Vietnam Veterans of America members honoured
The Vietnam Union of Friendship Organisations (VUFO) has presented certificates of merit and “For peace, friendship among nations” insignia to the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) and some of its members in recognition of their contributions to the normalisation and development of the Vietnam-US relations.
 |
| A VVA representative hands over dossiers of Vietnamese martyrs to veterans of Quang Nam province (Illustrative image. Source: VNA) |
Among the honoured individuals were VVA President John Rowan, VVA Vice President Marsha Four, Chair of the POW/MIA Committee Grant Towsend Coats, and VVA Public Relations Director Margaret Pratt Porter.
Addressing the ceremony in Hanoi on January 22, VUFO Vice President and General Secretary Don Tuan Phong hailed efforts of the VVA and its members in normalising, building and developing the Vietnam-US relations, especially through the veterans’ initiative programme (VIP).
Phong noted that since 1994, through the programme, the VVA has handed over to the Defence Ministry of Vietnam 300 dossiers and information of about 12,000 Vietnamese soldiers who died and went missing during the war, while helping search and gather remains of about 1,500 Vietnamese martyrs.
At the same time, the VVA has worked with some US TV channels to screen documentary films of the results of search for missing in action soldiers of both Vietnam and the US, as well as the war aftermath and the situation of Vietnam at present.
The honoured individuals have also supported victims of Agent Orange/dioxin in Vietnam, he said.
On behalf of the VVA, Grant Townsend Coasts thanked the VUFO for the recognition. He pledged that in the coming time, the VVA and its members will continue exerting efforts for the growth of the relationship between Vietnam and the US.
