Pen bearing fallen soldier's name found during grave excavations in Vietnam

During the excavation of fallen soldiers' graves at the Thien But mountain cemetery in Quang Ngai, Vietnam, authorities unearthed a significant personal artifact: a dark red fountain pen bearing the name 'Pham Tao' etched into its body.

The discovery was made at grave number 13 in section N. Alongside the pen, a leather wallet and other personal items were recovered, along with biological samples intended for DNA identification. These artifacts are crucial for verifying the identities of the soldiers buried at the cemetery.

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The personal items found in the graves are important information sources for cross-referencing and verifying the identities of the fallen soldiers.

Colonel Trinh Cong Son, deputy political commissar of the Quang Ngai Provincial Military Command, stated that personal items found in the graves provide vital information for cross-referencing and confirming soldier identities. The pen, in particular, could open new avenues for identification if its owner or any witnesses or comrades with relevant information can be identified.

Lieutenant Colonel Phan Thanh Tan, head of Excavation Team No. 2, reported that 162 graves have been excavated over seven days, yielding 158 biological samples suitable for DNA analysis. This work is part of the "500-day and night campaign to accelerate the search, collection, and identification of martyrs' remains." The cemetery contains over 326 graves, with 237 of them unidentified. To date, across Quang Ngai province, over 8,500 unidentified graves have been excavated, with nearly 6,000 biological samples collected, 3,348 of which have been sent for DNA testing.

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The fountain pen inscribed with the name 'Pham Tao' could open new avenues for searching if the owner is identified or if there are witnesses or comrades who know related information.