Journey of gratitude: Supporting the mission to bring fallen heroes home in Quang Tri
WVR - As the nation commemorates the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27), upholding the tradition of “When drinking water, remember its source” and “Gratitude to those who have contributed to the nation”, a delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee, accompanied by the spouse of General Secretary and President To Lam Ngo Phuong Ly, conducted a working visit to Quang Tri Province on July 4 and 5, 2026.
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In Quang Tri, the delegation offered incense in memory of the martyrs at the Road 9 Martyrs Cemetery, Gianh Ferry, and the Memorial Temple of the Heroes of Road 20 - Quyet Thang. They also visited, encouraged, and presented gifts to the officers and soldiers of the 584 and 589 Martyrs Remains Recovery Teams, who are quietly fulfilling the sacred mission of bringing the martyrs back to their homeland.
The delegation included Nguyen Thi Thu Ha, Member of the Party Central Committee and Standing Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee; Dang Khanh Toan, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee; Le Khanh Toan, Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee, along with leaders of Quang Tri Province and related agencies and units.
Caring for martyrs' families and those with meritorious service
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| Spouse of General Secretary and President To Lam Ngo Phuong Ly and Heroic Vietnamese Mother Nguyen Thi Phuoc. (Source: Office of the Party Central Committee) |
During the working program, the delegation visited Heroic Vietnamese Mother Nguyen Thi Phuoc in Quang Tri Ward. At 99 years old, she is the wife of martyr Nguyen Van Te, who died in 1965, and the mother of martyr Nguyen Dinh Chien, who died in 1972 at the age of 19.
At the family home, members of the delegation solemnly offered incense in memory of the martyrs, kindly inquired about the health and life of Mother Nguyen Thi Phuoc and her relatives, and expressed deep gratitude for the sacrifices and losses the family has contributed to the cause of national liberation and defense.
On the same day, the delegation presented 1,100 gifts to war invalids, sick soldiers, martyrs' families, and those affected by chemical toxins in Quang Tri Ward. Each gift represents the practical sharing and encouragement of the Party and State for those who have sacrificed and contributed to the nation's independence and freedom.
On behalf of the delegation, Standing Deputy Chief of the Office of the Party Central Committee Nguyen Thi Thu Ha expressed profound gratitude to the heroic martyrs, war invalids, policy families, and the people of Quang Tri for their significant contributions and sacrifices during the resistance war against the United States.
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| The delegation presents gifts to war invalids, sick soldiers, martyrs' families, and those affected by chemical toxins in Quang Tri Ward. (Source: Office of the Party Central Committee) |
On this occasion, the delegation also visited two war invalids, Tran Huu Thuy and Le Minh Duc. Witnessing the optimistic spirit and stable health of the war invalids, the delegation members kindly inquired and wished them good health to continue being a spiritual support for their descendants and a shining example for the younger generation to follow.
Through visits to martyrs' families and war invalids, the delegation aims to further spread the responsibility of regular and practical care for those with meritorious service and policy families, considering it both a duty of all levels and sectors and a shared sentiment and responsibility of society towards those who have made the nation's glorious history.
Gratitude to those continuing the journey to find comrades
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| The delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee, along with spouse of General Secretary and President To Lam Ngo Phuong Ly, solemnly pay tribute in memory of the heroic martyrs at the Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery. (Source: Office of the Party Central Committee) |
Beyond visiting martyrs' families, war invalids, and sick soldiers, the delegation also offered incense in memory of the heroic martyrs at the Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery. They visited, encouraged, and presented gifts to the officers and soldiers of the 584 and 589 Teams for Martyrs Remains Recovery under the Political Department of the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command.
The Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery is the resting place for over ten thousand heroic martyrs from all over the country. Most of them were officers and soldiers who fought and bravely sacrificed on the Road 9 front, the Quang Tri battlefield, and in Laos during the resistance war for the cause of Liberation of the South and National Reunification. Each grave here holds a story of patriotism, courage, and complete sacrifice for the nation's independence and freedom.
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| The delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee, along with the spouse of General Secretary and President To Lam, visits the Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery, expressing deep gratitude to those who bravely sacrificed for the nation's independence and freedom. (Source: Office of the Party Central Committee) |
In a solemn and respectful atmosphere, the delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee laid a wreath with the words “Eternal Gratitude to the Heroic Martyrs”, respectfully offered incense, and observed a moment of silence in memory of those who bravely fought and sacrificed for the cause of national liberation, reunification, and defense.
Each incense stick lit expresses deep gratitude for the immense sacrifice of the previous generations, who exchanged their youth and blood for the country's independence and peace today.
Standing before the rows of straight tombstones, many of which bear the names of very young soldiers and some unidentified graves, the delegation members deeply appreciate the value of peace and independence, while also gaining a profound understanding of the responsibility of each official and party member in preserving and promoting the revolutionary achievements that previous generations exchanged with their blood and bones.
Acknowledging and commending the results achieved by the officers and soldiers of the 584 and 589 Martyrs Remains Recovery Teams over the years, the delegation representative affirmed that the task of searching and recovering martyrs' remains is a particularly important political mission, as well as a command from the heart, reflecting the responsibility of the Party and State towards those who have contributed and sacrificed for the nation.
After kindly inquiring about the living conditions, working conditions, and listening to the difficulties faced by the officers and soldiers on duty, the delegation presented gifts directly to the two recovery teams and provided support of 1 billion 467 million VND to encourage the forces engaged in the search and recovery of martyrs' remains both domestically and abroad.
Peacetime soldiers bearing a historical mission
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| Spouse of General Secretary and President To Lam, Madam Ngo Phuong Ly, along with the delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee, visits the area for collecting martyrs' remains samples, learning about the DNA identification process and the work of identifying martyrs with missing information. (Source: Office of the Party Central Committee) |
Members of Teams 584 and 589, as well as many other martyrs' remains recovery teams across the country, have quietly worked for years in the field, following every lead and trace left behind to bring the martyrs back to their homeland.
These are the days of trekking through forests, crossing streams, persistently searching among rocks, following the memories of locals and small relics like a button, a piece of parachute cord, or a leftover ammunition box from the war.
Sometimes, clues begin with a fragmented story, a renamed location, or an old bomb crater covered by forest. Many days pass without results, leaving a heavy burden in the hearts of these soldiers. Yet, even the smallest detail, however fragile, can ignite hope to continue identifying and bringing the martyrs back to their homeland.
For Quang Tri, a land that once served as a demarcation line and endured the most intense years of war, the task of searching and recovering martyrs' remains has transcended the meaning of a professional duty. It is also a race against time, as the war fades further into the past, witnesses become fewer, and traces gradually fade with the years.
This spirit is clearly reflected in the "500 Days and Nights Campaign to Intensify the Search, Recovery, and Identification of Martyrs' Remains", implemented nationwide from March 15, 2026, to July 27, 2027.
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| Madam Ngo Phuong Ly, along with the delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee, presents support gifts, encouraging officers and soldiers engaged in collecting remains samples and searching for and recovering martyrs in Quang Tri. (Source: Office of the Party Central Committee) |
Colonel Truong Viet Hai, Political Commissar of the Quang Tri Provincial Military Command, stated that the province currently has nearly 23,000 unidentified martyrs' remains, with 5,929 graves at the Road 9 National Martyrs Cemetery lacking sufficient information. During the campaign's peak period, the recovery teams and related forces excavated approximately 1,400 remains, collected 1,327 samples, and sent them to the Forensic Institute under the Ministry of Health for DNA identification.
In the context of the entire country focusing on collecting remains samples, digitizing data, conducting DNA identification, and continuing to gather more information from the public, the attention given to the recovery teams holds special significance. It serves as timely encouragement for the forces working day and night and reaffirms that the Party, State, and all levels of government have never forgotten those who fell for the nation's independence, freedom, and unity.
Each martyrs' remains found means one less family waiting, one more person returning to the embrace of their homeland, comrades, and loved ones after many decades.
The journey of the delegation from the Office of the Party Central Committee this time not only carries the meaning of a gratitude activity but also affirms the determination of the Party, State, and People of Vietnam in preserving the principle of “When drinking water, remember its source”, “Gratitude to those who have contributed to the nation”, and accompanying the forces continuing the mission of searching and recovering martyrs' remains.
In the flow of the nation's history, the sacrifice of the heroic martyrs remains a shining symbol of revolutionary heroism. Meanwhile, the soldiers quietly searching for their comrades today are writing a silent yet moving epic, ensuring that no child of the nation is forgotten, and that the camaraderie and national sentiment are preserved and continued through generations.
