US returns 4 sets of wartime relics to Vietnam

Lieutenant General James Jarrard, Deputy Commander of the US Army Pacific Command (USARPAC)

Lieutenant General James Jarrard, Deputy Commander of the US Army Pacific Command (USARPAC), and US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns presided over the return of a total of four sets of war relics to Vietnam.

The artifacts include personal diaries, letters, identity cards, and notebooks, which were seized during the war. They have now been returned thanks to a research team from Harvard University under the Undiscovered War Legacy Project, a project under the Vietnam Missing in Action Initiative (VWAI) funded by the US Department of Defense.

Comrades and families of martyrs attend the ceremony to return relics

Dr. Tran Van Ban represented the reception of two sets of war relics for veterans who fought in the Cu Chi Tunnels. The remaining two sets were given directly to the families and comrades of martyrs Lam Van Phan and Nguyen Minh Tam (also known as Nguyen Van Khon).

The event of returning war relics demonstrates the efforts of both countries to resolve the legacies of war through reconciliation and healing.

Consul General Burns shared that, according to her information, this is the first time a war relic return event has been held in the South.

"I was personally moved when I met the relatives of the martyrs, especially the children of the soldiers. I was also moved because among the souvenirs there was a souvenir of a female martyr," she said.

Speaking at the event, Lieutenant General Jarrard said that the ceremony to return war relics had a special meaning for him. Firstly, his father was a soldier during the Vietnam War. Secondly, he commanded the 25th Infantry Division, a unit that fought in Cu Chi more than 50 years ago, and today he was present to return the relics to the soldiers who fought in Cu Chi.

US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Susan Burns (right) and Vietnamese representatives attend the ceremony.

"I think what happened reflects a sign of the progress that the two sides (Vietnam-US) can achieve within a generation. Before we stood on opposite sides of the battle line, and now we are friends," said General Jarrard, adding that he expected and was ready to cooperate with the Vietnamese side to build a lasting friendship.

Responding to Thanh Nien about the future of Vietnam-US military cooperation this year, General Jarrard said that the US Army Corps of Engineers under USARPAC is cooperating with Vietnam on the Mekong River, as well as supporting Vietnam in mine clearance and overcoming the consequences of war.

The ceremony took place in an emotional atmosphere of the participants.

"Therefore, we welcome any other cooperation opportunities with the Vietnamese military. We conduct exercises throughout the region, humanitarian aid, disaster response... In the near future, we are promoting a program to bring Vietnamese representatives to visit drones in the US," the general said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/my-trao-tra-4-bo-ky-vat-thoi-chien-cho-viet-nam-185240524160436843.htm