(VOVWORLD) - Vietnam and the US held the 169th repatriation ceremony for the remains of US servicemen missing in action (MIA) during the war in Vietnam.
 Vietnam, US hold 169th repatriation ceremony for American MIA servicemen (Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs/VNA) |
The event, held in central Da Nang city on Saturday, came ahead of the 50th anniversary of the liberation of the South and national reunification (April 30, 1975 – 2025), and the 30th founding anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the US (July 12, 1995 – 2025). It marked a long journey of reconciliation, normalization and development of Vietnam–US relations into a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
At the ceremony, Vietnam handed over four boxes containing remains recovered during recent joint excavations in Hue city, and Quang Tri and Kon Tum provinces.
Humanitarian cooperation on MIA recovery has been carried out since the 1973 Paris Peace Accords. So far, 735 of 1,973 US personnel listed as missing in the war have been identified and returned. These efforts have also supported post-war recovery, including US assistance in locating Vietnamese war martyrs, clearing unexploded ordnance, dioxin remediation, and support for war-affected persons.