Speaking on the afternoon of August 8, Deputy Head of the Political Division of the Vinh Long Provincial Military Command, Tran Truong Giang, said the provincial Steering Committee for the Search, Collection, and Identification of Martyrs’ Remains (Steering Committee 515) had agreed to begin the search on August 18.
The suspected mass grave is located in a park in Vinh Long City, in the direction of Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Long Chau Ward. The site is believed to contain the remains of soldiers who died during the 1968 Tet Offensive in Vinh Long.
According to Mr. Tran Truong Giang, the provincial Military Command has so far received 19 pieces of information from residents concerning the suspected location of the mass grave. These leads are important sources for authorities to verify, conduct field surveys, and identify the area before launching the search.
Earlier, the Vinh Long Provincial Military Command, the standing body of the provincial Steering Committee 515, called on the public to provide information about approximately 10 soldiers who were killed during the first phase of the 1968 Tet Offensive in Vinh Long.
According to initial information, the bodies were reportedly gathered and burned in a shallow ditch outside a fence near the former Dat Thanh Tay Cemetery, which is now part of a park in Vinh Long City.
Based on the information received, authorities are reviewing, cross-checking, and verifying leads concerning the location, timing, and circumstances of the burials. The excavation and search will help determine whether the remains of martyrs may still be present at the site.
The Vinh Long Provincial Military Command continues to call on organizations and individuals inside and outside the province with relevant information to provide it to the authorities. Even seemingly minor details, such as the location, identifying features, witnesses, or people who heard accounts of the incident, will be received to support verification and search efforts.
The search and collection of martyrs’ remains reflects the Vietnamese people's tradition of "When drinking water, remember its source," contributing to bringing fallen soldiers back to their comrades and families after many years of being unaccounted for.
