On the morning of March 16, at the Sơn Mỹ Memorial Site, the Quảng Ngãi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held an incense-offering ceremony to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the massacre of 504 civilians in Sơn Mỹ (March 16, 1968 – March 16, 2026).
Attending the ceremony were Hồ Văn Niên, Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Quảng Ngãi Provincial Party Committee; Nguyễn Cao Phúc, Standing Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council; Y Ngọc, Standing Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People’s Committee; Ngô Văn Trọng, Head of the Provincial Party Committee’s Commission for Propaganda and Mass Mobilization; along with members of the Provincial Party Standing Committee, leaders of the Provincial People’s Council, the Provincial People’s Committee and the Việt Nam Fatherland Front Committee of the province, representatives of departments and local authorities, survivors of the massacre, U.S. veterans, and local residents and students from Tịnh Khê Commune.
Hồ Văn Niên, Member of the Party Central Committee and Secretary of the Quảng Ngãi Provincial Party Committee
Fifty-eight years ago, on the morning of March 16, 1968, 504 innocent civilians were brutally killed. The massacre shocked global public opinion and exposed the atrocities committed by the U.S. military against the Vietnamese people, sparking strong anti-war movements in the United States and around the world.
More than half a century has passed, the people of Sơn Mỹ have chosen to close the painful chapter of the past and look toward a brighter future, transforming grief into motivation to rebuild their homeland and nation while fostering friendship and promoting peace and progress for humanity.
Today, the Sơn Mỹ Memorial Site serves not only as a place preserving historical memory but also as a “red address” for revolutionary tradition education and a meaningful destination for visitors from both Việt Nam and abroad who cherish peace.
The annual memorial ceremony honors the 504 innocent civilians who lost their lives in the 1968 massacre. It also aims to educate younger generations about patriotism, nurture a spirit of peace, and remind present and future generations of the enduring value of independence, freedom, and peace.
During the solemn ceremony, provincial leaders and delegates observed a moment of silence and respectfully offered incense and flowers at the Sơn Mỹ Monument in remembrance of the 504 civilians who perished in the massacre.
Some photos of the event:
Minh Thiện
