US values Vietnam’s cooperation in search for missing American servicemen
VOV.VN - Kelly McKeague, director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) under the US Department of Defense, has valued the support and cooperation from the Government and people of Vietnam in the humanitarian effort to search for American servicemen missing in action during the past war.
Vietnam News Agency quoted McKeague in his letter to Washington Times, saying for more than 40 years since the end of the war, the US has remained steadfast in its commitment to search for and verify information related to missing US personnel. This ongoing humanitarian mission has been made possible largely due to Vietnam’s long-standing, effective partnership.
According to McKeague, such cooperation began even before the two countries officially normalised diplomatic relations in 1995 and continues to serve as a foundation for the strong US - Vietnam partnership seen today.
Thanks to the enduring and essential collaboration, the US has accounted for 752 Americans missing in action, returning their remains to their families and providing long-awaited answers that help ease decades of sorrow, he stated.
An estimated 1,157 cases are believed to still be recoverable in Vietnam, and the US continues to fulfill its moral obligation in locating these individuals through joint archival research, field investigations, and excavations conducted with Vietnam’s active participation, he said.
Since 2015, DPAA has deployed more than 97 investigation teams and 167 excavation teams to Vietnam to work with local partners. Even during the restricted travel period caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2021), Vietnam carried out 30 independent investigations and excavations.
Over the past 10 years, bilateral cooperation in this field has helped identify 35 missing service members, including 19 through joint field activities, one through a US partner mission, and 15 from information provided by Vietnam.
McKeague affirmed that the US will continue its efforts to search for, recover, and identify those still missing from the war, with the support and cooperation from the government and people of Vietnam.
Vietnam, US hold 169th repatriation ceremony for American MIA servicemen
Vietnam and the US on April 19 held the 169th repatriation ceremony for the remains of US servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the war in Vietnam.
