Personal belongings of the fallen soldiers
From October 9 to 15, Gia Lai Military Command carried out excavation operations in an area spanning more than 100 square metres in the garden in Ga Village. During this time, they found and collected the remains of 18 martyrs, which were carefully buried, with each set placed approximately 20 centimetres apart.
A representative from Gia Lai Military Command revealed that all the martyrs were buried in hammocks or parachute fabric. Many personal belongings were also found along the remains, such as rubber sandals, uniform buttons, combs, and other daily-use items.
Based on these artifacts, it is likely that the remains belong to soldiers who fought during the resistance war against US imperialism, said the representative.
Sources said there are around 20 graves in this area, therefore, the searching work is still ongoing.
According to Nguyen Van An, chairman of the Ia Boong Commune People’s Committee, all 18 sets of remains have now been sampled for DNA testing to aid in identification.
As scheduled, by October 20, Gia Lai Military Command will complete its mission in the commune and prepare for the next phase of collecting martyrs’ remains in Cambodia during the 2025-2026 dry season.
