Vietnamese veteran's 25-year quest to bring fallen comrades home

Nguyễn Văn Tâm has spent 25 years searching for missing comrades from the 1972 war in An Giang province. His efforts began in 2001 and have since led to the recovery of 24 sets of remains. The work brings closure to families who lost loved ones in the conflict. Tâm was just 19 when he joined Company 10, Battalion 6 of Regiment 46, Division 1 of the Liberation Army of South Vietnam. His unit endured over four months of relentless bombardment during the war. More than a hundred men from the battalion were killed and left in unmarked fields and cajuput forests.

His search has uncovered remains of fallen soldiers, including Võ Nguyễn Trựợng, whose father was the Communist Party chief of Thanh Hoá Province. In 2016, Tâm also helped Phạm Văn Mão’s sister travel to Hà Tiền to retrieve her brother’s remains. This act of kindness was part of his broader mission to honour the Vietnamese tradition of 'uống nước nhớ nguồn'—remembering the source of one’s strength.

Tâm’s dedication has earned respect from veterans, families of the fallen, and local officials. His story has even been recorded in the division’s official history. New leads in 2026 keep his search alive, driven by the belief that his comrades are still out there waiting to return home. Tâm’s work has already brought peace to 24 families by returning their loved ones. His ongoing efforts continue to uncover the past and provide answers for those left behind. The mission remains unfinished as he follows fresh leads in the years ahead.