In the early hours of September 26, train SE4 arrived at Hanoi Railway Station, carrying the remains of martyr Vi Ngoc Vinh from Ho Chi Minh City back to his hometown in Phu Tho, more than 50 years after he was laid to rest in the southern region.
Martyr Vi Ngoc Vinh was a sergeant and tank driver of Regiment 273, Army Corps 3. He sacrificed his life on April 30, 1975 — the very day the nation achieved its complete victory.
Since the launch of the 500-day-and-night campaign to intensify the search for and repatriation of martyrs' remains, the Vietnam Association for Support of Martyrs' Families and its affiliated organizations nationwide have assisted in bringing the remains of more than 30 martyrs back to their families and hometowns.
In the case of martyr Vi Ngoc Vinh, the Association's Southern Office supported his family in completing the necessary procedures, correcting information concerning his grave, exhuming his remains, and arranging the farewell ceremony at Saigon Railway Station. Under a cooperation program with the Vietnam Association for Support of Martyrs' Families, Vietnam Railways provided free transportation for the remains of martyr Vi Ngoc Vinh and two family members from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi.
With the highest sense of responsibility, Vietnam Railways continues to coordinate with relevant associations and organizations to accompany martyrs' families in searching for information, verifying identities, collecting and relocating remains, and bringing martyrs' remains from cemeteries across the country back to their hometowns.
For those who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland, no journey home is ever too late. From January 1, 2026 to date, Vietnam Railways has provided free tickets to 66 relatives of martyrs and transported the remains of 33 martyrs aboard its trains.