VIETNAM –
U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam Jennifer Wicks made her first official visit to an active Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency recovery site on Aug. 26, 2026, observing operations to account for U.S. personnel lost in the Vietnam War.
Serving as a centerpiece of Wicks' first provincial tour since taking office in July 2026, the visit brought the ambassador to a steep, rocky hillside where forensic search areas were recently refined following local eyewitness reports that an aircraft exploded in midair before impact in 1968.
Grassroots Diplomacy on the Front Lines
Accompanied by embassy leadership, Wicks joined recovery personnel and officials from the Vietnamese Office for Seeking Missing Personnel for a tour of the site.
The delegation was hosted by Recovery Team Light-1 leadership, including U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Maclayne Lee, team leader; U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Andrew March, team sergeant; Dr. Kyle McCormick, scientific recovery expert; and U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Alexander Barnes, life support investigator.
Wicks toured forensic investigation stations, observed cave excavations, and participated in dry screening alongside joint recovery personnel and more than 65 local Vietnamese workers.
"I am very thankful for this opportunity to see the recovery operation firsthand and really appreciate your support for the mission searching for missing Americans," Wicks told local workers at the dry screening station. "This is significant not only for the U.S. government, but also for the families of those who are missing."
Highlighting the joint effort required at the remote location, U.S. Army Lt. Col. Jason Kim, DPAA Detachment 2 leader, emphasized the vital bond between recovery teams and the local community.
"Having Ambassador Wicks visit our recovery operation underscores the vital importance of this mission," Kim said. "Day in and day out, our joint recovery teams work through steep, unforgiving terrain alongside our host-nation partners. This work proves that the strongest bonds between our two countries are forged right here on the ground, working shoulder to shoulder to bring our missing service members home."
Advancing Mutual Commitments and Technological Partnership
The visit also reinforced the reciprocal nature of bilateral defense and humanitarian cooperation. Wicks linked the ongoing search for missing American personnel with U.S. assistance for Vietnam’s national 500-day campaign to identify fallen Vietnamese soldiers, launched in March 2026.
"In our collaboration, Vietnam has supported us from the very beginning in the U.S. efforts to search for American missing persons," Wicks said. "Now, we are sharing technology and expertise, especially in the field of DNA analysis, to support Vietnam in searching for and identifying your fallen soldiers."