Collective Photo Found in Vietnamese Soldiers' Mass Grave

In Minh Duc commune, Dong Nai province, the K72 team unearthed a mass grave containing the remains of four Vietnamese soldiers. The discovery followed the earlier finding of a pen inscribed with "Tien Quy" and a pair of doves at the same site. Colonel Nguyen Thanh Phong, Political Commissar of the Dong Nai Provincial Military Command, confirmed the presence of four sets of remains along with numerous personal effects.

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We are not hoping to find each person individually, but the four people in this photo will have names.

Among the recovered items were four wallets, a canteen, a watch, and rubber slippers. Many of these personal effects contained images and documents, though most were too degraded by over half a century underground to be legible. Colonel Phong expressed hope that the collective photograph, found in one of the wallets, would help identify the soldiers, potentially connecting them with former comrades or family.

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When searching for the soldiers in this area, the most special thing for me was the abundance of bomb craters. All the officers and soldiers of the K72 team felt emotional when they found and collected the remains and their belongings.

Captain Nguyen Huu Huy, a detachment leader with the K72 team, described the discovery as deeply moving, especially given the area's heavy bomb craters. He emphasized the meticulous care taken in recovering the remains and artifacts, aiming to assist in the identification process for the soldiers' relatives. The recovered remains will be taken for a memorial service and burial.

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For the martyrs' belongings, we try to be meticulous, every step of the way. Especially for the images and artifacts, we will try to clarify them as much as possible so that the martyrs' relatives can identify them. The wallets, including the images, must be opened very gently, not getting wet, then brushed clean of dust to see more clearly.