Fifty years after the last U.S. troops withdrew from Vietnam, the war’s echoes continue through the stories of those left behind. In this two-part series, we’ve explored how families, adoptees and scientists are carving paths toward reconciliation and remembrance.
Diary Returns Home
When a dusty diary belonging to Sgt. James Miller turned up in a military archive, it sparked an emotional journey. His grandchildren, Maddy and Alex, never met him—but reading his final words brought them closer to a man they only knew through photos. The diary, filled with sketches and longing, now rests in their living room—a tangible link between past and present.
A Child’s Search for Roots
Lan, adopted by a family in Canada as an infant, spent years grappling with a sense of incompleteness. It wasn’t until she tracked down long-lost relatives in Hanoi that she felt whole. Through shared meals and old photographs, Lan and her birth family bridged a half-century divide, proving that healing often starts with simply saying hello.
Giving Names Back
In laboratories from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City, forensic experts work tirelessly to identify the war’s nameless dead. Using DNA samples and dental records, they’ve restored identities to thousands of soldiers, offering grieving families a chance at final farewell. Yet hundreds of remains remain unnamed—a reminder of how this conflict still speaks.
These intimate stories show that, even decades on, hope can spring from remembrance—and that every returned diary, reunion, and name etched on a memorial is a step toward healing.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
