"Upon seeing the ammunition box, Mr. Tuat burst into tears, his hands trembling as he held each memento lost for over 50 years", Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Canh Minh, Director of the Tay Nguyen Corps Museum, stated, recalling his trip north to meet the veteran.

The mementos were discovered by the Team for collecting martyrs' remains, Corps 34, in a cave on Chu Pa mountain, Ia Ly commune, on 3/2025, during a mission to gather martyrs' remains. This location also yielded 64 sets of martyrs' remains, following a tip from Mr. A Hai, a resident of Doch 1 village, who found them while herding cattle at the mountain's base.

The iron ammunition box containing artifacts and documents found in Chu Pa mountain cave. *Tran Hoa*

Inside the box were one set of clothes, two new parachute hammocks, and dozens of commendation and merit certificates. These were awarded by the Commander of the Liberation Army of South Vietnam to Nguyen Viet Tuat for his achievements in battles between 1968 and 1970. The box also contained documents detailing soldier Tuat's combat history, his appointment decisions, certificates recognizing him as an emulation soldier, and three unsent letters to his relatives.

Notably, the ammunition box also contained notebooks detailing the unit's food rations while sheltering in the cave. Based on these preserved documents, authorities determined the box was hidden between late 1971 and early 1972.

After one month of searching, the Team for collecting martyrs' remains, Corps 34, in collaboration with the Tay Nguyen Corps Museum, confirmed that Mr. Tuat, born in 1935 and the owner of the ammunition box, was alive and living in Trong Quan commune, Dong Hung district, Thai Binh province (now part of Hung Yen).

The set of clothes, two parachute hammocks, dozens of commendation and merit certificates, and three letters soldier Nguyen Viet Tuat sent to his family and relatives. *Tran Hoa*

On 4/2025, Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Canh Minh and his delegation embarked on a journey of over 1,500 km from Tay Nguyen to the North to return the artifacts to the veteran. Mr. Tuat, now over 90 years old, is frail but remains mentally alert. Seeing the old iron box that had been with him for over half a century, he fell silent before bursting into tears.

He recalled enlisting in 1966 and fighting alongside comrades in the rugged mountains of Tay Nguyen. During that period, he served as Deputy Platoon Leader of the Combat Support Company, part of the Gia Lai Provincial Military Command.

Those deep caves served as shelters for him and his comrades, where they treated wounded soldiers and hid documents. During one march away from the cave, he placed the ammunition box in a rock crevice to avoid detection. His unit then received continuous combat orders, preventing him from returning.

Senior Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Canh Minh, Director of the Tay Nguyen Corps Museum, presenting a recognition certificate from the Political Department of Corps 34 and gifts to Mr. Nguyen Viet Tuat for donating the artifacts to the Museum. *Family provided*

In 1976, Mr. Tuat was discharged from the army and returned to his hometown, serving in various local village roles. He currently lives alone, about 50 m from his children and grandchildren, with relatives taking turns to care for him daily.

After over half a century, upon reuniting with his lost mementos, the veteran decided to donate all the artifacts to the Tay Nguyen Corps Museum for preservation. The museum subsequently restored one set for his family as a keepsake.