The story of a daughter who spent over half a century searching for her father's grave.

Desperate to find loved ones.

In the last days of July, amidst the atmosphere of gratitude to those who sacrificed their lives to protect the Fatherland, the small house of Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lau (90 years old), in Tay Phu commune, Tay Son district (Binh Dinh province), regularly receives visitors. Mrs. Lau is the wife of martyr Vo Khi (born in 1930), who died in 1961, but only now has his remains been found by the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province and brought back to his hometown for burial. “They came to share the joy with my family. Finally, our long-held wish has been fulfilled. It’s even more special that it came on July 27th,” said Mrs. Lau’s daughter, Mrs. Vo Thi Diep (68 years old).

Mrs. Diep recounted that her parents had only been married for a short time before her father had to enlist in the army. She was born a few months after her father left, so she never got to see him. During those years, Mrs. Lau worked tirelessly at various jobs to raise her young child and care for her elderly mother-in-law. In 1961, the family received the devastating news that Squad Leader Vo Khi had been killed in action. At that time, Mrs. Lau was only 29 years old, but she decided to remain a widow, raising her child, honoring her husband, and caring for her mother-in-law. Since her only daughter married and moved to a neighboring village, she has lived alone in that small house.

Mrs. Lau was helped by her only daughter to light incense at the memorial and burial ceremony for martyr Vo Khi, held on July 20th. Photo: HT

"My father's death certificate only briefly states that he died in Thanh Hoa. That's why for decades, our family has focused our search solely on Thanh Hoa," Mrs. Diep recounted, adding that her family has searched every single martyrs' cemetery in Thanh Hoa province, but to no avail.

“My mother keeps saying that we need to find my father's grave so he can rest in peace. Every time I hear her say that, my heart aches. The longing to find his grave weighs heavily on my heart. Every time I light incense at the altar on my father's death anniversary or on July 27th, I never forget to pray, hoping that my father's spirit will help my mother and me find him so we can bring him home,” Mrs. Diep said, tears streaming down her face.

Since the remains could not be found, the local authorities built a symbolic grave for martyr Vo Khi in the former Binh Phu Commune Martyrs' Cemetery. Every year, at the beginning of the year, on the anniversary of his death, and on the Day of War Invalids and Martyrs (July 27th), Mrs. Lau and her daughter still regularly come here to light incense, even though they know the grave remains empty.

The Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province worked through the night to exhume the remains of fallen soldiers. Photo: HT

Journey back to my mother's hometown

Not long ago, Mrs. Diep and her daughter were overwhelmed with joy after receiving a phone call from an official of the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province. The call announced that the grave of martyr Vo Khi had been found after 61 years since his sacrifice.

An officer directly involved in the task of collecting the remains of this fallen soldier recounted that a few years ago, the Provincial Military Command distributed questionnaires to each household requesting information about fallen soldiers and their graves. Some time later, the unit received a report from the caretaker at the Hung Dung ward's public cemetery. This person reported that there were several graves of soldiers from the South buried there, but since their burial, no one had offered incense or prayers. Authorities immediately arrived to verify the information. Upon inspection, they discovered the grave of fallen soldier Vo Khi, with complete information recorded on the tombstone. After numerous procedures to cross-reference information, the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province confirmed that this was indeed the grave of fallen soldier Vo Khi and notified the relevant authorities in Binh Dinh province and the soldier's relatives.

Leaders of Tam Ky City were present at the memorial and burial ceremony for martyr Nguyen Dinh Trung after receiving the handover from the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province. Photo: HT

At this time, Mrs. Diep and her children learned that Martyr Vo Khi had been wounded in Thanh Hoa, but was transferred to a hospital in Vinh City for treatment and subsequently died there. After consulting with the family, on the night of July 17th and the early morning of July 18th, the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province organized the exhumation and repatriation of Martyr Vo Khi's remains to his hometown in Binh Dinh. In his hometown, the local authorities held a solemn memorial service and burial. Despite being 90 years old and frail, Mrs. Lau insisted on being helped to the cemetery by her children and grandchildren, her thin hands embracing the coffin containing her husband's remains after nearly 70 years of separation. Martyr Vo Khi's remains were then interred in the same symbolic grave where his wife and children had offered incense and prayers for decades. "Finally, my wish has been fulfilled. Now, even if I die, I have no regrets," Mrs. Lau said, after scooping up handfuls of earth and placing them in her husband's grave.

Meanwhile, in a conversation with reporters, Ms. Vo Thi Diep remained visibly moved, repeatedly expressing her gratitude to the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province for helping her family fulfill a seemingly hopeless wish after more than half a century of searching.

Also on this occasion, the Steering Committee 515 of Nghe An province exhumed the remains of three martyrs who were soldiers from the South who died in Nghe An province. Most of these were cases where their relatives had been searching for their remains for a long time without success. These martyrs include Nguyen Dinh Trung (born in 1928, originally from Tam Xuan commune, Tam Ky district, Quang Nam province), enlisted in May 1950, serving as Deputy Squad Leader in Military Region 5, died on June 22, 1954; and Bien Van Thanh (born in 1934, originally from Hoa My Dong commune, Tay Hoa district, Phu Yen province), enlisted in October 1953, serving as a worker at a wood factory in Vinh City, died on May 28, 1966. Martyr Ly Xenh (born in 1930, originally from Tinh Bac commune, Son Tinh district, Nghia Binh province, now Quang Ngai province), enlisted in 1950; held the position of Squad Leader in Regiment 108, died on July 27, 1970.

Relatives are moved to tears beside the remains of a fallen soldier found nearly 70 years after his sacrifice. Photo: HT

Among them, martyrs Biện Văn Thành and Nguyễn Đình Trung were both found in the public cemetery of Hưng Dũng ward. Martyr Lý Xểnh was found in a garden of a private house in Hưng Nguyên town, Hưng Nguyên district. All three martyrs died before they could have wives and children, and are now worshipped by their descendants.

After the remains were exhumed, the Provincial Steering Committee 515 arranged for vehicles to transport the remains of the martyrs to their hometowns for handover to the local authorities. There, the local governments organized solemn memorial and burial ceremonies.