 approached another special witness, Mr. Xay-Keo, the father of a Cambodian Royal Army soldier who had assisted the unit. He was the one who buried the soldiers years ago. His description perfectly matched the location Team K73 found.

From the accounts of witnesses, another detail was also verified. The commander of that battle had the nickname "Ut Muoi Hai" (Uncle Twelve). Following this lead, Team K73 contacted the Liaison Committee of the 9th Division and found that Mr. Ut Muoi Hai was living in Soc Trang province.

All information about the battle and the units involved has been verified. The soldiers who fell in Po Th'Rich commune in 1970 all belonged to Battalion 28 and Company C30 of Division 9.

Two mass graves of fallen soldiers lie side by side in the Vinh Hung - Tan Hung Martyrs' Cemetery.

After more than three decades lying in a foreign land, in 2002, the remains of 120 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers who died in Cambodia were recovered and brought back to Vietnam by Team K73. They were laid to rest in a common grave next to the national flag pole in the Vinh Hung - Tan Hung Martyrs' Cemetery. There are no individual names on the tombstones, but every day these uncles and grandfathers rest together, where the national flag flies proudly in the wind.

Now, amidst the green of the cemetery's vegetation and the melodious sound of the evening bells, the souls of the martyrs merge with Mother Earth, with the border winds, with the memories of the soldiers of Team K73 and countless generations to come.

For many years, the mass grave of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers has been carefully tended to and honored with incense. Organizations, groups, and individuals visiting the cemetery often stop by to light incense at this special grave.

Le Duc

Source: https://baolongan.vn/ngoi-mo-tap-the-120-liet-si-o-ben-cot-co-to-quoc-a199635.html