On the morning of 4/5, Colonel Nguyen Xuan Son, Deputy Political Commissar of the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command, reported that the salvaged tank's remains were transferred to the Provincial Military Command's Military Logistics - Technical Department. This move was for cleaning, inspection, and assessing its current state.

After an extended period underwater, the tank is severely corroded, reduced to a metal frame. Its extensive damage means it lacks sufficient identifying features for its type or model, making restoration as a historical artifact challenging.

The tank was brought to a unit under the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command. Photo: Tran Hoa

Identifying the tank's origin is further complicated by historical factors. Colonel Son noted that there is insufficient evidence to confirm if the vehicle belonged to the 22nd Division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, which was reportedly destroyed during its retreat on 31/3/1975. This uncertainty stems from the presence of multiple military units withdrawing from Quy Nhon at that specific time.

"These facts complicate the identification of the tank's origin", Colonel Son said.

The tank was salvaged and brought ashore on the evening of 29/4. Photo: Tran Hoa

The tank was discovered in Quy Nhon sea, approximately 20 m from the shore, during low tide. On the afternoon of 29/4, the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command launched a salvage operation, mobilizing hundreds of officers, soldiers, and specialized equipment.

After over 5 hours, the vehicle, measuring 3 m wide, 2,7 m high, and nearly 6 m long (excluding the gun barrel), was successfully brought ashore. The turret was missing, and the vehicle body showed heavy corrosion, with many components reduced to iron frames and gears. The salvage operation also uncovered additional weapons, bone fragments, and personal belongings.

Many AR-15 rifles were found during the tank's salvage. Photo: Tran Hoa

The recovered artifacts have been handed over to local authorities for processing, while the weapons and ammunition will be destroyed to ensure public safety.

This isn't the first such discovery; in 2007, an M41 tank and two gun barrels from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam were salvaged from this same area. However, both were too corroded for restoration.

Tran Hoa