Continuing the journey to find and repatriate fallen soldiers who died in Laos back to their homeland.

Members of the Martyrs' Remains Collection Team (under the Military Command of Ha Tinh province) have completed 8 months of effective work in Laos and are preparing for a new journey in the 2023-2024 dry season.

Members of the Search and Recovery Team survey the terrain to search for the graves of fallen soldiers in Bolikhamsai province.

During the 2022-2023 dry season, the Search and Recovery Team located, excavated, and repatriated 10 remains of fallen soldiers who had been lying in Laos for many years.

With the dedicated assistance of the Party Committee, the government, the armed forces, and the people of the fraternal Lao ethnic groups, after 8 months of tireless searching, the Remains Recovery Team recovered 9 sets of remains in Pakxan town and Vieng Thong district (Bolikhamsai province), and 1 set of remains in Xaythany district (Vientiane capital). The remains of these soldiers were solemnly, respectfully, and emotionally brought back to their homeland for burial nearly a month ago.

The mission of searching for, excavating, and repatriating the remains of fallen soldiers is a "command from the heart" for these soldiers.

Lieutenant Colonel Pham Huu Tien, Political Officer of the Search and Recovery Team, said: “During the recent dry season, all three search teams in Vientiane and Bolikhamsai faced many difficulties due to the hot weather, rough roads requiring marching on foot, limited communication, and inaccurate information provided by local people because the war ended so long ago… But, driven by a ‘command from the heart,’ the officers and soldiers in our team did not shy away from difficulties and hardships, eating in makeshift shelters and sleeping in the forest, dedicating themselves wholeheartedly to every step with the hope of finding our comrades as soon as possible.”

Major Le Van Tuan shared: “Every time we receive information, we quickly plan a terrain survey, develop a search plan, prepare mentally, and stockpile food and supplies for the march, staying at the search location in the forest for 5-7 days. For the grave of a fallen soldier found in Vientiane, we had to dig for two weeks on a very large hill because the soldier died during the war against the French, and the initial information was incomplete. Only when an elder informed us that on the day of burial, the villagers had planted a bamboo stump as a marker, and that it had now grown very densely, did we work hard for another week to find it.”

The artifacts were found in a deep cave along with the remains of five fallen soldiers in Bolikhamsai province.

To enhance the effectiveness of their work, during their missions in Laos, the Search and Recovery Team always focused on fostering the bond between the military and the people, and the solidarity between Vietnam and Laos, by supporting the local people with health check-ups, providing free medicine, giving gifts during holidays, and helping villages build roads...

The team members also regularly meet and interact with Party committees, government officials, mass organizations, and veterans from friendly countries who had fought alongside our troops against the enemy, in order to gather new information.

A memorial service and prayers were held for the martyrs who died in Laos and whose remains were found during the 2022-2023 dry season.

Major General Si Phon Chan Xom Vong, Deputy Secretary of the Vientiane City Party Committee and Head of the Special Task Force of Vientiane Capital, shared: “Accompanying and supporting the Search and Recovery Team in the search, excavation, and repatriation of the remains of Vietnamese martyrs is the responsibility of our Party committee, government, and people. This is also a meaningful act, demonstrating the affection, morality, and solidarity between Laos and Vietnam, which we have done very well in the past and will do even better in the future.”

Thanks to the efforts and responsibility of the Remains Recovery Team, and the active support of our neighboring country, over the past quarter century (from the dry season of 1998-1999 to the present), the team has searched for, recovered, and brought back 810 remains of Vietnamese experts and volunteer soldiers who died in Laos during the two wars of resistance against France and the United States. Specifically, 550 remains were recovered in Bolikhamsai province, and 260 remains were recovered in Vientiane.

Colonel Mai Ngoc Viet - Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command (far left) discusses with Major General Si Phon Chan Xom Vong (second from left) and Lao forces about the plan to search for and exhume the remains of fallen soldiers during the 2023-2024 dry season.

Currently, members of the Recovery Team are focusing on stabilizing their organizational structure, participating in training ( military , political, and recovery operations), and developing a plan for the 2023-2024 dry season to submit to higher authorities for approval. In addition, the recovery soldiers are also making time to meet and exchange information with veterans who fought in Laos to gain a better understanding of the situation and gather more information.

The team members assigned to stay in the foreign country also worked day and night, overcoming difficulties and homesickness to look after and clean the memorial church for fallen soldiers, and to monitor the area, receiving information provided by the local people. Through this, they prepared for the new search season (from October 2023 to May 2024) with the hope of achieving better results and bringing the fallen soldiers back to their homeland.

Ten martyrs, all Vietnamese experts and volunteer soldiers who died in Laos, were brought back to their homeland on May 23, 2023.

Colonel Mai Ngoc Viet - Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command shared: "In the coming time, we will focus on effectively implementing the policies of the Party, State, army and province regarding the search and excavation of the remains of martyrs who were Vietnamese experts and volunteer soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the noble international mission in Laos."

Accordingly, we will work and coordinate with the relevant authorities of the neighboring country and develop plans and strategies for the new search season. In particular, we will focus on directing, urging, and motivating the Recovery Team to overcome difficulties in order to effectively carry out public relations work, propaganda, information gathering, terrain surveying, and organize search and recovery operations to achieve the best possible results.”

Tien Dung - Dinh Thanh

Source: https://baohatinh.vn/luc-luong-vu-trang/tiep-tuc-hanh-trinh-tim-kiem-hoi-huong-liet-sy-hy-sinh-o-lao-ve-dat-me/250016.htm