Vietnam War veteran recounts burying two fallen soldiers at former K76A hospital site

Cao Huu Thanh, an 84-year-old former military medic, vividly recalls his service at the K76A Field Hospital, a makeshift facility established during the American War to treat wounded soldiers from the Binh Gia battlefield and surrounding areas. Decades later, authorities are surveying the former hospital site in Hoa Hiep commune, Ho Chi Minh City, prompting Thanh to share his experiences.

Thanh, who joined the local military in 1964 and trained as a medic, served at K76A for about five to six months. The hospital, hidden beneath dense forest to evade enemy aircraft, was a critical hub for treating and operating on numerous casualties. The medical staff worked under severe shortages, balancing patient care with the need for absolute secrecy to protect the facility.

Amidst the challenges, a section of the hospital grounds was designated for burying soldiers who did not survive their injuries. While official burials were typically handled by security forces, Thanh remembers a specific instance where he took on the solemn duty himself. He recounted burying two soldiers who succumbed to their wounds after months of treatment, one identified as Nguyen Van Tam from the North, who had suffered a spinal injury.

Thanh recalled that the security forces were occupied with transporting supplies that day, leaving him to manage the burials. He personally dug the graves and laid the two soldiers to rest, noting the presence of other graves nearby. He remembers the hospital records indicating Nguyen Van Tam's severe spinal injury, despite the best efforts of the medical team.

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Both were wounded in the Binh Gia campaign. I clearly remember one named Nguyen Van Tam, from the North, who had a broken spine and was cared for by doctors and nurses with all their dedication but did not survive. Without the security forces, I took responsibility for taking the two fallen soldiers to the burial site. I dug the graves myself, carefully burying each person. At that time, I also saw many graves around.