Bringing martyrs' remains back to the motherland

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We will never forget the solemn atmosphere of the memorial service to receive the remains of martyr Luu Van Quynh in Nghia An commune (Ninh Giang) in early December. From early morning, many local people and relatives of martyr Luu Van Quynh stood on both sides of the road leading to the martyr cemetery of the commune. Standing next to the remains of martyr Luu Van Quynh, Mr. Luu Van Dinh sadly placed his hand on the remains of his uncle, his face gloomy. Somewhere the image of his uncle leaving to fight to protect the Fatherland is still in the memory of the boy Luu Van Dinh, who was only 10 years old at that time.

For more than 50 years, since receiving the death notice, the family of martyr Luu Van Quynh has been restless because they do not know where their loved one lies in the cold, wild forest. After many unsuccessful searches, the journey to find the grave of martyr Luu Van Quynh at times seemed hopeless. In his hometown, his relatives built a wind tomb and set up an altar for the martyr.

Thanks to the connection, the family of martyr Luu Van Quynh learned about the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs. After comparing the information in the list of martyrs who died in Hai Duong on the battlefields and the death certificate provided by the family, the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs connected, coordinated to verify the information, and guided the family through the procedures to receive and move the remains of the martyr for burial in the locality. The long journey of hundreds of kilometers carrying the remains of martyr Luu Van Quynh from the Truong Son National Martyrs' Cemetery back to his hometown was more warm and affectionate thanks to the presence of members of the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs and the martyr's relatives.

Mr. Dinh said emotionally: “So my family’s long-standing wish has been fulfilled. Bringing my uncle’s remains back to the local cemetery for burial will make it convenient for the family to visit and take care of the grave later.”

Following the sacred call of the Fatherland, during the resistance war against the US and its henchmen, young man Pham Duc Luu from Tu Ky town joined the army and fought in Kon Tum province. During a battle, young man Pham Duc Luu heroically sacrificed himself. Information about the martyr and his grave was lost for many years. Relatives always looked forward to the day when the martyr's grave would be brought back to his hometown for burial. Thanks to the help of The Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs in Hai Duong Province, more than a year ago, the family welcomed the remains of the martyrs back to the motherland in a sacred emotion.

Not only the families of martyrs Luu Van Quynh and Pham Duc Luu, the Association for Supporting Martyrs' Families of Hai Duong province has notified dozens of martyrs' families to prepare documents to collect biological samples to identify the martyrs.

The grave of martyr Truong Van Dinh in Duc Chinh commune (Cam Giang) is one of 70 graves that Regiment 25 organized to collect DNA samples for identification. After the notice was sent to the locality, the Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs of Hai Duong province instructed the martyr's relatives to collect biological samples to compare information. When the results were accurate, the Association contacted the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Dak Lak province to help the family complete the procedures and move the martyr's remains to his hometown for burial.

Share 4,770 information about martyrs' graves

With the desire to show gratitude and support the relatives of martyrs in the process of searching, gathering, and identifying martyrs after the war in Vietnam, the Vietnam Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs was established under the decision of the Ministry of Home Affairs on September 17, 2010. On December 28, 2017, the Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs of Hai Duong province was established. After nearly 6 years of establishment, the association has more than 80 members operating in 12 sub-associations in all districts, towns, and cities in the province.

Receiving us in his simple house, Mr. Tran Dai Duong, Head of the Hai Duong Martyrs’ Families Support Association, carefully opened each page of information about the martyrs in Hai Duong for us to see. For Mr. Duong, this is an invaluable source of documents that he and his members have painstakingly collected over many years. The conversation with Mr. Duong was constantly interrupted by phone calls from martyrs’ families asking for information.

Sharing the results of its activities, Mr. Duong excitedly said that in recent years, the Association has received over 16,000 pieces of information about the graves of martyrs from Hai Duong who died on the battlefields and has transferred 4,770 pieces of information about martyrs' graves to 252 communes, wards and towns in the province. In 2023, the Association searched, compiled and kept a list of 4,130 martyrs from Hai Duong in units under Military Region 7, and has linked files to transfer 1,233 martyrs' identities to their families and localities. To date, the Association has advised 30 martyrs' families on correcting information on tombstones and completing applications to move martyrs' remains.

According to Mr. Duong, the above results will add more motivation to the association's journey of connecting information and identifying the remains of martyrs. With the motto "All activities are directed towards the relatives of martyrs", the Provincial Association for Supporting Families of Martyrs has truly become a common home for the relatives of martyrs, a bridge for the families of martyrs to place their trust in the work of searching for the remains of martyrs.

In many cases where the families of martyrs are in difficulty, the association also sponsors travel expenses and sends members to directly support the movement of martyrs' remains from cemeteries to their localities. However, the association faces many difficulties when searching for information about martyrs over a long period of time, archiving work is limited, and terrain and witnesses have changed a lot. Many information comparisons do not match, so it takes a long time to verify.

“After each time we help families move the remains of martyrs back to their hometowns for burial, we feel at peace. It is a gratitude to our comrades who heroically sacrificed to bring independence and freedom to the Fatherland as it is today,” said Mr. Duong.

As long as there is information about martyrs, we will continue to search and gather them.

Imbued with the nation's moral of "When drinking water, remember its source", the army and people of Hai Duong have devoted all their hearts and efforts to searching for and gathering the remains of martyrs who died in wars with the motto "As long as there is information about martyrs and martyrs' graves, we will continue to organize searches and gatherings".

Based on the list of martyrs initially buried in Hai Duong province sent by the Policy Department, General Department of Politics and units and localities nationwide, from 2002 to early 2023, the Provincial Military Command directed specialized agencies to coordinate in reviewing, separating and disinfecting 1,690 martyrs' remains. Of which, 1,429 cases of martyrs were initially buried in the province, 261 cases of duplicate martyrs. With tireless efforts, up to now, Hai Duong province is assessed to have basically no more martyrs' remains in the area that have not been searched for and collected.

For the officers and soldiers of the Provincial Military Command who directly search for and collect the remains of martyrs, each time they carry out their mission is a memorable experience. Four years ago, the search and collection of the remains of martyrs at Bo Sung mound in An Tho village, Nguyen Giap commune (Tu Ky) was a difficult and arduous journey but deeply meaningful. Both the search force and the people in the area prayed day and night to find the remains soon so that they could once again welcome them back to their motherland.

Colonel Bui Vinh Duoc, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, recalled: “With the determination to find the place, to be sure, on an area of ​​nearly 100 square meters, in the bone-chilling cold of the first days of the year, nearly 300 regular officers and local militia soldiers, along with supporting machinery and equipment, diligently dug up every square meter of land. Our appeal was effective when 9 sets of martyrs' remains were found. Most were quite intact, many martyrs' hands and feet were still intact in the position of being shackled with bamboo shackles, iron shackles, tied with parachute cords... All were recorded, grave maps were drawn up and coordinates were determined. The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Hai Duong province, together with specialized officers of the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, quickly took biological samples for DNA identification and identification to serve the people's future visits.

The war has long since ended, but there are still many martyrs who died on the battlefields whose remains have not been found or whose identities have not been determined. Therefore, the work of searching for information and collecting remains is not only a responsibility but also a command from the heart that always urges those on duty to meet the expectations of relatives of those who have contributed.