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Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Nate Brushe, a recovery noncommissioned officer, wet-screens material during a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) recovery mission in Vietnam, April 11, 2025. The DPAA mission is to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and the nation. This is the first time the Oregon National Guard has supplemented a DPAA mission.
Episode 3042 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the Oregon National Guard Soldiers Who go on a Recovery Mission for Missing Vietnam War Service Member
In a powerful display of dedication and national pride, Oregon National Guard Soldiers, Sgts. 1st Class Nathan Brushe and Brian Miller, are leading a mission to locate and return the remains of a missing Vietnam War service member. Collaborating with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), these Citizen-Soldiers are deployed to Southeast Asia to help bring closure to families still waiting for their loved ones to come home.
Tasked with a solemn yet vital responsibility, the Oregon National Guard is using advanced archaeological recovery techniques to search crash sites, identify personal effects, and recover potential remains. The mission reinforces the military’s unwavering commitment to its creed: “Never Leave a Comrade Behind.”
Operating in challenging terrain and remote areas, the Guard’s efforts reflect not only a commitment to historical accountability but also to international humanitarian cooperation. The mission highlights how military service extends beyond combat—it includes restoration, remembrance, and repatriation.
“This is more than a mission,” said a participating Oregon Guardsman. “It’s a promise to a fallen brother and to his family. We won’t stop until he’s brought home.”
Currently, over 1,500 Americans from the Vietnam War remain unaccounted for. Through missions like this, the Oregon National Guard plays a pivotal role in honoring that legacy and fulfilling the U.S. military’s ongoing efforts to locate and recover every missing hero.
As the Oregon National Guard continues this mission, it not only strengthens the bond between soldiers and communities—it also brings hope to the families of the fallen and ensures that the sacrifices of Vietnam War veterans are never forgotten.
Listen to Episode 3042 and discover more about the Oregon National Guardsmen search for Vietnam War MIA remains.
