The camaraderie remains intact.

Half a century has passed since the complete liberation of South Vietnam and the reunification of the country. The soldiers of yesteryear now have gray hair, many have become grandparents, but the memories of the bombs and bullets and the sacred camaraderie remain intact in their hearts. Sharing and supporting the living, and honoring the deceased, is the way that members of the Liaison Committee of the 5th Division's Veterans Association (Liaison Committee) in Thai Nguyen are quietly and voluntarily striving to fulfill their duties every day, as if it were a command from their hearts.

Representatives of the Liaison Committee of the 5th Division's Veterans Association during a trip to transport the remains of 8 fallen soldiers back to their hometown in April 2022.

Under one roof

The home of Mr. Ngo Hong Muu (Cai Dan Ward, Song Cong City), the head of the liaison committee, has long been a meeting place for his comrades and fellow soldiers. One day at the end of March, they met, inquired about each other's lives and families, and reminisced about old times. Their hair had turned gray, their steps were no longer steady, but when stories of the fierce battlefield were recounted, their youth seemed to come alive in every glance, smile, and laugh, interspersed with moments of emotional silence.

Mr. Mưu summarized that the 5th Division was established in 1965, amidst the fierce years of the resistance war against the US. As one of the two main divisions in the southeastern battlefield, the unit achieved many glorious victories, fighting against the US for 10 years, then defending the southwestern border and carrying out international duties in Cambodia. For its immense contributions, the Division was twice honored by the Party and the State with the title of Hero of the People's Armed Forces.

The Liaison Committee of the 5th Division's Veterans Association is carrying out the necessary procedures at the Binh Duong Provincial Martyrs' Cemetery to receive the remains of fallen soldiers back to their hometowns.

With the desire to unite comrades who had fought side-by-side on the battlefield, the Liaison Committee was established in 2010. Currently, the Committee has 121 members, operating in 5 branches in Thai Nguyen province. Each member has a different situation: some are war invalids, some are victims of Agent Orange, and some are retirees with meager pensions, but all maintain their camaraderie, considering this a shared home. When a member is ill, they visit and encourage each other; when someone passes away, they work together to handle the funeral arrangements. The Liaison Committee has also organized fundraising, donated savings accounts, and raised funds to build 14 houses for comrades in difficult circumstances.

Diligently searching for teammates

Mr. Mưu shared: "When we established the Liaison Committee, we agreed on one important task: to find the graves of fallen soldiers and bring them back to their families. Our comrades sacrificed their lives so that we could live, so bringing them back to reunite with their families is a command from the heart."

The liaison committee solicits contributions from organizations and individuals to support the families of fallen soldiers.

With that in mind, since 2013, the Liaison Committee has begun its journey to search for the graves of fallen soldiers. In the initial stages, the members faced numerous difficulties, not knowing where to begin, lacking specific records, documents, or guidance; everything had to be learned and researched independently. Typically, the search for the remains of fallen soldiers begins with initial information provided by relatives, with the death certificate considered the "key." From there, the Liaison Committee completes the documentation, handles the procedures for relocating the remains, and corrects and supplements the information to ensure the correct names are inscribed on the tombstones in the cemetery.

The biggest challenge lies in the process of matching information and verifying records, as up to 80% of cases involve inaccurate information about fallen soldiers. This is due to the brutal war causing lost documents, incomplete records, abbreviated names, missing middle names, incorrect addresses, or changes in administrative place names over time.

Continuing Mr. Mưu's remarks, Mr. Phạm Ngọc Quý, Deputy Head of the Liaison Committee, recounted: "In many cases, we had to spend months cross-referencing documents, patiently following every detail and every tiny clue, determined to bring our comrades back to their rightful names and origins. This systematic, dedicated, and cautious approach has earned us widespread trust and support. As a result, the relatives of fallen soldiers throughout the province consider the Liaison Committee a reliable address, proactively connecting with and seeking their assistance in their search for loved ones."

Members of the Liaison Committee of the 5th Division's Veterans Association met to reminisce about their time fighting together.

Mr. Ma Dinh Hieu (younger brother of martyr Ma Dinh Thao), Trung Thanh ward, Thai Nguyen city, recounted: “My brother died in 1979 in Cambodia. Through a friend, my family learned for sure that he was buried in Binh Duong Provincial Cemetery. We didn't know where to begin to bring him home with his full identity, because some information, such as his birth year, didn't match… At that time, we received support from Mr. Quy and Mr. Muu, both of my brother's comrades, in verifying the information, and all the procedures were gradually resolved. On the day we welcomed my brother back to his hometown, his brothers, comrades, and those who fought alongside him years ago were all present to help. Witnessing that profound affection, we were deeply moved and very grateful to them!”

According to members of the Liaison Committee, the journey to find the graves of fallen soldiers is a sacred task, carrying profound spiritual significance, and at each place they visit, they encounter kind hearts ready to help. This has further strengthened their faith and motivation, helping them to persevere on this arduous yet deeply meaningful journey. In addition to receiving financial support for bringing the fallen soldiers back to their hometowns, the Liaison Committee has also mobilized contributions from organizations and individuals to support the families of fallen soldiers, especially those with elderly mothers or single wives mourning their husbands. Each family receives between 5 and 10 million VND as encouragement and to share some of the pain of loss with the heroes and martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

From 2013 to the present, the Liaison Committee has undertaken dozens of trips, bringing nearly 100 remains of fallen soldiers back to their homeland. In Thai Nguyen alone, there have been four special journeys, helping 15 fallen soldiers return to their hometowns.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/xa-hoi/202504/ven-nguyen-tinh-dong-doi-4980ff4/