Vietnam, US hold repatriation ceremony for remains of American MIA servicemen

At the ceremony in the central city of Da Nang, Vietnam handed over to the US one box containing remains recovered during a recent joint Vietnam-US excavation in Dan Hoa commune, Quang Tri province in central Vietnam.

Earlier, on June 30, 2026, forensic experts from both nations examined the remains and made a preliminary assessment that they could be related to US servicemen missing in action during the war in Vietnam. The remains will be sent to a forensic laboratory in Hawaii for further analysis and identification.

This latest handover carried particular significance with the presence of senior US military leaders, highlighting the importance the US government places on MIA efforts while also acknowledging Vietnam’s goodwill and humanitarian efforts.

Earlier, on June 23, 2026, Acting US Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao visited an MIA excavation site in Truong Ninh commune,  Quang Tri province in central Vietnam while attending the Pacific Partnership programme.

Speaking to the press, Hung Cao expressed gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and people for supporting the US in the search for missing servicemen. He said achievements in war legacy cooperation clearly demonstrate the spirit of putting the past behind and looking toward the future between the two countries over the past decades, helping heal the wounds left by war.

The US will continue maintaining its long-term commitment to war legacy programmes in Vietnam, he added.

Humanitarian cooperation in searching for and accounting for US servicemen missing in action in Vietnam began shortly after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in 1973 and has since achieved positive results.

To date, the cooperation has helped the US identify and return the remains of around 740 US servicemen missing in action in Vietnam to their families.

The results are of great significance to the US people and government and have also helped boost broader war legacy cooperation between the two countries, including US efforts to search for and identify missing Vietnamese martyrs, clear unexploded ordnance, carry out dioxin remediation and support people with war-related 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.