On 12/3, the Martyr Remains Collection Team of Economic-Defense Group 337 announced the excavation of a martyr's remains from a cave on Co Loong mountain, Se Pu hamlet, Huong Lap commune, Quang Tri province. This significant discovery included a plastic chess set and other personal items.
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Martyr's remains found in a cave about 3 meters deep. Photo: Economic-Defense Group 337 |
Martyr's remains found in a cave about 3 meters deep. Photo: Economic-Defense Group 337
The remains, still largely skeletal, were located approximately 3 meters deep inside the cave. Accompanying artifacts provided a poignant glimpse into the soldier's life: a poncho, parachute fabric, a lighter, a flashlight battery, a toothbrush, the plastic chess set, and a 2-cent coin issued in 1958.
Following the excavation, the Martyr Remains Collection Team transported the remains for preservation at the Khe Sanh commune spiritual cultural area. The team is expanding its search area and working to complete the necessary procedures for identifying the martyr.
This latest find is part of ongoing efforts in the region. According to Economic-Defense Group 337, their collection force successfully located and excavated 33 martyr remains in the Huong Lap commune area during 2023.
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The chess set and many artifacts were found with the remains. Photo: Economic-Defense Group 337 |
The chess set and many artifacts were found with the remains. Photo: Economic-Defense Group 337
Just one day earlier, approximately 6 kilometers from the chess set discovery site, the collection team found another martyr's remains. This separate discovery occurred at the mouth of a cave on Co Chuoi mountain, Cu Bai hamlet, also within Huong Lap commune. These remains were about 1 meter deep, wrapped in a poncho and parachute fabric, with two intact ponchos covering them.
The search team at this second site also unearthed numerous artifacts, including a car headlight, canned meat, injection vials, penicillin vials, an oil can, K54 bullet casings, AK bullets, machine gun bullets, three bomb fragments, and communication wire tied around the remains.
Huong Lap commune, situated near the Laos border, was a strategic corridor along the Truong Son trail through western Quang Tri province. During the war, this area served as a crucial stopping point and transit hub for troops, weapons, and food moving from North to South. It was also the site of many enemy raids, sabotage operations, and ambushes by Vietnamese forces to protect the vital route.
Dac Thanh
