Additional Martyr Remains Discovered at Quang Ngai Cemetery

Authorities in Quang Ngai province, Vietnam, have uncovered another set of martyr's remains during excavation work at the Dak Cam Martyrs' Cemetery. The discovery was made in a vacant area within the cemetery grounds as teams dug search trenches, according to information released by the Quang Ngai Provincial Military Command on July 18.

Following the exhumation, the remains were transferred to the cemetery's caretaker's house for traditional rites, including incense offerings and worship, in accordance with regulations. This latest find adds to previous discoveries in the area, where a total of three sets of remains were recovered on June 29, July 5, and July 6.

The ongoing search operation, led by members of Team K53, has persisted despite continuous rainfall. Personnel are meticulously excavating thousands of cubic meters of soil within the cemetery and investigating areas along Truong Chinh street where old water drainage ditches are suspected to be located. The search is being conducted in three phases, with the current phase extending until July 25.

Historical documents and witness testimonies indicate that the Truong Chinh street area may contain a mass grave holding between 70 and 90 soldiers. These soldiers were reportedly part of the Liberation Army's 24A Regiment, the 406th Special Task Battalion, and the 304th Infantry Battalion, who died heroically during the 1968 Tet Offensive in the former Kon Tum province, now Quang Ngai. The information surfaced in late 2021 from an account by Bob Connor, a former US Air Force security sergeant, who relayed a story from a US veteran involved in the fighting in Kontum in February 1968. The veteran claimed that US forces buried approximately 70-90 liberated soldiers in a roadside drainage ditch after the battle, providing photographs of the burial site.