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General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence of Vietnam (right), and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at their talks in Hanoi on November 2 (Photo: VNA)
Episode 3141 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s visit to Hanoi where he hopes to fire up efforts to find MIA’s from the Vietnam War. The featured story is titled: Hegseth in Hanoi: Pursuit of lost Americans from the Vietnam War a top Pentagon priority – Defense secretary visits military unit in Vietnam working to resolve cases of missing warfighters. It appeared on the Washington Times website and was submitted by Bill Gertz, a national security correspondent for The Washington Times. He has been with The Times since 1985..
Gertz reported that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reaffirmed that resolving cases of Americans missing from the Vietnam War remains a top priority for the Trump administration. During his visit to Hanoi,
Hegseth and Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phan Van Giang exchanged wartime artifacts — an American veteran’s Vietnam War souvenirs were returned to Vietnam, while Hegseth received identification cards of missing U.S. pilots. The exchange symbolized deepening military cooperation and humanitarian reconciliation between the former adversaries.
Hegseth praised the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) team in Hanoi for its ongoing recovery efforts, despite criticism that the agency has paid Vietnam millions for limited progress. A recent report accused Hanoi of overcharging the Pentagon, claiming the Vietnamese government turned the MIA accounting process into a revenue-generating venture. Both sides have since agreed to reduce costs, though implementation is delayed by the U.S. government shutdown.
Hegseth emphasized that finding missing personnel is central to U.S.-Vietnam defense ties, marking 30 years of diplomatic relations and a growing “comprehensive strategic partnership.”
The two nations also signed a memorandum to expand cooperation on recovering remains, ordnance clearance, and environmental cleanup. Hegseth’s visit was part of a broader Asia tour aimed at strengthening regional alliances amid rising Chinese aggression.
Listen to Episode 3141 and discover more about Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s visit to Hanoi to fire up efforts to find MIA’s from the Vietnam War.
