Honoring the silent sacrifices

On January 30, 2026, the Prime Minister signed a Decision recognizing 49 soldiers of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Military Commando Unit as martyrs and awarding them the "Homeland's Recognition" certificate for their sacrifice while carrying out secret missions during the resistance war.

Memorial plaque commemorating the martyrs of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces.

On January 30, 2026, the Prime Minister signed a Decision recognizing 49 soldiers of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Special Forces as martyrs and awarding them the "Homeland's Recognition" certificate for their sacrifice while carrying out secret missions during the resistance war. These cases did not meet the required documentation and procedures for martyr recognition, but were considered based on the unique characteristics of the Special Forces and the principle of "remembering the source when drinking water."

This decision concludes a decades-long journey to identify and recognize the contributions of the soldiers who fought and sacrificed silently in the heart of Saigon. The names: Châu, Phước, Ngọ, Cường… though not their real names, are still remembered, cherished, and appreciated by the nation and its people.

According to documents, during the Tet Offensive of 1968, the Saigon-Gia Dinh Military Commando Unit was tasked with attacking key enemy targets, including: the puppet president's palace, the US embassy, ​​the puppet general staff headquarters, the puppet navy command, and Saigon Radio Station. Operating under extremely dangerous conditions, with the motto "secrecy, boldness, surprise, deep penetration, and decisive attack," the commando force played a leading role, making a significant contribution to the success of the strategic operation.

Assessing the first phase of the Tet Offensive and Uprising of 1968, the 6th Conference of the Central Committee of the Southern Region affirmed that this was a tremendous victory, inflicting unprecedented heavy losses on the enemy. According to a summary by the Armed Forces and Special Operations Club of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Military Region, five special operations teams with 88 officers and soldiers directly fought independently, striking directly at the enemy's command centers. 61 officers and soldiers bravely sacrificed their lives in the battles, and several others were captured and brutally tortured by the enemy but did not surrender.

After the war, 12 individuals were recognized as martyrs. The remaining 49 officers and soldiers, due to the lack of information about their real names, hometowns, burial places, and the absence of documents recording their sacrifice, were not recognized as martyrs for many years.

Due to their unique nature as a special armed force operating in isolation and secrecy, commando soldiers had to conceal their identities, change their names, hometowns, and backgrounds to live legally and fight for extended periods behind enemy lines. This disguise was essential for the force's survival, but it also made them anonymous when they died.

As one of the soldiers of Team 5 who directly participated in the battle at the Independence Palace, Mr. Phan Van Hon was moved when mentioning his comrades: "Because it was top secret, the commando forces suffered the most. The commando forces also achieved the most resounding victories. The dedication and heroic sacrifice of our comrades are countless."

The house at 499/20 Cach Mang Thang Tam Street used to be a garage providing logistical and technical support for the Saigon-Gia Dinh commando forces during the resistance war. Now, it has become a common home where, on the 6th day of the Lunar New Year each year, generations of commando officers, soldiers, and their relatives offer incense to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives in the war.

Female commando Phan Thi Hong, who was captured and brutally tortured twice by the enemy and had one leg amputated, shared: “The commando unit suffered many casualties, most of whom were unmarried, so it was very unfortunate. After the war, being alive is a blessing. And the more blessed I am, the more I think of my comrades and fellow soldiers.”

For 15 years, the Armed Forces Club has persistently searched for and verified the identities of fallen comrades. Mr. Nguyen Quoc Do, Vice Chairman of the Club, said: “The process of verifying information is like searching for a needle in a haystack. There are units where all the soldiers in that battle perished. We have even contacted American veterans, asking them to help provide information.”

As a result of that decades-long journey, only one case of identity verification was possible: Comrade Ut Nho, the commander of the attack on the US Embassy. His real name was Bui Van Rang, born in 1928 in Long Thuong commune, Can Duoc district, Long An province (now Phuoc Ly commune, Tay Ninh province). His family knew he had died, but were unsure of his unit or location, and therefore did not receive martyr status for 57 years.

On June 6, 2025, the Armed Forces Bloc Club officially submitted a document requesting the recognition of 49 officers and soldiers who died in the Tet Offensive of 1968 as martyrs. The review process by the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee, People's Committee, and relevant agencies revealed that, if all current regulations were applied, recognition would be unfeasible due to the inability to fully verify the information.

However, the consistent viewpoint of the city's leaders is that policies towards those who rendered meritorious service are a special expression of gratitude and care from the Party and the State; the consideration must be thorough and cautious, but must take into account specific circumstances. Based on this, the dossiers were finalized to consider these special cases, not focusing on providing benefits, but emphasizing the significance of showing gratitude and honoring the silent sacrifices of the special forces.

The decision to recognize 49 soldiers of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Military Commando Unit as martyrs and award them the "Homeland's Recognition" certificate is a belated but necessary recognition, not only closing a long journey spanning many years but also demonstrating the respect and honor of the Party and State for the great, silent sacrifices and contributions of the commando force to the revolutionary cause.

In January 2026, the Standing Committee of the Government Party Committee unanimously agreed on the principle of completing the dossier. On January 30, 2026, the Government issued Resolution No. 20/NQCP, and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh signed the Decision recognizing 49 soldiers of the Saigon-Gia Dinh Military Commando Unit as martyrs and awarding them the "Homeland's Recognition" certificate. This recognition, though belated, is necessary, not only closing a long journey but also demonstrating the respect and honor of the Party and State for the great, silent sacrifices and contributions of the commando force to the revolutionary cause.

Earlier, on the morning of January 4, 2026, at the Ho Chi Minh City Martyrs' Cemetery, the City Party Committee and People's Committee, in coordination with various agencies and units, held the inauguration ceremony of the memorial plaque for the officers and soldiers of the Saigon - Gia Dinh Special Forces who sacrificed their lives during the Tet Offensive of 1968. For their immense contributions to the cause of national liberation, the Saigon Special Forces were awarded many prestigious honors and titles by the Party and State, along with the 16 golden words: "Unity of heart, unparalleled resourcefulness, extraordinary courage, unwavering loyalty."

"This is a profound expression of gratitude from the Party, the State, and the people to those loyal sons and daughters of the Fatherland and the people – the brave, barefooted, iron-willed heroes who heroically sacrificed themselves on the streets of beloved Saigon for the independence and freedom of the nation," said Mr. Tran Vu Binh, son of Hero of the Armed Forces and Saigon Commando soldier Tran Van Lai, expressing his emotion.

ANH THO

Source: https://nhandan.vn/ton-vinh-nhung-hy-sinh-tham-lang-post942183.html