This was the first visit by a US ambassador to the cemetery where more than 10,000 fallen Vietnamese soldiers rest having died in the American war in Vietnam.

Ambassador Kritenbrink and a delegation of US diplomats were joined by some local officials including Quang Tri Provincial Deputy Chairman Hoang Nam and deputy chairman of the provincial Veterans Association of Vietnam, Tran Huu Duc.

The US diplomats dedicated a minute of silence as a gesture of respect for the fallen soldiers, before offering incense at their graves.

The ambassador also visited Hien Luong Bridge, which crosses the Ben Hai River in Quang Tri.

The bridge is located on the 17th Parallel, a provisional military demarcation line between the two parts of Vietnam established by the Geneva Accords in 1954.

Hien Luong Bridge is now a famous historical and tourist site.