Since March 15, 2026, the 500-Day-and-Night Campaign to intensify the search for and recovery and identification of the remains of fallen soldiers has been implemented nationwide, while operations have continued in Laos and Cambodia.

Search teams locate and excavate the remains of fallen soldiers at Le Thi Rieng Park. (Photo: Xuan Khu/VNA)

By August 13, the forces involved had searched for and recovered the remains of 1,715 fallen soldiers, achieving 24.5% of the target. Of these, 691 sets of remains were recovered domestically, 174 in Laos, and 850 in Cambodia. In addition, 13 mass graves of fallen soldiers were discovered and recovered, including five in Tuyen Quang and eight at Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City.

Behind these figures are field surveys, excavation operations carried out under harsh rain and heat, journeys to rugged mountainous areas, and the painstaking review of every source of information.

Following every trace

In late July 2026, in the Khe Cay Loi hill area of Cup Cuoi Village, Huong Lap Commune, Quang Tri Province, the team tasked with recovering the remains of fallen soldiers from Economic-Defense Division 337 recovered the remains of five fallen soldiers. The remains were found on a hilltop approximately 50 meters high, at a depth of 1.6 meters, wrapped in tarpaulins and parachute hammocks. Nearby were shoe soles, belts, fastening nails, communication wires, and glass jars.

In Tuyen Quang, more than 40 years later, the battlefield landscape has changed due to forest growth, landslides, and natural changes. During the war to defend the northern border, 4,267 fallen soldiers were recorded in the province. To date, the forces have located and recovered the remains of 3,174 fallen soldiers, while the remains of another 1,093 still need to be searched for and recovered.

On August 13, the Tuyen Quang Steering Committee for the Search, Recovery and Identification of Fallen Soldiers' Remains held a conference to collect and provide information and historical records.

Veterans and witnesses who directly participated in the fighting provided information about battles, military units, deployment positions, directions of attack, locations where comrades died, and areas where remains might still be found. Much of the information concerned high points where fierce fighting once took place, including Heights 1509, 1800A, 1800B, 685, 233, and 1387.

Combining information from records and documents with accounts from people who directly participated in the fighting, together with field survey results, has enabled authorities to continue narrowing down and verifying locations where the remains of fallen soldiers may still be found.

In Lao Cai, 51 officials and soldiers have devoted more than 4,500 person-days to the search, covering an area of 742 hectares out of a total 2,070 hectares. Of the 56 pieces of information received, the authorities verified 47, of which 41 were found to have a sound factual basis. Based on these leads, the remains of 22 fallen soldiers were located and recovered.

Searching for and recovering the remains is only part of the journey. After the remains are brought back, the forces continue to collect and preserve samples and send them for testing, awaiting the day when the identities of the fallen can be established.

Journeys that continue to grow longer

On August 13, in Quang Tri, Team 584 for the Search and Recovery of Fallen Soldiers' Remains set out to undertake its 2026-2027 dry-season mission in Laos. Thirty members of the team were assigned to survey, search for, and recover the remains of Vietnamese military experts and volunteer soldiers who died in Laos. The mission will be carried out in Savannakhet Province from August 13, 2026, to July 11, 2027.

During the previous dry season, Teams 584 and 589 under the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command remained in the field and conducted searches across numerous rugged mountainous areas in Savannakhet and Khammouane. They located, exhumed, and recovered the remains of 28 Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and military experts who died in Laos.

For the 2026-2027 dry season, Team 584 has been assigned a mission lasting nearly four months longer than previous campaigns, with a target of locating and recovering the remains of 50 fallen soldiers.

The forces have been instructed to thoroughly study the terrain, records, documents, maps, and witness accounts; combine field surveys with the collection and verification of leads; and make full use of the coordination and assistance of local authorities, armed forces, and residents.

The authorities are currently continuing to review information concerning graves of fallen soldiers at Tan Son Nhat Airport, Bac Son Military Medical Hill, the Con Tien base area, high points on the Vi Xuyen battlefield, and information about mass graves provided by organizations and individuals.

Several dossiers, including those concerning the mass burial area at Cau Nhi in Quang Tri and the 88th Military Region Tri-Thien Hospital Cemetery, are still being analyzed in preparation for workshops to be held in September 2026.

Overseas Vietnamese in Germany Hold Ceremony Honoring Fallen Heroes and Martyrs The Union of Vietnamese Women's Associations in Germany, in coordination with Pho Da Pagoda, organized a grand requiem ceremony in remembrance of fallen heroes and martyrs, along with a tribute program honoring relatives of martyrs' families living in Germany.

Memories That Lead Vietnam’s Fallen Soldiers Home Many searches for the remains of Vietnamese fallen soldiers in Cambodia do not begin with maps or military records, but with the memories of local people. Decades later, those memories continue to quietly guide search teams, helping bring the fallen home while further strengthening the enduring friendship between the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.