500-day campaign on search for fallen soldiers to be filmed
VOV.VN - Vietnam will produce a television documentary series and a feature-length documentary on the 500-day campaign to search for, recover and identify fallen soldiers’ remains, as part of activities to mark 80 years of War Invalids and Martyrs Day (July 27, 2027).
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has signed a decision, amending and supplementing the plan for activities marking the 80th anniversary of the event.
Notably, the decision adds the production of a television documentary series and a feature-length documentary about the 500-day campaign. The Ministry of Public Security will lead the work in coordination with the Ministry of National Defence, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Launched on April 2, 2026 at the Quang Tri Ancient Citadel, the campaign runs from March 15, 2026 to July 27, 2027. It aims to recover around 7,000 sets of remains, collect samples from approximately 230,000 graves of fallen soldiers whose identities remain unknown, and conduct DNA testing on around 18,000 sets of remains.
As of November 3, 2026, the authorities had recovered 4,196 sets of remains, equivalent to 59.94% of the campaign’s overall target. Of these, 2,809 were found in Vietnam, 251 in Laos and 1,136 in Cambodia. The identities of 134 fallen soldiers have been established.
The television documentary series and feature-length film are expected to preserve a record of the search and recovery effort, while bringing to light stories from personnel directly involved in the campaign, relatives of fallen soldiers and witnesses.
Inside Military Institute of Forensic Medicine: Restoring identity to fallen soldiers
VOV.VN - Each bone fragment and tooth is meticulously processed, preserved, and tested for DNA by staff at the Military Institute of Forensic Medicine in hopes of identifying fallen soldiers.
