The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Defence, the municipal People’s Committee, and other relevant agencies of Vietnam. The US side was represented by US Ambassador to Vietnam Jennifer Wicks, embassy officials, and personnel from the US Defence Attaché Office.

Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Ho Quang Buu said the name sign and guardhouse were artifacts of the former 1st reconnaissance battalion of the US Marine Corps in Da Nang. Before the handover, the artifacts had been preserved in the Da Son area of Hoa Khanh ward.

At the request of the US side, including wishes expressed by some veterans, Vietnam handed over the artifacts in a spirit of goodwill and humanitarianism and for display and commemorative purposes, thus highlighting the values of peace, healing and reconciliation between the two countries.

Under the Vietnam-US Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation and sustainable development, the bilateral relations have continued to advance across fields, Buu said, highlighting the special significance of cooperation between the two nations in addressing post-war consequences.

Over the years, the two sides have worked together on bomb and mine clearance, dioxin remediation, support for war victims and the search for missing personnel. Most recently, they have cooperated in the “500-day” campaign to search for, recover and identify the remains of fallen Vietnamese soldiers.

Buu said the city hopes the artifacts will be carefully preserved, appropriately displayed, and introduced by the US side, so that they not only preserve the memories of those who experienced those times but also convey to the younger generations of both countries a testament to the ability to overcome the past, heal divisions, build trust, and turn memories of the past into a driving force for cooperation and peace as the two countries move toward the future together.

For her part, Wicks thanked Vietnamese authorities and agencies for the transfer and expressed her pride in the strong partnership with Da Nang. The event further demonstrates the depth of cooperation between the two countries, she stressed./.VNA