(VOVWORLD) - Though the war has long been over, many Vietnamese soldiers are still listed as missing in action and their remains have yet to be located or identified. In a heartfelt tribute to these war martyrs, many veterans continue to search for the remains of their comrades.
 Veteran Vu Van Dao (first from left) during a trip to the old battlefield to search for the remains of his fallen comrades. (Photo: Nho Trung/VOV2) |
"Some of my comrades still lie in the deep forests or remote mountains, while I have been fortunate enough to survive. I personally buried many of them. So, my searching for my fellow soldiers is an act of brotherhood and of spiritual and cultural significance," said war veteran Vu Van Dao of Hanoi, who joined the army in 1972 and fought on the Thua Thien-Hue battlefield.
Since the end of the war, he has found and brought the remains of many comrades from the old battlefield back to their hometown. Dao said every trip has been full of hardships.
“We crossed rivers and streams. There were times when I felt I couldn’t go on because of the intense summer heat in the central region. When we reached the foot of the mountain, we had to keep climbing, wading through streams, crossing rivers, and traversing rugged, towering rocky terrain. We just kept going,” he recalled.
 Veteran Vu Ngoc But (second from left, in dark green military uniform) visits his comrades-in-arms in Hoa Binh province. (Photo: Nho Trung/VOV2) |
Vu Ngoc But, another veteran from Hanoi, has returned to the old battlefields multiple times over the past 16 years to search for the remains of his fallen comrades.
“The war was incredibly brutal. During the war, we fought side by side and lived together. Now they’re gone. Each one-to-two-week trip has brought back memories and deeply emotional stories,” But was moved to say.
But and a number of other brothers-in-arms have exhumed and brought them back home.
“I’m getting older now. All I hope for is to soon find my comrades and bring them to their families. I’ve flown to the South to revisit the old battlefield and search for the remains of the soldiers I buried. I managed to find the remains of two of them. I had to ask the locals for assistance because I couldn’t find the graves any more. Over the years, things have changed, making it difficult to recognize the original sites,” said But.
Since returning from military service, Vu Ngoc But and Nguyen Thanh Tin of Hanoi have joined a group of veterans from the former Fifth Division to search for the remains of fallen combatants.
For Tin, each time a comrade's remains are found, he feels a sense of relief and peace of mind.
“Many of my comrades’ remains still lie in the forests and mountains. That’s why we must do our best to find and bring them back home. It’s a sacred duty,” said Tin.
Relatives of martyrs live each day hoping to find their missing loved ones. Only the veterans truly understand the deep bonds they once shared.