"Le guerre d'Indochine" Topic

Hello, I understand this is primarily a war-gaming group but I wonder if you may be able to help. I am trying to find out details of the whereabouts of the remains of my wife's uncle – sergent Claude Renoux, of the Mission militaire regionale Tonkin 73e bataillon. He was killed on his second tour in Indochina. Earlier he had won the Croix de Guerre with bronze palm for leading a counter-attack. He had also been awarded the Medaille Militaire. He was killed in combat on 31.12.1953 at Nghi Giang (Gia Lam) according to the French ministry of defence records. He was buried at the time of his death at Hai Duong in northern Vietnam. After 1955, I understand many French miltary remains were reburied in South Vietnam, and then in 1988 after negotiations between Vietnam and France, about 35,000 remains were repatriated to France, to the memorial and cemetery at Frejus in southern France. I have been to the website linked to but his name does not appear on the Virtual Wall there. Can any of you help me work out what I need to do next to find out if his remains are back in France, or have gone missing in the intervening years?
Or does anybody know of a French military researcher I could hire? I would be grateful for any help you could give.
best wishes

Have you tried contacting the French Embassy in NY ?

Based on what is written here:

link

Including:

Il reste au Viêt-Nam des tombes éparses, situées surtout dans les régions boisées du Nord, dont l'existence est connue par des témoignages, mais dont l'emplacement a été effacé par les effets du climat, de la guerre du Viêt-Nam (1964-1975) et du temps écoulé.

Des recherches demeurent aléatoires. Le rapatriement total des sépultures des militaires s'avère peu réaliste.

It sounds as though not all remains could be found or practically repatriated.

This page:

link

Mentions that those whose remains have not been repatriated are listed on the wall:

Au centre de la nécropole, un mur porte les noms des militaires
"Morts pour la France" en Indochine,
dont les corps ne reposent pas à Fréjus
(corps disparus au Viêt-Nam ou rendus aux familles en métropole).

34 935 noms,
classés par année de décès puis dans l'ordre alphabétique,
sont inscrits sur 438 plaques
disposées de part et d'autre d'une carte d'Indochine en bronze,
ultime rappel de ces terres lointaines.

You might try the "contact" link from that page to inquire whether Claude Renoux is among the repatriated or the non-repatriated.

You might also inquire whether any remains were repatriated from Hai Duong, and/or what happened to any foreign cemeteries in Hai Duong.

Might there be an association in France of those whose relatives died in Indochina? Perhaps, they might be able to help.

Might the Vietnamese embassy or the city of Hai Duong be able to assist you?

link

mail.haiduong.gov.vn

Does his unit still exist, and might they have an archive?

Is there a "Veterans of Indochina" association or similar?