On 12/8, the Da Nang Military Command announced it is coordinating with relevant agencies, units, and local authorities to develop a plan for an in-depth survey of the Ho Chuoi area. This site, located on Mat Rang mountain within the Hon Tau range in Duy Xuyen commune, is suspected to contain the remains of over 10 fallen soldiers from Surgical Team 5.

This initiative follows a request received on 31/7 by the Duy Xuyen Commune Steering Committee 515 from the family of fallen soldier Vo Van Ngoc. The committee subsequently conducted a preliminary field survey, reviewed records, and interviewed witnesses. Vo Van Ngoc, a doctor with Surgical Team 5 (Frontline Surgical Team), perished alongside more than 10 comrades in 1969 when a US bombing raid caused the Mat Rang cave to collapse.

Forces tasked with repatriating fallen soldiers' remains survey the marked area. *Photo: Quang Cuong*

By cross-referencing archived documents and accounts from three residents of Phu Loc village who guided a Quang Nam provincial search team in 2002, the task force initially pinpointed the Ho Chuoi cave area. This cave is situated on the western slope of the Hon Tau range, at an altitude of approximately 500 meters above sea level.

At the site, authorities identified the cave entrance, which had been previously marked according to instructions from Huynh Van Nghe, the sole survivor of Surgical Team 5.

The Ho Chuoi area spans over 2,000 square meters. It features massive rock formations weighing hundreds of tons overhead, dense forest cover, and several areas of subsidence. Reaching this location requires the survey team to trek for approximately three hours through rugged mountainous terrain from their vehicle staging point.

The Da Nang Military Command is currently directing specialized agencies to continue gathering and consolidating records, verifying information, and developing a comprehensive plan. This plan involves mobilizing personnel, vehicles, and equipment to conduct a thorough survey, aiming to precisely determine the cave's location and structure. This will provide a solid foundation for the search and repatriation of the fallen soldiers' remains.