On the morning of July 6, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended the launch ceremony for a mission to search for and recover the remains of fallen soldiers at Le Thi Rieng Park in Hoa Hung Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

The ceremony was attended by current and former leaders of the Party and State, officials from central ministries and agencies, representatives of Military Region 7 and Ho Chi Minh City, Heroes of the People's Armed Forces, wounded veterans, relatives of fallen soldiers, war veterans and historical witnesses.

Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and delegates offered incense at the monument to former General Secretary Tran Phu and the memorial dedicated to Vietnam's fallen heroes at Le Thi Rieng Park.

Participants observed a minute of silence in remembrance of the fallen heroes who sacrificed their youth and lives for Vietnam's struggle for national independence and reunification.

The Prime Minister also paid tribute at the memorial to the nation's fallen heroes inside the park.

Speaking at the ceremony, Prime Minister Le Minh Hung said the event carried profound significance, serving as an expression of gratitude from the Party, the State and the Vietnamese people to those who devoted their youth and made the ultimate sacrifice for the country's independence and freedom.

"For many families of fallen soldiers, the war has never truly ended. The pain of loss remains as they continue to wait for news of their loved ones. At all costs, we must make every possible effort, with the highest determination, to find these fallen heroes and return them to their families and hometowns," the Prime Minister said.

According to the Prime Minister, the search at Le Thi Rieng Park is the result of years of persistent information gathering and historical research, including declassified military records provided by organizations and American veterans who served in Vietnam. As part of the 500-day national campaign to accelerate the search, recovery and identification of fallen soldiers' remains, the National Steering Committee and Ho Chi Minh City authorities have conducted extensive historical, scientific and practical assessments, combining witness testimony with modern technology to identify and investigate the suspected mass grave at the site.

On behalf of the Government, the Prime Minister commended the efforts of the National Steering Committee, Military Region 7, Ho Chi Minh City authorities, professional agencies, witnesses, organizations and individuals who have supported the search.

To fulfill what he described as a sacred mission, the Prime Minister called on the teams directly involved, along with authorities at all levels, to fully implement several key requirements.

First, he stressed that the search and recovery process must be carried out in a systematic, scientific, safe and meticulous manner, noting that every trace preserved intact could provide another clue to identifying a fallen soldier. He urged Ho Chi Minh City to work closely with the Ministry of National Defence and the Ministry of Public Security to mobilize maximum resources and expand the use of science and technology, particularly DNA analysis, to accelerate the identification process.

Second, drawing on experience from Le Thi Rieng Park, he instructed Ho Chi Minh City, the Ministry of National Defence and the Military Region 7 Command to promptly compile and analyze records and data related to major battles and military campaigns in the area, especially those fought in 1968 and 1972. The effort should combine documentary evidence, testimony from historical witnesses and modern technology to identify potential burial sites and organize further excavations where fallen soldiers may still be buried.

The Prime Minister expressed confidence that the recovery mission at Le Thi Rieng Park would be successfully completed and would provide valuable experience and momentum for expanding efforts to decode wartime records and locate mass graves across the country.

He also called on people throughout Vietnam, members of the overseas Vietnamese community and veterans from countries that participated in the war in Vietnam to continue providing information that could help locate more of the nation's fallen heroes.

Nguyen Hue - Phuoc Sang