In 1969, an American Vietnam veteran took personal belongings from a fallen North Vietnamese soldier and kept them hidden for 42 years. On Veterans Day in 2011, he returned the items to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., seeking reconciliation and forgiveness. According to Janet Folkerts of the National Park Service, he reflected on the man's lost life and hoped to “put his soul to rest.” The Wall honours more than 58,000 dead or missing service members.