On 5/8, the An Giang Provincial Military Command announced the discovery of a metal identification tag during the excavation of an unidentified grave at Tri Ton Martyrs' Cemetery (grave 531, zone A, lot 5, row 11). The tag, found by a team collecting DNA samples, bears the name "Nguyen Van Thuan" along with his hometown (Long Thanh, Yen Thanh, Nghe An) and date of sacrifice (16/2/1973).

The metal tag, approximately the size of two hands, remains well-preserved. It features handwritten text in blue ink, which is still quite clear.

Tag recording fallen soldier's information. *Photo: Phuong Vu*

According to the An Giang Provincial Military Command, this is a rare occurrence during DNA sampling efforts, as the relic has retained complete information despite more than 50 years since burial. This data is critical for cross-referencing records and verifying the fallen soldier's next of kin.

This discovery is part of An Giang's "500 Days and Nights" Campaign, which aims to collect 15,757 DNA samples from the remains of fallen soldiers across 20 cemeteries within the province.

Ngoc Tai - Phuong Vu