    |
 |
|
The two sides signing the minutes of the 173rd repatriation ceremony for the remains of U.S. service members |
Representing Vietnam were members of the leadership of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP) and representatives from several agencies under the Ministry of National Defense, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Public Security.
The U.S. delegation included Lieutenant General Joel Bryant Vowell, Deputy Commanding General of U.S. Army Pacific; former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper; representatives of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA); the U.S. Defense Attaché Office and the U.S. MIA Office in Hanoi; as well as several U.S. veterans and citizens residing in Da Nang.
At the ceremony, Vietnam handed over one case containing remains of a U.S. soldier to the U.S. side. The remains were recovered during a recent joint Vietnam - U.S. excavation conducted in Dan Hoa commune, Quang Tri province.
Earlier, on June 30, Vietnamese and U.S. forensic experts examined the remains and reached a preliminary conclusion that they could be associated with a U.S. service member missing in action during the war in Vietnam. The remains will be transferred to a forensic laboratory in Hawaii for further analysis and identification.
|
|
 |
|
Views of the handover ceremony in Da Nang |
This repatriation ceremony carried special significance with the attendance of a senior U.S. military leader, reflecting the U.S. recognition of and appreciation for Vietnam’s goodwill and humanitarian efforts. Earlier, on June 23, Acting U.S. Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao visited an MIA recovery site in Truong Ninh commune, Quang Tri province, while attending the Pacific Partnership – Pacific Friends Program.
Speaking to the press, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao expressed his gratitude to the Government and people of Vietnam for supporting the U.S. in the search for missing service members. He said the achievements made in cooperation to address the legacy of war have demonstrated the shared commitment of both countries to set the past aside and look toward the future. These efforts have helped heal the wounds of war over the past decades. He also reaffirmed the U.S.' long-term commitment to continuing programs aimed at addressing the consequences of war in Vietnam.
Humanitarian cooperation between Vietnam and the U.S. in searching and accounting for U.S. service members missing in action began shortly after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973. Since then, the two countries have achieved significant results, enabling the identification and return of the remains of approximately 740 U.S. service members missing in action during the war in Vietnam to their families.
|
|
 |
|
Delegates joining the event in a group photo |
These achievements hold profound significance for the American people and the U.S. Government while also contributing to broader bilateral cooperation in addressing the legacy of war. This includes U.S. support for locating and identifying the remains of missing Vietnamese martyrs, clearing unexploded ordnance, dioxin remediation, and assisting people with disabilities affected by the war.
Translated by Chung Anh