Under the guidance of Lieutenant Colonel Đào Xuân Trường from the provincial Military Command - who has directly participated multiple times in collecting martyr remnant samples in Quảng Trị and Nghệ An, then at the Tuần Giáo and Him Lam cemeteries, and now Tông Khao - we quietly walked among the rows of white headstones.

At each freshly opened grave, one person carefully recorded and digitized information, another gently removed each brick, while someone else tenderly selected each small bone fragment that still retained the capacity to preserve genetic material for DNA identification sampling. Amid the windless cemetery and intense heat, this work is not just a strict professional procedure but also a persistent journey to recover the names of those who fell for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland. Just one successfully collected DNA sample could become the key to helping an unknown soldier find their name again.

Since June 19, preparations for collecting martyr remnant samples for DNA identification have been deployed at the Tông Khao Martyrs’ Cemetery. This is a cemetery featuring 911 graves that need sample collection in Phase 1, with the participation of 61 cadres and soldiers. By July 2, the enforcement force had exhumed 541 graves, successfully obtaining specimens from 481 graves, while 52 graves could not yield samples because the remnants had been completely oxidized and decomposed.

Lieutenant Colonel Đào Xuân Trường shared: “Each cemetery presents its own unique difficulties. Some graves, having gone through multiple renovations, are misaligned from their original locations, making the precise identification of the remnants’ placement highly time-consuming. For many graves, the facing stone has shattered into pieces, rendering the restoration after exhumation highly complex. Many remnants after dozens of years are left as only small, decomposed bone fragments wrapped in nylon bags, so sample collection demands even higher meticulousness, experience, and responsibility.”

Difficulties also stem from the weather. On scorching days, the grave foundations become burning hot; when rain falls, the exhumation pits quickly accumulate water. Operating at a depth of 1.2 to 1.5 meters within narrow spaces makes the work even more arduous. The cemetery features sloping terrain, so moving equipment and materials is by no means easy.

Nevertheless, according to Lieutenant Colonel Đào Xuân Trường, all cadres and soldiers identify this as a sacred mission, striving to overcome all conditions to complete the goal with the highest quality. Every day, the entire team strives to complete tasks for at least 50 graves.

This caution is demonstrated across every stage of the sampling workflow. Nguyễn Đức Thịnh, a member of the Tông Khao Martyrs’ Cemetery Sampling Team, shared: “Collecting martyr remnant samples for DNA identification is a specialized procedure demanding absolute precision. Each part of the remnants is evaluated for its current status to select bone or tooth samples that best retain the capacity to preserve genetic material. The entire process - from collection, information recording, and sealing to sample preservation - strictly adheres to professional procedures to minimize the risks of cross-contamination or mix-ups.”

In another corner of the cemetery, Sergeant Lùng Văn Phú from Battalion 1, Regiment 741 worked quietly. Before coming to Tông Khao, he had participated in sample collection at multiple other cemeteries. Although accustomed to the work, opening a new grave still brings indescribable emotions to the young soldier.

“Having gotten used to the work, I don’t feel too tired,” Sergeant Phú shared. “We work whether it rains or shines. What makes me proudest is being able to contribute a small part to helping the grandfathers and uncles recover their identities.”

Perhaps that very thought has become the shared driving force for the cadres and soldiers working daily under the July sun and rain. To them, each successfully collected DNA sample means another family gains hope of knowing where their loved one is resting.

Beyond the Tông Khao Cemetery, this journey is being synchronously deployed province-wide within the framework of the Campaign “500 days and nights to step up the search, gathering, and identity verification of martyr remnants,” heading toward the 80th anniversary of Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 1947 - 2027).

The provincial People’s Committee directed the provincial Military Command and the Department of Internal Affairs to advise the provincial Steering Committee on issuing full plans, establishing one working group and six whistleblower remnant sampling teams - each comprising 25 to 30 comrades - to deploy sample collection, sample handover, and information digitization at local cemeteries.

According to the plan, Phase 1 (from May to December 2026) aims to collect samples from 4,593 un-identified graves at seven martyrs cemeteries. Phase 2 (from August 2027 to 2030) will continue collecting samples from 432 graves that possess partial information. By June 23, 2026, the province had completed sample collection at the Tuần Giáo and Tủa Chùa martyrs cemeteries, and is currently deploying at Him Lam and Tông Khao. Province-wide, the forces have exhumed 500 out of 4,593 graves, successfully obtaining 468 samples, while 32 graves could not yield samples, with a total participating personnel of 127 comrades.

Ahead still lie numerous difficulties. Archives across various periods have been lost or contain errors, historical witnesses are becoming fewer, and the majority of remnants have spent over 70 years underground, affecting sample quality. Exhuming at great depths under complex grave structures means the process of sample collection and grave restoration always demands absolute caution.

Yet, following the sacred command from the heart, this journey is deployed through meaningful, concrete actions, so that the children of the Fatherland, after more than seven decades of silence in the bosom of the earth, secure the opportunity to return truly with their own names!