US servicemen's remains found in Vietnam repatriated

The event, the 167th of its kind, was attended by U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Marc Knapper, Indo-Pacific Director at the U.S. Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Christopher Phelps, and officials from the U.S. MIA office in Hanoi (DET2). Representing Vietnam were leaders of the Vietnam Office for Seeking Missing Persons (VNOSMP), and representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, National Defense, and Public Security.

At the ceremony, the VNOSMP handed over a casket containing the remains, which experts from both countries assessed may be related to U.S. servicemen missing in Vietnam. This handover was the result of the 156th joint field activity, which took place between July and September this year.

The event coincided with the one-year anniversary of Vietnam and the U.S. elevating their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership (Sept. 10, 2023 - 2024), underscoring the commitment of both nations to cooperate on addressing war legacy issues, which is considered a priority of their bilateral relations.

The cooperation to search for and return the remains of U.S. MIAs began shortly after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on Jan. 27, 1973.

After more than five decades of collaborative efforts, Vietnam has handed over to the U.S. over 1,000 sets of remains and helped the U.S. identify 735 cases. This humanitarian endeavor has played a crucial role in healing the wounds of war, building trust, and advancing the Vietnam-U.S. relationship to its current level.