Vietnam hands over remains of three US servicemen at Da Nang ceremony

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 defense, foreign affairs, and public security. The U.S. delegation included Deputy Chief of Mission in Vietnam Courtney Beale, officials from the U.S. Embassy, members of the Defense 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 U.S. forensic specialists on July 23. Preliminary findings suggested a link to missing U.S. 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 U.S. congressional and governmental backing for strengthening bilateral ties and expanding postwar recovery programs 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 U.S. servicemen’s remains. These efforts, significant for the U.S. Government and people, contribute to bolstering broader joint work to address the war’s aftermath.