Four Martyrs' Remains Discovered During Hospital Construction Near Thach Han River

Construction workers unearthed the remains of four martyrs while excavating for the Thach Han Regional General Hospital in Quang Tri province, Vietnam.

The discovery was made in the area near the historic Quang Tri Citadel and the Thach Han River, a site of intense fighting during the 1972 "Summer of Fire" offensive. The skeletal remains, found about 2 meters deep, included fragments of leg bones and teeth, mixed with soil and debris.

Accompanying the remains were personal effects indicating their military service, such as a hammock, soldier's socks, a comb, a cartridge box, a decomposed infantry shovel, machine gun bullets, a toothbrush, and belt buckles. These artifacts are considered crucial for future research and identification efforts.

Specialized teams from the 584th Martyr Remains Collection Unit surveyed and excavated the site between June 7 and 9. The recovered remains are currently being held at the unit's facility. Authorities plan to collect biological samples for DNA analysis to help determine the martyrs' identities.

Colonel Truong Nhu Y, Deputy Political Commissar of the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command, praised the 584th Unit's dedication. He urged continued efforts to expand the search area, gather intelligence, and enhance cooperation with local authorities and residents to boost the collection and identification of martyrs' remains, aligning with the "500-Day Campaign to Accelerate the Search, Collection, and Identification of Martyrs' Remains."

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The excavation also discovered many artifacts such as hammocks, soldier socks, combs, cartridge boxes, decomposed infantry shovels, machine gun bullets, toothbrushes, and belt buckles.