POW/MIA Update: December 19, 2007

[boardman]

POW/MIA Update:  December 19, 2007
 
 
AMERICANS ANNOUNCED AS ACCOUNTED FOR:  There are still 1,763 US personnel listed by the Department of Defense as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.  Today, DPMO Changed the statistical data to reflect the accounting for SSGT Maurice H. Moore, USA, from Maryland, date of loss 5-12-68, South Vietnam.  His remains were jointly recovered October 30, 2006, and identified May 22, 2007.  DPMO also recently released the names of Major Robert F. Woods, USAF, from Utah, and Gunnery Sergeant Richard W. Fischer, USMC, from Wisconsin, as accounted for.  Major Woods was listed as KIA/BNR in North Vietnam on June 26, 1968; his remains were jointly recovered and repatriated on October 19, 2004, identified on May 29, 2007, and recently announced.  Gunnery Sergeant Fischer was listed as MIA in South Vietnam on January 8, 1968; his remains were jointly recovered and repatriated on October 7, 1994, identified on September 4, 2007.  This brings to 820 the number of US personnel returned since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975.  90+% of 1,763 still missing and unaccounted-for were lost in Vietnam or in areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam’s wartime control.  
 

UPDATE ON JPAC OPERATIONS:  The 101st Joint Field Activity (JFA) in Laos, the first in this fiscal year, concluded on November 20th with four excavations at sites in the two southern Lao provinces of Khammouan and Attapeu.  Multiple investigations were also scheduled to be conducted in this area during the 30-day operation.  One excavation, begun in Cambodia on October 14th, concluded on November 27th.  In Vietnam, the 90th JFA that began October 19th ended after 45 days, and the teams returned to Hawaii in early December.  Operations reportedly occured in 11 provinces, plus Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), with four excavations and investigations into numerous cases, preceded by a ten-day advance preparation period by a smaller joint team.    Regarding WWII, operations recently took place in the Netherlands, Hungary, Austria, France (including an underwater investigation on the Island of Corsica), Luxembourg, Italy and Germany.   All field operations in Europe were concluded in November, and the teams redeployed to Hawaii. 
 

US/SRV MEET IN BANGKOK TO DISCUSS ALLEGED 20TH ANNIVERSARY:  Despite many questions concerning precisely what is being commemorated and why, JPAC Commander BG Michael Flowers, USA, and his Vietnamese counterpart on POW/MIA matters Nguyen Ba Hung, Director for the Americas, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, are meeting this week in Bangkok, accompanied by several officials from each country.  Proposed by Ba Hung (long involved in POW/MIA matters), the purpose is said to deal with preparations for the 2008 commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of US/SRV cooperation. 
 

The last such “anniversary” was also requested by the SRV, in 1998, to review the prior 10 years of cooperation, though not cited as an anniversary, at least publicly.  In reality, the SRV plan at that time – to obtain praise for their efforts, openness and improved cooperation – was a success, despite the lack of unilateral Vietnamese efforts to provide the archival records needed or repatriate remains not available through the joint excavation process.  That level of cooperation is still missing!
 

 

In the early 1990’s, with the urging of the US Ambassador, JTF-FA was actively raising public awareness on Vietnam’s cooperation – real or contrived – in anticipation of possible controversy over normalization of relations.  Continuation of this should stop; the political and economic objectives have been overcome by events.  The truth is that bilateral cooperation, even in the field, started in 1985, NOT in 1988.  Then an active duty Army officer, Johnie Webb (now the civilian Deputy to the JPAC Commander) led that field operation.  JPAC knows these facts, yet the military leadership continues the façade for reasons unknown. 
 

JPAC COMMANDERS CONFER IN HAWAII:  The JPAC Detachment Commanders from Bangkok, Hanoi and Vientiane met December 12th in Hawaii with JPAC headquarters personnel to exchange information, plus earlier in the week to get personnel policy and other briefings needed or required.  Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/MIA Affairs Ambassador Charles Ray and his Deputy, Col Dave Ellis, USAF, attended the one-day conference, as did incoming JPAC Commander, RADM Donna Crisp, USN.  Admiral Cristp will assume command on January 4th and will be the first Navy and first female Commander, a significant change in the operational leadership.   The League Executive Director will attend the Change of Command and meet with PACOM Commander ADM Timothy Keating, USN, RADM Crisp, US Ambassador to Laos Ravic Huso and others while in Honolulu.   
 
FAMILIES OPPOSE ANOTHER SELECT COMMITTEE ON POW/MIA AFFAIRS:  With a unanimous vote of the League’s Board of Directors preceding a unanimous membership vote at the 38th Annual Meeting last June, the League is on record as strongly opposing H. Res.111.  Previously disproven claims of conspiracy and cover-up are again being raised, but past investigations have completely tied up assets and resources and the accounting was put on hold to allow time and attention to respond to Congress. 
 

The League will continue to oppose another wasteful, time-consuming special committee or commission unless and until there is nothing further that can be done constructively.  In that event, the League would then reconsider.  That time is NOT yet here, so we urge Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Members of the Rules Committee to stop this resolution from being attached to another measure coming to a vote in the full House.  If that happens, the League will do its best to prevent the destruction that historically has occurred.      
 
LEAGUE APPROVED FOR 2007 COMBINED FEDERAL CAMPAIGN (CFC):  The League was recently approved and notified that the stringent criteria were met.  Our new (five digit) number is 10218, assigned by the US Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Washington, DC.  The League is the ONLY nonprofit organization representing American POW/MIAs, KIA/BNR’s and their families that is eligible for donations through the CFC & United Way structure.  Despite the reality that there are many competing charities and much need, especially in a time of war, the League is proud of our CFC eligibility, knowing the tough requirements that any organization must meet.    
 

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