HCM City is scheduled to launch a search and recovery operation for the remains of fallen soldiers at Le Thi Rieng Park on July 6, with authorities stressing that the work must be carried out carefully, meticulously, and in accordance with professional procedures.

Under a recently issued plan by the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the operation follows conclusions made by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra at a seminar held to verify information on fallen soldiers and wartime graves at the former Chi Hoa Cemetery in Saigon, the site now occupied by Le Thi Rieng Park.

The search and recovery effort aims to honor officers and soldiers who sacrificed during the 1968 Tet Offensive and General Uprising, while supporting the city's "500-day campaign" to locate, recover, and identify the remains of fallen soldiers whose identities remain unknown.

The program will open with flower and incense offerings at the monument to former Party General Secretary Tran Phu and the memorial dedicated to fallen heroes inside the park. The official launch ceremony will then take place in front of the park's Traditional House.

The city government has instructed all participating agencies to follow the principle of "proceeding only where information is sufficiently verified, tackling easier tasks before more difficult ones, and carrying out every step with caution and precision," while ensuring absolute safety and strict compliance with professional procedures.

The Ho Chi Minh City High Command has been assigned to lead the operation, including surveying and identifying potential search sites, establishing a command board and specialized task forces, and preparing personnel, equipment, and technical resources to conduct excavations in accordance with established protocols.

The Ho Chi Minh City Police will be responsible for ensuring security throughout the operation, protecting official delegations, directing traffic, and deploying firefighting and rescue forces where necessary.

The city's Department of Health has been tasked with overseeing procedures for collecting bone samples, receiving, preserving, storing, and transferring samples for forensic examination, while also deploying a mobile medical team at the excavation site.

Meanwhile, the People's Committee of Hoa Hung Ward will coordinate site clearance, prepare facilities for the launch ceremony, and conduct public outreach to encourage cooperation and consensus among local residents and relevant organizations throughout the operation.

According to the plan, all preparations, inspections, and final rehearsals will be completed before July 6, ensuring the recovery mission begins on schedule.

Phuoc Sang