Some are former comrades of the heroic martyrs resting here; others are relatives, while some have traveled from distant homelands, carrying deep gratitude toward those who sacrificed their youth, blood, and bones for the independence and freedom of the Fatherland.

Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery serves as the resting place of 2,432 martyrs. For many years, four cemetery caretakers have taken turns on duty, tending to every grave while receiving and serving citizens and martyrs’ families coming to offer incense and pay visits. The silent work demands meticulous care and, above all, a dedicated heart, as every row of trees, flower bush, and grave requires tending to preserve cleanliness and solemnity. Thanks to these efforts, the cemetery grounds remain lush and green, reflecting how those left behind preserve peace for the resting place of heroic martyrs.

Vũ Thị Thu Hà, a caretaker at Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery, has been attached to this work in this sacred space for 14 years. Regardless of regular days or holidays, she and her colleagues carefully tend to every grave. Around May 7 and July 27 each year, the caretakers’ work begins early, preparing thoroughly to welcome delegations from both inside and outside the province coming to pay tribute to heroic martyrs.

Vũ Thị Thu Hà emotionally shared: “The job requires meticulousness and responsibility. We always strive to perform every task with affection, reverence, and gratitude for our ancestors’ sacrifices so that citizens and martyrs’ relatives feel peace of mind when visiting. To us, the martyrs are like our own family. Tending to their graves daily brings joy and happiness.”

Alongside Hà, Vương Xuân Thấm holds the longest service record among caretakers at Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery. Having been attached to the work for nearly 30 years, he knows every grave sector, row of trees, and corner within the space. From the early days when the cemetery remained wild, he cleared grass by hand, tended graves, and planted trees, contributing to the lush, solemn grounds seen today. On days when visitors have departed, he remains quietly beside the rows of trees, finding peace of mind only when every grave is thoroughly cared for.

Vương Xuân Thấm shared: “Each grave represents a life and a member of a family. By taking careful care of the heroic martyrs’ graves, we hope to give families who lost loved ones on the battlefield greater peace of mind.”

On the morning of July 23, Trần Thị Lập from Hamlet 10 in Sam Mứn commune came with her family to Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery to offer incense for martyrs, including her relative, martyr Nguyễn Văn Thắng. Walking past long rows of graves featuring headstones inscribed with “Martyr with information yet to be identified,” Lập could not hold back her emotions. Learning that officers and soldiers from the Provincial Military Command alongside cadres from various departments were executing the 500-Day-and-Night Campaign to search, collect, and sample martyrs’ remains, she felt warmed at heart.

Trần Thị Lập shared: “Behind those words lies a life left on the battlefield and families tirelessly awaiting information. I hope the campaign finishes soon so unidentified martyrs regain their names and homelands, allowing longing relatives to welcome home their sons, fathers, and brothers.”

Senior Colonel Dương Quốc Long, Deputy Political Commissar of the Provincial Military Command, noted that the 500-Day-and-Night Campaign has been deployed in Điện Biên province since June 6, involving over 120 officers, soldiers, and participating forces exhuming and sampling remains across 4,594 graves in seven martyrs’ cemeteries. Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery alone contains 2,042 graves with unidentified information requiring sampling for DNA identification. Starting July 23, member forces of the provincial Steering Committee for Searching and Identifying Martyrs’ Information began duties at Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery. The workload is immense, requiring caution and accuracy in every stage, as each collected sample presents an additional opportunity to rediscover names for heroic martyrs after decades.

July at Độc Lập Martyrs’ Cemetery sees reverent incense sticks and quiet footsteps returning to remember heroic martyrs with profound gratitude. Everyone hopes graves lacking information will soon have names, ages, and homelands identified so families waiting through long years can know where their loved ones rest. This stands as the way today’s generation honors, preserves, and continues the tradition of “When drinking water, remember its source,” ensuring the sacrifices of heroic martyrs remain forever etched in the national heart.