Memories and mass graves: Vietnam War's wounds resurface as US veterans hunt for lost comrades

In August 2022, four American veterans in their 70s arrived in Quy Nhon, a coastal city in Vietnam’s Binh Dinh province, to reunite with a former North Vietnamese officer.

Once adversaries on the battlefield, they are now allies in a shared mission: uncovering the remains of Vietnamese soldiers who perished in the Vietnam War, which ended nearly 50 years ago, Al Jazeera reported.

Major Dang Ha Thuy, who fought for North Vietnam, greeted the Americans warmly at the airport. Together, they traveled to Xuan Son Hill in the Kim Son Valley, the site of the 1966 battle at Firebase Bird. A film crew from Vietnam’s VTV4 television network documented their journey as part of the ongoing effort to locate mass graves from the war.

The Battle of Firebase Bird

On December 27, 1966, shortly after a Christmas truce expired, North Vietnamese forces launched a surprise attack on Firebase Bird, a small US Army outpost. The ferocious assault claimed the lives of 27 Americans and wounded 67 others. Official records indicate 267 Vietnamese soldiers were killed.

“The battlefield was covered with dead bodies,” said Spencer Matteson, a survivor of the battle, in a VTV4 documentary titled Fragments of Memory. He recounted how soldiers used a bulldozer to dig a mass grave for the North Vietnamese dead.

Decades later, those memories helped Vietnamese excavation teams locate the remains of approximately 60 soldiers. Items such as a purse, belt, and rubber sandals were unearthed in March 2022, leading to the discovery of the grave. The remains were laid to rest in a solemn ceremony at Tang Bạt Ho Town Martyrs’ Cemetery, Al Jazeera reported.

A shared mission

In August 2022, Matteson returned to Vietnam alongside fellow Firebase Bird veterans Steve Hassett, Ivory Whitaker, and Kin Lo. Together with Thuy, they searched for a second grave believed to hold more remains.

“I want to help the families bring closure to their lives,” said Whitaker in the documentary. “And that, in turn, will help me in some way – knowing that we did something good after all of this bad.”

However, the passage of time posed challenges. Memories from the chaotic battle often conflicted, and the team was unable to locate the second grave.

Healing and reconciliation

The collaboration between former adversaries is part of a larger effort to bring closure to the war’s lingering wounds. Vietnam estimates that the remains of more than 200,000 soldiers are still missing, leaving families in anguish.

“This deep pain has passed down through generations,” said filmmaker Le Hoang Linh, who documented the excavations.

American veterans have played a key role in the search. Photos taken during the battle and testimonies from survivors have provided valuable leads. Bob March, a 77-year-old US veteran who coordinates outreach to fellow soldiers, said the effort has identified over 100 potential grave sites.

Time running out

As the number of living Vietnam War veterans dwindles, the urgency to locate the graves grows.

“There is an upper limit,” March said. “Ten years from now, it’s going to be very difficult to find many Vietnam veterans.”

March and others have called for greater support from the US government, including assistance in accessing archival records and connecting veterans who may hold key information.

For Matteson, participating in the search has been a way to cope with the trauma of war.

“For the ones still suffering from PTSD, I would definitely recommend it as a way to cope,” he said.

While the second grave at Xuan Son Hill remains elusive, the search continues across Vietnam. Since the initial discovery in 2022, teams have located the remains of roughly 600 people across eight mass graves, offering hope to families who have waited decades for answers.

“I wouldn’t call it closure,” said Hassett. “My daughter called it ‘closing the circle.’ That’s a good description.”