As of 2022, there are 1,244 U.S. military personnel still missing from the Vietnam War specifically within Vietnam.
Ongoing Efforts to Account for Missing Personnel
Decades after the official end of the conflict, the accounting for U.S. military personnel missing from the Vietnam War remains an active and ongoing mission. This involves continuous research, investigations, and recovery operations, often conducted in collaboration with the governments of Vietnam and Laos. The primary objective is to provide answers and bring closure to the families of service members who have been unaccounted for.
Detailed Breakdown of Missing Personnel
The following table provides a comprehensive overview of U.S. military personnel missing in action from the Vietnam War, including the initial number of missing individuals, those who have been repatriated and identified, and the current count of those who remain unaccounted for, based on data up to 2022:
| Characteristic | Vietnam | Laos |
|---|---|---|
| Originally Missing | 1,973 | 573 |
| Repatriated and Identified | 729 | 288 |
| Still Missing | 1,244 | 285 |
Note: These figures reflect U.S. military personnel listed as missing in action during the Vietnam War period, spanning from 1964 to 2022.
These numbers underscore the enduring challenges associated with recovering and identifying remains from historical conflicts. Agencies such as the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) continue their dedicated efforts worldwide, including in Southeast Asia, to locate, recover, and identify all missing service members.
