Da Nang (VNA) – Vietnam transferred one set of remains believed to belong to a US serviceman missing in action (MIA) during the war at the 172nd repatriation ceremony held in central Da Nang city on April 29.
The remains were recovered during a recent joint Vietnam–US excavation in central Hue city. On April 27, Vietnamese and US forensic specialists conducted a preliminary examination, indicating the remains may be linked to a missing US serviceman. They will be sent to a forensic laboratory in Hawaii for further analysis and identification.
Humanitarian cooperation on accounting for US MIAs began after the 1973 Paris Peace Accords and has since delivered significant results, helping identify and repatriate the remains of around 740 US personnel missing in Vietnam.
The work carries deep significance for the US Government and people, while also supporting broader efforts to address war consequences, including the search for missing Vietnamese soldiers, unexploded ordnance clearance, dioxin remediation, and assistance for war-affected communities.
According to Le Cong Tien, Director of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP), the MIA mission is facing mounting challenges due to dwindling information sources, increasingly difficult recovery sites, and impacts from natural disasters and socio-economic development.
He reaffirmed that Vietnam will continue to work closely with the US to carry out this meaningful humanitarian mission, contributing to the long-term development of the bilateral ties./.
