On 29/5, a representative from the Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) Command announced that during the search and collection of remains of fallen soldiers from the Saigon commando battles on 12/2/1968, the unit discovered a photograph. The image shows two men and three children observing the burial of soldiers in a vacant lot within Chi Hoa cemetery, also known as Do Thanh cemetery. This area is now Le Thi Rieng Park, located in the former District 10.

According to authorities, the three children in the photograph were then estimated to be 10-14 years old, and are now estimated to be 68-72 years old. To date, two individuals who witnessed the event have contacted authorities to provide information, including Nguyen Tuan Nha, 70.

The photograph, believed to have been taken in 1968, shows the burial site of fallen soldiers in Do Thanh cemetery, now Le Thi Rieng Park. *Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Command*

Nha stated that at the time of the incident, he was 12 years old and lived near the old Thanh Van theater. On the morning of 12/2/1968, he and his friends went to play at Do Thanh cemetery, about one kilometer from his home.

Between 9 AM and 10 AM that day, he saw three vehicles carrying the bodies of young men and women dressed in black 'ba ba' shirts and shorts, believed to be Saigon commandos. According to his account, Republic of Vietnam soldiers used poles to carry the bodies, burying them in the area between the morgue and the funeral home within the cemetery. Some bodies still wore 'ruot tuong' (long cloth pouches worn around the waist) used to carry ammunition.

Nha stated that after 1975, he joined the military and fought in Cambodia. According to him, if provided with a map of the former Do Thanh cemetery and a current map of Le Thi Rieng Park, he could help cross-reference them to pinpoint the burial locations.

"As a former soldier, I want to contribute to finding my comrades who have rested beneath the earth for over 50 years", Nha said.

Reconstruction photo provided by Ho Chi Minh City Command.

Le Thi Rieng Park, spanning about 8 hectares, has been operational since 1983, situated between Cach Mang Thang Tam, Bac Hai, and Truong Son streets. Previously, this area was Do Thanh cemetery (Chi Hoa cemetery), covering about 30 hectares.

Following the 1968 Tet Offensive battles, this location served as a mass burial site for many fallen soldiers. Before the park's construction, the HCMC Command, in coordination with relevant agencies, organized several collection and relocation efforts for dozens of fallen soldiers' remains in this area.

Dinh Van