Honoring Vietnam Veterans | Healing Through History Inc

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ho Chi Minh City Military Command to Open Burial Excavation Site at the 1966 Battle of Suoi Bong Trang (Operation Rolling Stone)

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam — 19th November 2025. In just a few hours, the Ho Chi Minh City Military Command will formally commence excavation operations at a newly identified potential site linked to the February 1966 Battle of Suoi Bong Trang. This significant development follows close collaboration of Healing Through History (HTH) and the Vietnamese Government and marks an important step toward recovering and honoring Vietnamese soldiers lost during the battle.

A central element of this cooperation has been HTH’s deployment of its advanced Forsyth Database, a specialized system that integrates declassified archival records with period reconnaissance imagery. Using this system, HTH was able to locate, acquire, and interpret tactical aerial imagery from the time of the battle—imagery that provided critical clues leading to the identification of the site set to open today.

After analyzing the imagery and correlating it with historical records, HTH formally recommended to Vietnamese authorities that Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR) be used to confirm the locations identified by its research paper. Acting on that recommendation, the Ho Chi Minh City Military Command conducted GPR scans that validated the findings, paving the way for today’s forthcoming excavation.

This initiative also builds on HTH’s prior success in 2024, when its research and imagery-analysis capabilities led to the successful location and recovery of the remains of 20 martyrs from the Battle of Balmoral. That achievement demonstrated the effectiveness of HTH’s methodology and strengthened the foundation of trust that now supports the Suoi Bong Trang effort.

HTH’s Director at Large, Luke Johnston, has been invited as an official delegate to the opening ceremony and will be present on-site as operations begin. His attendance underscores the strong technical partnership and shared commitment between HTH and the Ho Chi Minh City Military Command.

“HTH is humbled to support this effort through the Forsyth Database and our interdisciplinary team,” Johnston said ahead of the event. “Our hope is that today’s excavation brings long-awaited answers and closure to Vietnamese families whose loved ones were lost in the battle.”

Healing Through History reaffirmed its respect for the Vietnamese Government’s dedication to locating and honoring the fallen, noting that the forthcoming excavation represents not only a moment of historical significance but a continuation of international cooperation rooted in transparency, science, and respect.