Vietnam handed over the remains of three individuals believed to be US servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the Vietnam War during the 170th repatriation ceremony in the central city of Da Nang on July 25.
The event coincided with the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two nations, the 40th anniversary of the first joint MIA search mission, and the 50th anniversary of the war’s end in Vietnam.
It saw the presence of leaders of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP), along with representatives from the Vietnamese ministries of national defence, foreign affairs, and public security. The US delegation included Deputy Chief of Mission in Vietnam Courtney Beale, officials from the US Embassy, members of the Defence POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) in Hanoi, alongside veterans and personnel from the 159th joint field activity conducted from May to July.
The remains, recovered off the coast of Khanh Hoa province during a recent joint operation, were examined by Vietnamese and US forensic specialists on July 23. Preliminary findings suggested a link to missing US servicemen, and the remains will be sent to the DPAA’s forensic laboratory in Hawaii for further analysis and identification.
During his visit to Vietnam from July 8 to 12, DPAA Director Kelly McKeague expressed his profound thanks to the Vietnamese Government, VNOSMP, and local authorities and communities for their dedicated support to the MIA search efforts.
He affirmed that both he and the DPAA remain committed to securing continued US congressional and governmental backing for strengthening bilateral ties and expanding postwar recovery programmes in Vietnam.
The humanitarian collaboration on MIA search and accounting, which began after the 1973 Paris Peace Accords signing, has led to the identification and repatriation of nearly 750 US servicemen’s remains. These efforts, significant for the US Government and people, contribute to bolstering broader joint work to address the war’s aftermath.
