Vietnam Buries 731 Remains From 1968 Tet Offensive
The Government of Vietnam buried 731 people believed to have died during the 1968 Tet Offensive following a multi-year research effort to locate mass graves.
The Government of Vietnam buried the remains of 731 people on October 14, 2026, who are believed to have been killed during the 1968 Tet Offensive. Prime Minister Le Minh Hung attended memorial services at Le Thi Rieng Park in Ho Chi Minh City before the remains were interred at the Ho Chi Minh City Martyrs’ Cemetery.
The burial site was located following an eight-year research effort by architect Nguyen Xuan Thang, who used military maps and a 1968 Associated Press photograph of burial trenches and a water tower to identify the location. Excavations at the park began on June 23 and lasted three months.
While 307 sets of remains were found with personal belongings, the majority remain unidentified. Samples have been sent to the Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology in Hanoi for DNA testing. This recovery is part of a nationwide 500-day campaign, running through July 2027, aimed at locating and identifying approximately 7,000 war dead.
Similar burials are scheduled for other regions, including 120 people in Can Tho, 93 in Tuyen Quang, and 65 in Hai Phong.
