Upholding the principle of "Drinking water, remembering the source," Tay Ninh province is resolutely implementing the "500-day campaign to intensify the search, collection, and identification of the remains of fallen soldiers."
On that journey, the soldiers of Team K crossed mountains and forests day and night, facing bombs, mines, scorching sun, and torrential rain to find every piece of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Cambodia.
The journey of soldiers searching for their comrades.
During the 2025-2026 dry season, the forests of Battambang province became the operational area of Team K73, under the Tay Ninh Provincial Military Command. Amidst the scorching sun of the border region, officers and soldiers diligently dug, searching for even the smallest traces beneath the ground.
The rocky terrain, tangled tree roots, and rugged landscape made the already difficult work even more arduous. Many burial sites of fallen soldiers have been erased over time. Some areas are covered by dense forests, while others have become farmland for local people. Every piece of information, every witness's account, becomes a valuable clue for the team to continue their journey.
Lieutenant Mai Trung Hieu, Assistant for Policy and Civil Affairs of Team K73, shared: "This is my first time participating in a mission in a foreign land, and only now do I fully understand the hardships that previous generations have gone through. But the more difficult it is, the clearer I see the sacred meaning of this work. We tell ourselves that no matter where our comrades are buried, we must try our best to find them and bring them back to the homeland."
There were days when officers and soldiers had to travel hundreds of kilometers through the jungle just to verify a piece of information. Some days they dug up tens of cubic meters of soil but still found no trace. But no one lost heart. Lieutenant Colonel Tran Hung Cuong, Political Officer of Team K73, affirmed: "The clues are dwindling, the terrain is changing, but as long as there is information, we will continue searching. We are determined not to let any fallen soldier lie buried in foreign soil."
In the provinces of Oddar Meanchey, Siem Reap, and Banteay Meanchey, the journey of Team K71 was also fraught with difficulties. The slippery red dirt roads after the rain caused the vehicles to get stuck in the mud deep in the forest many times. At times, officers and soldiers had to carry their equipment and wade through flooded fields to reach the suspected location of a fallen soldier's grave.
Unexploded ordnance left over from the war remains a constant danger. But for the soldiers of Team K, the greatest motivation is their responsibility to their fallen comrades.
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Hoai Thanh, Political Officer of Team K71, said: "We always believe that as long as there is one fallen soldier lying here, we have a responsibility to search for them. This is not only a political duty but also a matter of honor and a sacred sentiment of those who are alive for those who have sacrificed their lives."
Deep in the jungles of a foreign land, the lives of the officers and soldiers were extremely difficult. Long missions lasting many weeks, field meals in the jungle, and nights sleeping in makeshift shelters amidst the sounds of insects and torrential rain had become commonplace.
Corporal Le Minh Duc, a soldier from Detachment 2, Team K71, shared: "There were days when we dug from morning till night without any results. But just finding a piece of bone or a small artifact like a rubber sandal, a water bottle, a hammock... makes all the fatigue disappear. That's the motivation for us to continue."
The day they return
With unwavering determination and a high sense of responsibility, in just under two months of carrying out the 25th phase of the mission (dry season 2025-2026), Teams K71 and K73 have searched for and collected 158 remains of fallen soldiers.
Throughout the 25th period, the task force collected 322 remains of fallen soldiers. To date, the total number of remains of fallen soldiers searched for and collected by Tay Ninh province is 8,994, of which 282 have been identified. These are not just numbers; behind them are countless families who have waited anxiously for news of their loved ones for decades.
Colonel Nguyen Minh Tan, Deputy Political Commissar of the Tay Ninh Provincial Military Command and Deputy Head of the Provincial Steering Committee 515, emphasized: “The '500 Days and Nights' campaign is a political task of special importance, demonstrating the responsibility and profound gratitude of the Party Committee, government, armed forces, and people of Tay Ninh province towards the heroic martyrs.”
According to Colonel Nguyen Minh Tan, although the search is becoming increasingly difficult due to the passage of time and the dwindling number of witnesses, Tay Ninh province remains determined to implement a comprehensive set of solutions; strengthening coordination with Cambodian authorities, promoting the application of information technology, and DNA testing to identify fallen soldiers.
Currently, in the province, there are still more than 20,000 graves of martyrs whose identities have not been determined. This is a major concern for all levels and sectors, and a source of anguish for tens of thousands of martyr families nationwide.
On the day the remains of the fallen soldiers were brought back to Tay Ninh, a solemn atmosphere enveloped the memorial and burial ceremony. To the sound of solemn music, the soldiers stood at attention to bid farewell to their comrades, many unable to hide their emotions. After more than half a century lying in the deep forests of a foreign land, they had finally returned to the embrace of their homeland.
Pham Tan Hoa, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Tay Ninh province, said: "After so many years of anxious waiting, each time we bring our comrades back to their homeland, into the warm embrace of their compatriots and comrades, it is a great happiness for Tay Ninh. The Fatherland and the Vietnamese people will forever remember the contributions of our heroes."
Mr. Hoa emphasized: The sacrifices of the martyrs have contributed to fostering the solidarity and friendship between Vietnam and Cambodia; they are a beautiful symbol of revolutionary heroism and noble international spirit.
Incense sticks were lit with reverence. Mothers and relatives stood silently before the newly dug graves, their eyes red with tears after years of waiting. There were some martyrs whose names could not yet be called. But in the hearts of the people, all of them were immortal sons of the nation.
The journey is not over yet. On May 20th, during a mission in Chill hamlet, Traeng commune, Rotanak Mondol district, Battambang province, Unit 2 of Team K73 discovered and recovered another remains of a fallen soldier. When found, the remains were still wrapped in canvas, with many bones intact. The officers and soldiers carefully unearthed and collected each artifact to aid in future verification. Each set of remains found brings hope for reunion to another family, and another son returning to his homeland.
The war is long over, but the journey of the soldiers of Team K to find their fallen comrades continues. Deep in the Cambodian jungle, their footsteps persevere day and night, overcoming difficulties, continuing the tradition of "Uncle Ho's soldiers" with all their gratitude and responsibility. For the officers and soldiers, finding and bringing their fallen comrades back to their homeland is not just a duty, but a command from the heart.
Source: https://nhandan.vn/tay-ninh-quyet-tam-dua-cac-anh-ve-dat-me-post963971.html
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