Posted on: Monday, April 19, 2004

Vietnam War remains returning home

Associated Press

HANOI, Vietnam — Five sets of remains believed to be those of American soldiers who went missing during the Vietnam War were sent home yesterday nearly 30 years after the war ended.

The remains were loaded onto a C-17 transport plane in central Danang, from where they were to be flown to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command laboratory at Hickam Air Force Base for identification.

The remains were located in central and southern Vietnam by a joint recovery team that searches for soldiers missing in action, said Lt. Col. Ty Smith, commander of the U.S. MIA office in Hanoi.

"I'm honored to give those missing a final salute as they go into the aircraft," Smith said, adding that repatriation ceremonies are especially rewarding for the military personnel who spend weeks and sometimes months scouring the jungle to locate remains.

"It's their dedication that actually makes this happen," he said.

About 1,800 American soldiers remain unaccounted for in the Vietnam War, which ended in 1975.