At the ceremony, Vietnam handed over one set of remains to the US. The handover resulted from Vietnam’s recent unilateral search efforts in Lao Cai province. Earlier, on December 5, forensic experts from Vietnam and the US examined the remains and reached a preliminary assessment that they may be associated with a US service member missing in the Vietnam War. The remains will be transferred to a forensic laboratory in Hawaii for further analysis and identification.

On behalf of the US Government and people, Ambassador Marc Knapper expressed sincere appreciation to the Vietnamese Government for its strong and sustained commitment to this humanitarian effort, affirming that it stands as evidence of close cooperation between the two peoples and has laid an important foundation for normalization and the advancement of bilateral relations.

Director of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) Kelly McKeague also voiced gratitude for the sense of responsibility demonstrated by Vietnam’s Office for Seeking Missing Persons in carrying out this humanitarian mission. He underscored that Vietnam is one of only two countries, out of the 46 where the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency operates, that has the capacity to conduct unilateral search operations in the most difficult and hazardous areas.

Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien said that, rising above the pain of war, Vietnam had fully cooperated in the search for missing US service members from the very beginning on humanitarian grounds. Quoting Party General Secretary To Lam, he said: “We cannot choose the past, but we can choose how we look at the past, and from that, choose the future.” He expressed confidence that, with goodwill and joint efforts, both sides would continue to address the consequences of war while expanding cooperation, as the best way to heal wounds to the land, to bodies and to souls, and to build a brighter future for Vietnam-US relations.

Chien reaffirmed that Vietnam will continue to coordinate closely and provide the most favorable conditions for efforts to search for US service members missing in the war, as it has done for nearly half a century. He also called on the US to further strengthen resources and expand projects supporting Vietnam in dealing with war legacies, including unexploded ordnance clearance, dioxin remediation, assistance for persons with disabilities and war victims, and cooperation in the search for, recovery of and enhancement of forensic identification capacity for the remains of missing Vietnamese soldiers.

Humanitarian cooperation on the search for and accounting of US service members missing in the Vietnam War began immediately after the Paris Peace Accords were signed in 1973. To date, the efforts have produced positive results, enabling the US to identify and return the remains of about 740 US service members missing in the war to their families, an outcome of great significance to the US people and Government.

The 171st repatriation of US servicemen’ remains was among the key events closing 2025, a year marking the 30th anniversary of Vietnam-US diplomatic relations (1995-2025), 40 years since the first joint activities to search for US MIAs (1985-2025), and 50 years since the end of the Vietnam War (1975-2025).

The event marked a long journey of healing, normalization and development of Vietnam-US ties from former adversaries to today’s Comprehensive Strategic Partners, and contributed to boosting cooperation in tackling war legacies between the two countries, including US support for the search for, recovery and identification of missing Vietnamese martyrs, unexploded ordnance clearance, dioxin decontamination and assistance for persons with disabilities.

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.

Vietnam hands over remains of MIA serviceman to US

VOV.VN - A ceremony was held at Da Nang International Airport on July 29 to repatriate the remains thought to be associated with a US service member missing in action (MIA) during the war in Vietnam.