On 30/8, the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command announced that a martyr remains search and repatriation team discovered several artifacts at grave 9, row 4, lot D, within An Tin Martyrs' Cemetery, Van Duc commune. This location was formerly part of Hoai An district, Binh Dinh province.

Photograph of the soldier sitting on a log in the river (left) and after restoration. Photo: Gia Lai Provincial Military Command

Notably, the damaged, small, old album contained a relatively clear photograph. It depicts a soldier sitting on a log in the middle of a river. This photograph is a crucial clue that could help identify the martyr. The album also contained other images and handwritten text, but most have faded and blurred over time, making accurate identification impossible.

The Gia Lai Provincial Steering Committee for Martyr Remains Search and Repatriation appeals to veterans, comrades who fought or worked alongside the person in the photograph, martyr's relatives, and anyone with information about the grave or artifacts to provide it to authorities. This information will assist in cross-referencing, verification, and locating the next of kin.

The album and images found in the martyr's grave at An Tin Martyrs' Cemetery. Photo: Gia Lai Provincial Military Command

Gia Lai currently has 119 martyrs' cemeteries, containing 41,569 graves. Of these, 21,929 graves have complete information, 7,590 have partial information, 11,821 lack information, and 229 graves contain no remains.

As of 23/8, authorities had excavated 83 cemeteries, searching 8,524 graves and collecting 5,565 samples, achieving a success rate of over 65%.

Tran Hoa