The world protesting against the Vietnam War - For illustration purposes only

The veteran faxed Vietnam a map indicating the location of the burial site in Kon Tum province of the Central Highlands, a soldier on duty at the province's Sa Thay district military command told AFP.

"The common grave consisted of 81 bodies. Seventy-seven of them will be identified and buried later in the local cemetery for war martyrs. The other four have been identified and given back to the families," said the soldier, who could not provide further details.

Mass graves from the war, which ended in 1975 with Vietnam's unification, are discovered periodically in Vietnam.

Around 300,000 Vietnamese soldiers are still listed as missing.

VOVNews quoted an officer as saying the mountaintop grave was very difficult to access.
Fighting in the area between March and June 1968 left about 400 soldiers dead, said VOVNews.

The US and Vietnam, which restored diplomatic relations 16 years ago, recently signed a $1-million, two-year agreement under which the US will provide technical assistance to help Vietnam recover its soldiers who are missing, US ambassador Michael Michalak said.

Source: AFP/ en.baomoi.com